Free Essays on Terri Schiavo

What happened to Terri? On March 31, 2005 at 9:05 a.m., a forty one year old woman, by the name of Teresa (Terri) Marie Schiavo died after her fifteen year struggle to live. The death of Ms. Schiavo became very political and controversial because of the court order finally being implemented to remove her feeding tube. Yes, at one point in time, Ms. Schiavo was a beautiful, healthy, and energetic human being. She could perform tasks by herself and was able to care for herself. She did, although, have an eating disorder. In 1990, she suddenly collapsed with brain damage and fell into a persistent vegetative state because of an unknown potassium deficiency and could no longer perform tasks or take care of herself. Who has ever heard of someone collapsing from a heart attack due to a potassium deficiency? From 1990 to 2005, there had been a major legal court battle on the removal of her feeding tube. On April 24, 2001, Terri’s tube was removed for the first time but re-inserted two days later. The second time her tube was removed was on October 15, 2003 and also re-inserted six days later; but on March 18, 2005, her tube was finally removed for good (www.miami.edu/ethics/schiavo/timeline.htm). America helplessly watched as she starved to death thirteen days later. During her death and still today, many Americans are torn because of her case. Was the court wrong for having the tube removed? How is it morally right for the court system to have the power to save or kill handicapped people? Does religion have a side on the preserving of life in Terri’s case? Is it technology’s responsibility for keeping alive a human being that is incapable of living independently? These are very tough questions that are difficult to answer, and result in great controversy, but in the end it was wrong for the court to remove her feeding tube and kill a handicapped person. Martinez, 2 The court was wrong for having the tube removed and it is unmora... Free Essays on Terri Schiavo Free Essays on Terri Schiavo What happened to Terri? On March 31, 2005 at 9:05 a.m., a forty one year old woman, by the name of Teresa (Terri) Marie Schiavo died after her fifteen year struggle to live. The death of Ms. Schiavo became very political and controversial because of the court order finally being implemented to remove her feeding tube. Yes, at one point in time, Ms. Schiavo was a beautiful, healthy, and energetic human being. She could perform tasks by herself and was able to care for herself. She did, although, have an eating disorder. In 1990, she suddenly collapsed with brain damage and fell into a persistent vegetative state because of an unknown potassium deficiency and could no longer perform tasks or take care of herself. Who has ever heard of someone collapsing from a heart attack due to a potassium deficiency? From 1990 to 2005, there had been a major legal court battle on the removal of her feeding tube. On April 24, 2001, Terri’s tube was removed for the first time but re-inserted two days later. The second time her tube was removed was on October 15, 2003 and also re-inserted six days later; but on March 18, 2005, her tube was finally removed for good (www.miami.edu/ethics/schiavo/timeline.htm). America helplessly watched as she starved to death thirteen days later. During her death and still today, many Americans are torn because of her case. Was the court wrong for having the tube removed? How is it morally right for the court system to have the power to save or kill handicapped people? Does religion have a side on the preserving of life in Terri’s case? Is it technology’s responsibility for keeping alive a human being that is incapable of living independently? These are very tough questions that are difficult to answer, and result in great controversy, but in the end it was wrong for the court to remove her feeding tube and kill a handicapped person. Martinez, 2 The court was wrong for having the tube removed and it is unmora...

French Food Idioms

French Food Idioms Food is a very important subject in France. We always discuss food, especially when we are eating! The French also commonly use some hilarious food-based idioms which would be quite difficult to guess if you didnt know them.   1 - French Food Idiom: Avoir un Coeur dArtichaut To Have an Artichoke Heart   To be Very Sensitive This means to be very sensitive. To cry easily. Maybe because when cooked, the artichoke heart becomes soft, although the artichoke itself has pricks. So the heart is well hidden under prickly leaves, just like someone hiding his sensitive side. This idiom goes well with another one: à ªtre un dur cuir - to be hard to cook to be a tough guy. Pierre a lair dà ªtre un dur cuir, mais en fait, il a un vrai coeur dartichaut.Pierre looks like a tough guy, but in reality he is really sensitive. 2 - French Food Idiom: Raconter des Salades To Tell Salads   To tell long tales, lies Arrà ªte de dire nimporte quoi : je sais bien que tu racontes des salades !Stop speaking nonsense: I know you are lying! 3 - French Food Idiom: Ramener sa Fraise To Bring Back Your Strawberry   To Impose When Not Wanted La fraise - strawberry is a long time synonym for face. So ramener sa fraise means to show up, to impose yourself when not expected / invited. Regarde ! Voil Jean ! Celui-l, il ramà ¨ne toujours sa fraise au moment du dà ®ner. Comme cest bizarre.Look! Here comes Jean! This guy, he always shows up at dinner time. How Strange... 4 - Avoir La frite / la pche / la banane / la patate To have the French-fry / the peach / the banana / the potato   To Feel Great We have many idioms to say to feel great. These four words are interchangeable and very commonly used in French. Je ne sais pas comment tu fais pour avoir la pà ªche le matin. Moi, je suis toujours creuvà ©e.I dont know how to do to be full of energy in the morning. Myself, Im always exhausted. 5 - En Faire Tout un Fromage To Make a Whole Cheese Out of It.   To Make a Mountain Out of a Molehill Ça suffit ! Je me suis dà ©j excusà ©e : arrà ªte den faire tout un fromage !Enough! I already said I was sorry: stop making a mountain out of a molehill! 6 - Les Carottes sont Cuites = Cest la fin des Haricots The carrots are cooked/its the end of the beans.   There is no More hope. This must be one of the most obscure French idioms. Even so that it is said that les carottes sont cuites was used as a code during the war. In any case, both these idioms may be explained by the fact that the food they refer to carrots and beans are cheap, and are the last resort food. If there is none left, its starvation. Thats why they are linked to lost hope. Cest fini, la France a perdu. Les carottes sont cuites.Its the end, France lost. There is no more hope. 7 - Mle-toi de Tes Oignons ! Mix with Your Own Onions   Mind Your Own Business Apparently, â€Å"les oignons† is a familiar term for â€Å"les fesses† (buttocks) due to their round shape. The expression â€