A Proofreader’s Checklist - The Writers For Hire

A PROOFREADER’S CHECKLIST Proofreading can be scary at times because it carries so much responsibility. The proofreader must deliver a product that is as perfect as humanly possible. In some businesses, the proofreader is the last person to touch a document, making the final changes before it is published. Like editing, proofreading can require a light or a heavy hand, depending on the subject matter and the complexity of the text. Some drafts require only minor fixes – typos, missing punctuation, misspellings – while others require extensive fact-checking in addition to correcting grammatical errors. The Writers for Hire team has worked through a few kinks in its own processes, and shares the results here. These tips, which focus on generally accepted best practices, are intended to ease most – but perhaps not all – of the anxiety sometimes surrounding the proofreading process. Begin with a Discussion The proofreading process should begin with you, the proofreader, and the editor or client talking through how the project will proceed. At the outset, you should agree on the preferred style guide and any deviations from or in-house exceptions to the preferred guide. Most companies use a preferred style guide. The Associated Press (AP) Style Guide, the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and the Chicago Manual of Style are the most common. Despite the preferred style, some documents may require adherence to different guidelines, such as a client’s own style guide.Project-specific guidelines could include: Using European date format (day/month/year) Using 24-hour clock time (0930 versus 9:30 a.m.) Using only words or only symbols for monetary units Abbreviating or spelling out titles Keeping industry-specific usage, capitalization, or punctuation Using specific transliterations or spellings o f foreign names and places Making exceptions to AP style, such as using the Oxford comma But, of course, these are only a few of the various elements that you, the editor, and your client must agree on up front.Otherwise, you could end up in a vicious cycle of editing each other’s changes back and forth. Print and Read Out Loud Proofreading the hard copy of a text and pronouncing or mouthing each word can catch many more errors than reading it on a computer screen.Reading each word out loud identifies missing and repeated words – a very common occurrence.Checking for consistency in formatting is also easier when you page through a printed document.Other mistakes this best practice helps identify include: Incorrect subject verb agreement Incorrect antecedents Complex sentences that are confusing or too long Commonly misused homonyms and other words (their/there, its/it’s, and affect/effect, for example) Check the Facts Not all draft s require fact-checking, but for those that do, this is a critical step in proofreading. At a minimum, you should fact-check the following: Official country names and names of individuals, places, and organizations. Enter each into Google to confirm the correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Ages, birth dates, and death dates. Check for errors such as someone turning different ages in the same year, or an event involving someone before they were born or after they died. Dates of events. Check all references to a specific day and date in a specific month and year to make sure they are accurate. Captions of photos and graphics. Make sure they match the text exactly, paying close attention to names, dates, places, and subject matter. Math in tables and graphics. Check what you can calculate using simple math, such as percentages and totals. Look for Internal Inconsistences Consistency in longer documents can be especially challenging because of the human tendency to read what should be on the page instead of what is there.As you read, make a list of items to check for consistency against the agreed guidelines. Such a list might include: Formatting, grammar, and punctuation of bullets, headings, and subheadings Capitalization and use of titles Use of first names, last names, or both Capitalization of captions Chronological consistency Use of colons, semi colons, en dashes, and em dashes Formatting of dates and time Symbols or words for numbers and currencies Use the Spell Check and Find Functions The Spell Check and Find functions are very helpful, but a proofreader cannot rely on them to catch everything. â€Å"ABC Spelling and Grammar† in Microsoft Word, for example, automatically identifies misspelled words, sentence fragments, and common grammatical errors, but it also can suggest changes that are wrong in the context of a document. Spell-checking will, however, catch all unusual names and terms – because it doesnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t recognize them. After you have confirmed that the spelling of a word is correct, click the â€Å"Ignore All† option. If spell-checking catches another version of the word, then that word is spelled different ways in the document. When proofreading on a PDF, use CNTRL A (to highlight all) and CNTRL V (to paste all) into a Word document.Word will identify misspellings, but it also will catch words that aren’t misspelled because of the way it cuts and pastes in.This is still better than no spell check at all, however! Along with spell-checking, the Find function helps ensure consistency by checking for all instances of style choices in spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, and punctuation. Searching for specific word and editing choices is easier using Microsoft Word’s â€Å"Advanced Find,† which has several options, including â€Å"Match case† and â€Å"Find whole words only.† On a PC, click â€Å"Find,† then â€Å"Advanced F ind,† and then â€Å"More† to see all the search options: The â€Å"Navigation† pane in Find offers the choice of searching â€Å"Headings,† â€Å"Pages,† and â€Å"Results.† Searching â€Å"Results† returns a list of results within their surrounding text; this option could be useful when checking for consistency in long, complex, documents. On a Mac, be sure that your Standard Toolbar is open. Do that through â€Å"View† at the top, then scroll down to Toolbars Standard: The â€Å"Advanced Find† can be accessed from the top right â€Å"Search† box: Click on â€Å"List Matches in Sidebar† to call up the â€Å"Find and Replace† window down the left-hand side of your document. Insert the word you’re looking for into the â€Å"Search Document† field: Choose the gear icon to access a pull-down menu of advanced search options: Once you’ve entered all your changes, spell-check the entire document a final time to uncover any glitches that escaped your attention. Take Your Time Proofreading takes time. If your client only has a limited amount of time – or budget – to complete the proofreading phase, be sure to find out what the most important elements are, so you know how to focus your time. And be sure to let the client know if the expectations aren’t reasonable. A rushed proofing job inevitably leads to further corrections.Tweet this End with a Discussion Review with the editor or client the changes you made to the document and discuss any remaining areas of concern that require your attention. If the document contained tracked changes and comments, bracketed text, or highlights, make sure to remove them if you have addressed the issues. If not, insert your own comments and raise them with the client or editor.

Jiggery-pokery and Pure Applesauce

Jiggery-pokery and Pure Applesauce Jiggery-pokery and Pure Applesauce Jiggery-pokery and Pure Applesauce By Maeve Maddox The choice of words in a recent Supreme Court dissent prompted this email from a reader: Justice Scalia recently used the terms pure applesauce and jiggery-pokery. I was able to find what jiggery-pokery means but not pure applesauce. Can you help? Jiggery-pokery, as the reader presumably discovered, is a colloquial expression meaning â€Å"deceitful or dishonest manipulation; hocus pocus, humbug.† Merriam-Webster labels it â€Å"chiefly British.† Applesauce is an informal expression meaning, â€Å"insincere flattery, lies.† The OED labels it â€Å"North American slang,† but I found examples in Australian and British usage. â€Å"Pure applesauce† is â€Å"nonsense unmixed with a shred of honesty or truth.† Examples of applesauce to mean nonsense or invention: â€Å"Well, I need you to understand, Lindsay, that that is  a load of applesauce.- Dale: Image of Innocence, Roo Palmer (Australian novelist), 2010.   â€Å"All those grandmas want to talk about the vote. Thats nothing but  a load of applesauce.† Lilies in Moonlight: A Novel, Allison K. Pittman, 2011. â€Å"Well, flattering as this passage may be to my self-esteem, it is, as far as my recollection goes, pure applesauce.†- Owen Barfield (British philosopher), quoted in C. S. Lewiss List: The Ten Books That Influenced Him Most, 2015.   Examples of jiggery-pokery to mean â€Å"deceitful or manipulative goings-on†: But  spare me  this nationalist  jiggery pokery; no one needs to hear it- Reader comment. God only knows what jiggery pokery has been going on with the judicial branch but Id be shocked if they havent also been compromised.- Reader comment. I’ve been busy of late with the new jiggery pokery that is The Children and Families Act  2014, Part 3.- A blogger on children’s issues. Dont come to me with your sociological jiggery-pokery; its all coincidence and barely worthy of remark.- The Guardian (UK). Examples of jiggery-pokery to mean â€Å"manipulation of objects†: Ever since then, Ive been a secret advocate of the ancient Chinese art of needle-based jiggery pokery.- Article about acupuncture, The Week (UK).   I did some techno-jiggery-pokery to let me watch videos outside the country they were meant to be viewed in, but that was in Firefox.- Reader comment in The Guardian. The thrill of it all is in the reactions of the spooked, rather than the clever jiggery-pokery that allows furniture to become mobile or a marble to stop dead at someone’s feet.- Review of The Enfield Haunting, a television miniseries, The Guardian. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†Ten Yiddish Expressions You Should Know15 Names and Descriptions of Effects

Web-site Front Page and Anwser Questions Assignment - 1

Web-site Front Page and Anwser Questions - Assignment Example As this will be the initial fascination that goes along with the content marketing wearing off, there is a need to invest wisely. This content maturity will eventually bring good results and in the restraint I will be able to reflectively reach the target to the content and services it offers and also help improve the results. On the other hand, I would include another tactic of building the restraint own brand than just building links. A sophisticated brand, usually play a very key role in the business and also the search engine. Building its own brand in the search engine will, however, help build the thought of leadership in the space will be critical steps to all the ranking all the time. Another tactic is the use of the social media such as the twitter, Facebook and others. Goggle for example, works by relying on human signals to vet sites. I intend to use a strong strategy that will make it easier for people to share the restraint content since it works so well and also integrates with the role of the search engine so significantly. Marketing and also Understanding your restaurant’s psychographic and demographic profile is another tactic indispensable in capitalizing on the restaurant prediction. It also assists in deciding what is obtained to keep clients coming back, like rotating menus, live music, or other events. Another tactic beside the front web site page is the creativity. The restaurant production, while increasing in both imagination and eminence includes numerous concepts that are usually based on modern foods. Inventiveness can come also in the form of cafe new design, drinks presentation, new dishes and variations on the tune-up. . The mobile optimization currently is no longer an option. This is because almost many people have the smart phones and it is getting hard for any site without a mobile strategy to rank appropriately.

The Presidency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Presidency - Research Paper Example The American presidency is the most powerful office positions in the universe, considering the fact that the United States of America is the powerhouse of the world. As such, the presidency is among the widely recognized worldwide icons (Watts, 2009). Majority of individuals living outside the US or those who have little knowledge on the history of the presidency would assume that the politics of the presidency as similar to any other in the world (or to the local and congressional elections), but those familiar with its history know the significance of the office. A keen and closer look at the history of the executive branch of the US government will highlight the powers and worldwide impact the office may have on the entire world. Among the main roles of the presidency as described by Article II of the American Constitution, include the chief administrator, chief lawmaker, commander-in-chief, chief of state, and the chief diplomat, just to mention a few. In contrast to local or con gressional elections where several individuals of the same ideology are elected in order for the government to address issues of concern, the presidency, a single individual although under the check of various government divisions, has the power to literary change the entire world. As history has it, US presidents have had the power to implement policies that may bring significant changes in the world, or establish new world orders, as is the case with President Washington. Nonetheless, different presidents in the past have had different policy doctrines that helped them govern the country in their presidential terms (Brinkley & Dyer, 2004). The vast powers held in the presidency office often make the role a contradictory institution and complex one, and very vital to the US government system. Restrictions by political laws on one president act as a liberation for another. A successful policy doctrine for one president may be a complete failure by another, majorly because of the pre vailing political and international relations. The US presidency definition may be a series of contradictions, paradoxes, and clashing expectations. Citizens vote a president based on principles and values that are generally acceptable to the society. A citizen’s vote is dependent on the individual’s beliefs, hopes, and wishes. The presidential elections of 2012 will either give Americans a chance to reinstate President Barrack Obama as their president for another four-year term, or choose another candidate based on their guiding principles and presidential campaign platforms (Peters). The issue of terrorism has been a major topic in the past presidential elections campaigns, with the gradual shift from the democratic diplomacy presidency to the imperial presidency as was imposed by George Bush during his term in office (Brinkley & Dyer, 2004). The 57th Presidential elections to be held on 6th November 2012, is expected to feature the incumbent President Obama on a Dem ocrats ticket, a Republican candidate (yet to be decided), and a third party nominee. The presidential campaigns are often marred with accusations and counter accusation, some of which have seen a Republican Presidential candidate, Herman Cain, suspend his campaign on accusations of a 13-years affair and sexual harassment. The Democrats are pushing tax cut extensions as part of their strategy, as well as maintaining their famous

Leadership Position.Cross Cultural Decision Making Assignment

Leadership Position.Cross Cultural Decision Making - Assignment Example International business ethics is of high value, especially when team members originate from other countries. It is a spicy mixture, if team members originate from UK, Brazil, Egypt and Colombia.   A mixture of Eastern and Western culture is an effective conglomerate, but it may take time and effort to make this unity successful. A diverse world requires numerous opportunities and gives many chances for goals realization either by individuals or by the company. A leader is a mediator of relations between employees and organization. From his apt communication of goals depends future performance of the organization. A current task is challenged by international nature not only of its team members, but also by location of plants. The first plant is based in Ireland and the second plant is located in Honduras.   Raw materials come from different international companies. Manufacturing plants are located in different countries and it is very much important that cultural differences in c ommunication among employees of the plants should be properly considered by a leader. For example, lingual and cultural barriers can exist. To overcome them a wise leader should set correct goals and inspire team members of high performance by means of rewards. ... That is why it is very important for employee the way he is perceived by the leader and other members of his team. Therefore, to motivate employees from different countries, it is possible to take the following steps: to choose between need-based models of motivation and process-based models of motivation. In accordance with Hofstede (2003), the first type of model is based on social orientation, power orientation, uncertainty orientation, and goal orientation. This approach is relevant to representatives of uncertainty-avoiding cultures, when employees are focused on job stability and a personal security. It is better to implement reinforcement, which leads to positive outcomes and avoid punishment, which leads to negative outcomes (Trompenaars, 2004). To avoid misunderstanding, it is better for managers to develop his practices in compliance with a formal code of ethics of the organization. Ethical dilemmas can be dealt in interactive way, when members of organization have an oppor tunity of trainings visiting, which are mainly focused on ethical aspects of business (Alanazi & Rodrigues, 2003). Social responsibility is another integrative element of a successful international leadership. Basic human needs of employees, their rewards, promotion and support should be of high importance for the modern leaders. A modern process of decision making should be regulated by a leader with respect to the following facts: â€Å"a set of social relations  which includes consumption patterns, market regulations, ownership and control structures, labor conditions, government decision making, and the motivations and aspirations of the actors involved† (Thompson 1994, p. 4). Especially in the international context these factors play even

Fibonacci And The Golden Ratio Mathematics Essay

Fibonacci And The Golden Ratio Mathematics Essay Some aspects of mathematics can be dull and tedious from start to end, much of it however is intriguing and inspiring, when you truly see the beauty and the relevance. This is why I would like to bring to your attention the magic of the Fibonacci numbers. If you have ever looked at a sheet of paper and wondered Why do we use those dimensions? or looked at the leaf or an attractive plant and wondered Why can I never find a four leaved clover? then this may be of some interest. Many of these things are quite interconnected in a way you would not realise, and most of them are connected by the Fibonacci sequence. If I return to one of my original questions Why can I never find a four leaved clover? it seems reasonable, that if you can find 3 leaved clover and 5 leaved clover, you would be able to find the more symmetrical 4 leaved clover. Why then is it so rare to find one? If we look closely at other examples of nature, we can perhaps find the answer. If you were to search through your average garden, you would find the majority of flowers have 5 petals, many have 3 or 8 or more but if you look closely, you will always find more of certain numbers, compared to others. These numbers just so happen to be part of the Fibonacci sequence: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 Although, why does nature choose these numbers over others? In addition, the connection between the real world and this sequence does not just end there; it can be found almost everywhere we look: spirals on a snail shell, the core of an apple, geometry, art, architecture, the stock market and even the human body. So what makes it so useful? Why is it so special? My project intends to answer these questions and along the way discover new applications and more examples. I will be delving into the mathematical concepts behind the nature we see every day, the regular objects we rely on, the human body and the stock market. I shall also investigate aspects of the golden ratio and how the Fibonacci sequence is related to this. The Fibonacci sequence is found by adding the previous term to the term before that. For example: 0, 1, 1, 2, ? 0 +1=1 1+1=2 1+2=3 and so on.. Overall equation for next term: a_(n+1)= a_n+ a_(n-1) This creates an infinite sequence of numbers and is known as a recursive sequence, as each number is a function of the previous two. Also, as the sequence progresses the ratio between each consecutive term seems to converge upon a single number. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89 2/1=2 3/2=1.5 5/3=1.667 8/5=1.6 13/8=1.625 21/13=1.615 F=1.618034 Eventually, it converges to 1.618034 This number has a specific interest to many mathematicians and is known as the golden ratio. It is also useful when we consider where it is found. If you were to take your hand and bend the index finger as full as possible, measuring the dimensions of the rectangle created, you would find what is known as a golden rectangle. The average height (of the intermediate phalange) would be around 3cm and the average length (of the proximal phalange) would be 5cm. As we can see from left this creates a shape of ratio 5:3 or simply 1.667:1 (the golden ratio). This is only one of the many examples of golden ratio in the body. There are many, many more some of which have been known for hundreds of years (see Da Vinci s Vitruvian man right). Also, the golden ratio is not just confined to the human body. Rather than cutting and apple from pole to pole, if you were to slice in a horizontal fashion, you would find a simple five pointed star. However, it is much more complex than meets the eye. If you were to take the distance AB as 1 unit, the distance AC would be 1.618, the golden ratio. But why does this happen, what make this ratio so efficient and so appealing, and why has nature adopted it? History of the Sequence and Ratio From the start of the Palaeozoic era, 400 million years ago, animals of divine proportions have been roaming the earth. The most notable is the nautilus shell (right) which follows a logarithmic spiral based on the golden ratio in rectangles. The earliest written documentation of a special ratio belongs to the Rhind papyrus. A scroll about 6 metres long and 1/3 of a metre wide, it is one of the first mathematical handbooks. It was discovered by Scottish Egyptologist Henry Rhind in 1858 and is believed to have been written by Egyptian scribe, Ahmes in 1650 BC. He is believed to have copied it, from a document 200 years older, dating the first notation of the sequence to 1850 BC. However, the pyramids, built 1000 years previous, show many examples of the use of golden ratio, although many scholars believe it is merely coincidence created by the need for right angles. Between the 6th and 3rd centuries, Greek philosophers, mathematicians and artists used and analysed the golden ratio. It is visible in pentagons and pentagrams throughout the period and was attributed to Pythagoras and his followers. It was used as part of his symbol (a pentagram with a pentagon within) and it was he, who first suspected the proportion was the basis of the human figure. Plato also studied the ratio naming it most blinding of mathematical relations, the key to the physics of the cosmos. and from his lectures so did Eudoxus, whose work was used by Euclid in his book of elements II. Here he writes one of the first definitions A straight line is said to have been cut in extreme and mean ratio when, as the whole line is to the greater segment, so is the greater to the less. During his work he creates problems based on the ratio in pentagons, equilateral triangles and some of his prepositions show the ratio to be an irrational number. The first person to apply numbers and sequence to construct the golden ratio was Leonardo of Pisa (full name, Leonardo Pisano Bigollo, lived 1180-1250). He was the son of an Italian businessman from the city of Pisa and grew up within a trading colony in North Africa. At the time, Italy and the majority of Europe was using the Roman numeral system of counting, this was quite complex and meant most calculations required an abacus. While growing up in Algeria he learned the Hindu-Arabic system of calculation (the familiar 0, 1, 2). After returning to Pisa as a young man in the thirteenth century, he recognised the superiority of this new structure and began to spread it throughout Europe. He did this through his book the Liber Abaci (book of abacus) published in 1202 under the nickname, Fibonacci (a contraction of filius Bonacci, meaning son of Bonacci). To explain the system he used the Fibonacci sequence in his famous immortal rabbits problem (see next section of more detail). This allowed him to explain addition, subtraction and division using the Hindu- Arabic system and in turn allowed him to popularise it through Western Europe. Due to this he was later known as the founder of western mathematics and the greatest European mathematician of the middle ages. He introduced concepts such as algebra, geometry, the common fraction and even the square root symbol. He also considered the possibility of negative numbers and related it to merchant problems which began with a debt. There was very little significant work done upon the topic until 1509, when Luca Pacioli published De Divina Proportione with the help of illustrations by Leonardo Da Vinci, who later used this within his famous work the Vitruvian man . In 1611, German astronomer Johann Kepler discovered the numbers within his own work on planetary motion saying as 5 is to 8, so is 8 to 13, practically, and as 8 is to 13, so is 13 to 21 almost in relation to the rings around Saturn. It was later found that the ratio of mean distance between planets was in fact the golden ratio. Over the next two centuries many scholars investigated the sequence, deriving formulas and functions. In 1830, A. Braun first applied the sequence to the arrangement of bracts on a pinecone. A decade later and J.P.M. Binet derived a formula for the value of any Fibonacci number without the need for the previous two. nth number= 1/(v5) ((1+v5)/2)^n- 1/(v5) ((1-v5)/2)^n In 1920, Oxford Botanist A.H Church discovered spirals on sunflower heads corresponded to the numbers in Fibonacci s rabbit problem (see next section). This discovery inspired botanists to look for Fibonacci numbers elsewhere, teams then began to realise that many phyllotactic ratio s are golden ratio s (see flower patterns and primorda). In the 1930 s, Joseph Schillinger consciously composed a piece of music using Fibonacci intervals and Ralph Elliot began predicting the stock market in Fibonacci periods. By the 1960 s, a lively interest had been aroused and to this day mathematicians around the world are investigating the uses and problems connected with the sequence. The Immortal Rabbits Problem To explain his mathematical theorems, Fibonacci liked to create problems to allow his audience to use the maths he tried to describe. The immortal rabbits problem is one such challenge. It was first described within his famous Liber abaci and was later adopted as an explanation for the Fibonacci sequence. Imagine if you will a large enclosure and within it a pair of rabbits. The immortal rabbit problem asks if there is one pair to begin with, how many rabbits will there be after a certain length of time if: Each rabbit is immortal They stay within their pairs They breed once per month and produce a pair each time Each new pair takes 1 month to mature, and then breeds to form a new pair the next month January, we start with 2 rabbits, these then take one month to breed.. February, there is now one adult pair and a new born pair of immature rabbits. March, the new born pair have now matured, and the adult pair have reproduced April, the new born pair from March have now developed, the first pair reproduce again and the second pair reproduce for the first time.. The pattern continues until Month Pairs of mature rabbits Pairs of immature rabbits Overall Number of Pairs January 1 0 1 February 1 1 2 March 2 1 3 April 3 2 5 May 5 3 8 June 8 5 13 July 13 8 21 August 21 13 34 September 34 21 55 October 55 34 89 November 89 55 144 December 144 89 233 After a while, we begin to notice a pattern, the total number of rabbits in any given month is a Fibonacci number. This is because the total is formed from the number of immature rabbits (the same as the number of mature rabbits the last month) and the number of mature rabbits (the total from the previous month) i.e. a_(n+1)= a_n+ a_(n-1) Another interesting note is the rate of growth in the population. 2/1 = 2 3/2= 1.5 5/3= 1.666 8/3= 1.625 . this continues until we reach a_(n+1)/a_n =1.618034.. i.e. the Golden Ratio. Flower patterns and primorda As we have seen in the introduction, nature has applied the Fibonacci sequence and golden ratio from the number of petals on a flower, to the core of an apple and the spirals of a sunflower. On the face of it, this seems to be a fortunate and appealing coincidence, but since the 1920 s botanist have searched and found more and more of these coincidences . This leads us to believe that perhaps, they have a much deeper and more interesting meaning for the life of your average plant. Maybe these numbers and ratios were chosen for a reason. Even from Egyptian times it was noted that most flowers had 5 petals, the rest by majority also have Fibonacci numbers of petals. Also, if you examine the many plant stems you will find the regular pattern or 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 stems at standard heights. Another interesting phenomenon, and one which may reveal the mystery of why plants behave so regularly in conjunction with the Fibonacci sequence, are the spirals shown by plants. Look carefully at the picture of the pineapple left. As you move from the top right to the bottom left you may begin to see a set of spirals, curving round the pineapple in a diagonal fashion. Upon closer inspection you may also find a similar on from top left to bottom right and less obvious, from top to bottom. If we count the number of spirals we (fortunately for this topic) seem to find only Fibonacci numbers. In fact in a study of over 2000 pineapples not a single on differed from the pattern. The same principle applies to the pinecone. Upon close inspection, you will find two different spirals, one vertically and another horizontally, all of which come in Fibonacci numbers. A separate study to that of the pineapples showed that this was the case 99% of the time. The sunflower however, has its own unique spiral display. Starting from the centre and continuing in a clockwise fashion to the outside, the number of spirals again adds to a Fibonacci number. Although, if you look in the opposite (anticlockwise) direction you will find yet another spiral and adding the number of these gives the consecutive Fibonacci number. The majority of the time this is the case, however from time to time there are variations; with larger sunflowers the number of spirals can be double Fibonacci numbers (i.e. 2, 4, 6, 10, 16, 26.). These spirals may be interesting and attractive to look at, but hold much more value than just aesthetics; they allow us to show just why Fibonacci numbers are so widely used in nature and give us an insight into how nature uses maths at its very core. To understand the maths behind the growth of plants we must look deep into the way it grows. As the plant grows taller the interesting components (i.e. petals, sepals, stamens, leaves) all grow from small clumps of tissue called primorda. As these begin to grow they aim to have the largest distance between leaves as possible, this means they have the maximum amount of space and light to grow, ultimately making the plant stronger and more likely to survive. This distance has been decided through evolution to allow the maximum about of light to hit the plant and it turns out this maximum point of efficiently is related to the golden ratio. It just so happens that the Golden angle is the angle one golden ratio away from the starting position. 360 1.618.. 582.5 i.e. 582.5 -360 = 222.5 away clockwise (or 137.5 anticlockwise). As they grow at their angles the leaves have enough light and space to grow. However, when the 6th leaf begin to grow the angle means it is only 32.5 from the first, this leaves it in the shade meaning it is less likely to grow and develop; this is the reason many plants use the number 5 in some areas (i.e. in the number of petals) as the 6th would have less room and is less likely to grow. Sometimes called the phyllotactic ratio, the connection between this and efficiency in plants does not just end there. If we take ourselves back to the sunflower and its spirals we can see that this also has connections to the same ratio. As it begins to grown from the centre outwards each primorda (and therefore each seed head) grows on golden angle away from the previous. As the ratios between consecutive Fibonacci numbers are approximations to the golden ratio (and therefore used to create approximations to the golden angle) we begin to see them within the spirals. This is the main reason Fibonacci numbers are present in so many places; they form the best approximations of the golden ratio. Although, the actual number of spirals that arises depends upon the size of the seed head and slight variations in the rate at which the primorda migrate away from the tip of the growing shoot. As we saw from the rotations in plant leaves above, the golden angle is used to give the most space and therefore the most light. In the seed head however this is not a problem so why has evolution adapted to use it? The answer to this was first discovered by Professor H. Vogel in 1979. He noticed that using the golden angle allowed the seed head to pack together with hardly any missing space. This meant it was very efficient as more seeds could fit in a small area and also much stronger. In turn it meant there would be more seeds and better chance of offspring. This was later supported by French physicists Yves Couder and Stephan Douady, who found the choice of angle the natural consequence of the dynamics of growing a plant shoot . They stated that each primorda gets pushed into the largest available space, so they pack more efficiently, making the golden angle the most likely choice. They also discovered that the next best choice for packing an angle created by a second very similar sequence called the anomalous series (4, 7, 11, 18, 29). After inspection of more spirals and more plant this was found to be the 2nd most common choice after the Fibonacci sequence. Overall, nature has evolved and adapted to use Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio they approximate, as it gives the most efficient method for survival. Over the years this had been pondered by many people and its frequency in nature has been described as many to be proof of intelligent design and higher power . Shapes of the Golden ratio Although undeniably stunning, the sources of the golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers in nature are only half the applications of these phenomena in the real world. As humans, along with the rest of nature, are hotwired to apply the golden proportions, some of the human applications are some of the most remarkable. As a species we are attracted to the shapes they make and therefore adapt it to the structures we built, the way we think and the art we create. One of the most common shapes is that of the golden rectangle. It is formed from a ratio of length to width of 1.168 : 1 (i.e. the golden ratio). This alone is not that interesting, but remove a square with the same width and height as the width of the golden rectangle (a square ratio 1:1) and you are left with another rectangle. If you take the measurements of this you once again find the ratio 1.168 : 1 the golden rectangle. Repeat the process and the same happens again and again and again; removing a square ratio 1:1 leaves a smaller golden rectangle. The pattern continues indefinitely and is known in mathematics as a fractal (a geometric pattern that is repeated at every scale). Look at most regular paper sizes, credit cards and company logo s you will find an abundance of golden rectangles. However its man-made applications are not its only uses, it can be applied to create another, much more stunning shape the logarithmic spiral. Visually, it can be described as a long, slow spiral and is known as a logarithmic or equiangular spiral. It is known as this as each radii from the centre intercepts the curve at exactly the same angle. It is created by constructing an arc from the furthest corner of each square in the golden rectangle to the opposing corner of that square. The pattern continues and repeats the further you zoom toward the centre making this yet another Fibonacci fractal. The most stunning example of this is the chambered nautilus (see the image of its shell right). As it grows it must produce more room within its shell, while keeping its original shape. To do this it adds a chamber larger than its previous, with each radii intercepting the curve at the same angle (remaining equiangular), keeping the original shape. There are also numerous other examples including; a rams horn, a galaxy spiral, a sea horse and many more. Last but not least, the pentagon and pentagram are found to have Fibonacci connections. These shapes have interested humans for many years and have been the insignia of many religious and political groups. The explanation for its popularity however lies with our desire to search for the golden ratio. From the diagram (left), we can see how the ratio 1:F connects the length of the side of the pentagon to the distance between corners of the pentagram. There is however another ratio, the distance between a vertex and the corner of the inscribed pentagon is 1: 1/F. These ratios mean that many pentagons in nature, art and architecture have Fibonacci numbers present in the lengths. Overall, we can see how many of the regular shapes found both in nature and modern life have been dictated by the Fibonacci sequence. There are thousands of examples of these proportions in the real world and more regular shapes than have been divulged here. As interesting as finding them in the real world is, it doesn t come close the intrigue which lies behind the way we can use them to our own advantage. Art and Architecture It is said that renaissance art was inspired by a sense of beauty and proportion . It seems fitting therefore that the dimensions for such art would lie in the ratio s and sequences of the most elaborate and efficient set of numbers known to maths. The use of the series in art has however been known long before this period with Luca Pacioli stating without mathematics there is no art upon the completion of his work with Leonardo Da Vinci on De Divina Proportione (you may recall this from History of the Sequence). Legend also has it that long before this, Greek mathematician Eudoxus studied human affinity to this proportion by asking a group of his followers to divide sticks into the ratios they found most pleasing. This experiment was later adapted by German psychologist, Gustav Fechner in the 1860 s. He took a series of ten rectangles of different proportion and asked subjects to choose which they found to be the most pleasing, 76% of all participants chose the three rectangles closest to the golden rectangle. It is clear from this then that we have known for many years that the golden or divine proportion has visually pleasing qualities and unknown to us, it can be found almost everywhere we look as a direct result. One of the earliest and most obvious sightings of this was in the Great Pyramids of 4700BC. Here F is found extensively in its construction but most scholars now believe that this is more coincidence than design, it is however interesting to note that the exact height of the structure is 5813 inches (numbers of the Fibonacci sequence. 1,400 years later and the Tomb of Ramses IV was built, this was later discovered to have several approximations to the golden rectangle as its centre. It had been constructed with a double square (approximation to the golden rectangle, a golden rectangle and a double golden rectangle. The first people to consciously apply the maths of the golden ratio to their art and architecture were the Greeks. The Parthenon of Greece 440BC is the single finest example of this. The whole structure fits within the golden rectangle proportions as well as each pair of columns and even the sections of sculpture that run above the columns. The designer, Phidias was said to be the greatest and most prolific sculptor of his age. His work was dependent upon extensive use of the golden proportion. Its abundance in his work later meant the ratio was named Phi in his honour. Many artefacts of the era from urns and vases to Afroditas sculpture (right) and temples all extensively used the proportion. It is believed that as Pythagoras linked it to the human body (see next section) it was generally associated with the divine and beautiful, making many associate it with the Gods and good. One of the most interesting instances of the Fibonacci sequence at work is in the operation of the stock market.

Asian Values: Do they exist? Essay examples -- Economics

Asian Values: Do they exist? On the face of it, the existence of ‘Asian Values’ seems illusory. After the humiliation of the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis, the sounding of the death knell for the Asian-values debate seemed imminent. Yet with the recent ascension of China as an economic superpower and similar economic miracles in the East, some began to speculate about ‘Asian Values’ and its inherent superiority in the political, economic and social structures in countries. ‘Asian values’ can be termed as a set of values shared by people of many different nationalities and ethnicities living in East and Southeast Asia. Often seen in the context of religion, Taoism, Islam and Buddhism have fashioned or influenced the basis of many values. Despite some minor differences in the value systems of these religions, they generally agree on certain areas. These include a stress on the community rather than the individual, a reliance on the moral fabric of human relations and conventions, a particular emphasis on thriftiness and hard work, and a respect for political leadership amongst others. In order to examine whether these Asian values still have credence in today’s world, we must look at four areas of study: the influence of globalization, the policies of government, adoption of Asian values into economics, and the changing social fabric of Asia. There can be no doubt that globalization in the past decades has had a profound influence on the traditional v...

Cultural Imperialism Is Power Essay

â€Å"Cultural imperialism† is what takes place when a large, powerful, economically dominant nation promotes, imposes, or otherwise spreads its own culture to less powerful, economically subservient nations. A. Examples Cultural imperialism is already evident throughout the world: Palestinian Arabs chanting â€Å"Death To America† do so while wearing Nike tennis shoes and t-shirts; Brazilians who curse George W. Bush nonetheless cheer for Madonna and Britney Spears; Turks who protest the ongoing occupation of Iraq may still stroll into a local McDonald’s for lunch; MTV reports 280 million subscribers throughout the world (Galeota, 2004). B. Hows and Whys In 1984, Harvard business professor Theodore Levitt warned that â€Å"the world’s needs and desires have been irrevocably homogenized,† adding that those companies that attempted to accommodate local tastes were â€Å"doomed to failure† (Galeota). II. The Means Today, with global travel and communication easy and quick, American Culture can be disseminated more widely and faster than ever. A. Marketing Images are everything. American corporations have been highly successful at portraying America as â€Å"The Land of the Cool† (Galeota, 2005). This results in an increasing demand for American goods, films and music. B. Communications The Internet has revolutionized communications, and because of forethought and planning, the U. S. has come to dominate the global traffic and marketplace of ideas and information. This has created a tremendous influence over the tastes and desires of people all over the world. III. How It Makes America Strong Darwinism is a fact of life, whether biological, social, or economic; only the strong survive. When the powers of Europe began staking their claims to overseas territories in order to feed their industries and expand their markets, the U. S. had a choice: stay out of the game and continue as a second-rate backwater, or get into the game and reach its full potential. U. S. power and prestige in the world owes a great deal to those visionary leaders who were willing to force open the medieval kingdom of Japan in 1854, to annex the Kingdom of Hawaii and seize Puerto Rico and the Phillipines when the opportunity was there. Today, America owes its incredible economic might to those leaders, who laid the foundations of Empire when Admirial Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay over 150 years ago. Conclusion: For better or worse, American culture is pre-eminent in the world today. Ultimately, this will be to the benefit to the entire world, ultimately making America a safer, more prosperous place. Works Cited Cohen, Nick. â€Å"This Comic Is No Laughing Matter: Michael Moore Is a Bestselling Author Not Only in the US, but Also in Britain, Japan, Germany, Australia and Many Other Countries. Has American Imperial Culturalism Taken over the Left as Well? † The New Statesman Vol. 132. Issue 4664. 17 November 2003, p. 23. Julia Galeota. â€Å"Cultural Imperialism: An American Tradition. † The Humanist. Vol. 64 Issue 3. May-June 2004, p. 22. Harper, Jennifer. â€Å"BBC Airs Global View of Americans; Many Foreigners Have Love-Hate Relationship With U. S. The Washington Times. 17 June 2003, p. AO8. Rothkopf, David. â€Å"In Praise of Cultural Imperialism. † Foreign Policy, No. 107. Summer 1997, p. 38

Turning a house into a home (dream house).

Turning a house into a home (dream house). Turning a House into a HomeLooking into space, you observe lush mountains of rich green grass, with houses sprinkled sporadically over the lay of the land. A city near by, but not close enough to hear nor see the complexity of an over- crowded area. You feel dreamy and peaceful as you are led up a smooth gravel driveway, bordered by white fences intertwined with green grape vines. It's the little things that can make a house a home, and many more important things that you can pick up along the way.As you approach the looming but also warming cream with red trim, two story house- Just like your favorite pair of pants- the house itself seems to fit just right. In front lies green, freshly cut lawns on each side of the driveway. Rich dirt mountains around the crisp blades of grass, covering the deep brown dirt with wild pink, orange, yellow, and purple flower's border the lawns.Killing time at Clapham Old Town. Occasional wide spread fruitless plum trees pop up, offering shade to all th at is under it during the hot humid summer days. Catching your eyes quickly you see shiny, almost invisible windows covering practically every inch of the house. This gives the house a rich, more spacious look.Walking up the dark red wooden stairs, you can't help but stare at the mahogany door. Stained glass compliments the door, with basically all the colors in the rainbow inter-mixed. As you turn the golden brass handle, you step onto the off-white marble floor, which welcomes you into the house. You are then guided through the house to the family room, where you are overcome with ease and comfort. White, smooth, leather couches cool you from the heat outside as you put your feet up on a glass see...

Purposes of Government essays

Purposes of Government essays The United States Government has six main purposes. They are as follows: to form a more perfect union, to establish justice, to ensure domestic tranquility, to provide for the common defense, to promote the general welfare, and to secure the blessings of liberty. Evidence of these purposes can be found in a number of places. News articles are an example of one of these places. The first article I chose is about the conflict between Iraq and the U.S./world. The article is mainly about President Bushs speech to the U.N. He is demanding action. He said that if the U.N. wont do anything that the U.S. would move alone. He talked about how Iraq has been disobeying and disregarding the U.N. for years without consequence. Another point made by the president was the fact that Iraq has admitted to producing mass quantities of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The Iraqi representative denied this and most other accusations. The reactions of the people there were mixed. Many totally agreed with Bush. Many agreed with what he said but disagreed with his solution. Many just needed more information. This speech got many plans into action. The U.S. is now working with many different countries to devise a plan of action. The plan is basically, as of Thursday, to try one more weapons inspection, possibly along with a military threat, and if they ref use to take action against them. To show his faithfulness to the U.N. after his challenge, Bush announced that the U.S. will rejoin the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO. This article is an example of the government promoting the general welfare. The president is trying to stop Saddam Hussein because he is a threat to U.S. people as well as all the people of the world. The other article I chose was about the conflicts in our justice system in how to try t ...

College students should have complete freedom to choose their own Essay

College students should have complete freedom to choose their own courses and create their own curriculums - Essay Example (Robertson & Smith, 1999, p.69) As the system functions today, college students are forced to conform to an educational model that was not designed in their interests. In other words, the existing educational system serves to indoctrinate young minds into obedient servants of the established social order. At the top of the social pyramid are the business and political elites, whose interests are reflected in the design of curricula. Hence, though it might lead to radical social upheavals, allowing greater freedom of choice within college campuses is the right way to go. Let us look at the rationale offered by those against freedom of choice in curricula and identify flaws in their arguments. A prominent advocate for less academic freedom was the sociologist Mortimer Adler, who stated that, left to their own choices, some students â€Å"will ‘downgrade’ their own education; therefore, adults should control these crucial choices so that such downgrading does not occur.† (Noddings, 2006, p.285) This fear is overstated, for college authorities can devise ways of ensuring that certain basic standards are met. Moreover, by what criteria are courses judged good and bad? In other words, the notion of ‘downgrading’ is very subjective. As John Dewey noted in his lectures, â€Å"a course in cooking, well planned and well executed, can induce critical thinking, increase cultural literacy, and provide valuable skills - it can be a "good" course. In contrast, a course in algebra may discourage critical thinking, add nothing to cultural literacy, and lead students to despair of acquiring useful skills - it can be a "bad" course.† (Noddings, 2006, p.285) Considering that John Dewey was the most influential educationist of last century, his views have to be heeded to. The essence of Dewey’s argument is that by there is more merit than what is apparent in courses such as

Oscar Pistorius; I Blame Myself for Taking Reevas Life Essay - 87

Oscar Pistorius; I Blame Myself for Taking Reevas Life - Essay Example Second, he has to deal with the prosecution and prison sentence of 25 years to life if he is found guilty of premeditated murder. And lastly, he has to deal with public scrutiny because the trial is publicized around the world. He did not only lose his girlfriend but also his privacy and possibly, earning the wrath of many people around the world. It is like, he against the world for accidentally killing his girlfriend. The news is credible not only because it used law terms such as cross-examination, premeditated, and that the defense, as well as the prosecution’s argument, are presented. In addition, the actual coverage of the trial was shown (but is not record anymore because it is already over) for the viewers to see and hear the actual proceeding of the trial. The news cannot be more credible than that. The news is about the annexation of Crimea, a province of Ukraine by Russia. In this news, it is about the seizure of the Crimea airbase by Russian troops. Putin alleged t hat many of Crimean residents are of Russian root and they are annexing it to protect its citizens. As a backgrounder, this happened after the ouster of former Ukraine President _who ordered the killings of demonstrators after they protested the President’s agreement with Russia. Ukrainians wanted their future with the European Union and not with Russia. At present, United States are threatening for more sanction against Russia with Putin just shrugging off the possibility of harsh sanctions. Putin’s troops, however, remain a threat to Ukraine. My thought here is that Russian President Vladimir Putin is clearly wrong because no matter how he argues it, invading another country’s province is wrong. He is behaving like Second World War Europe where countries will just invade any countries.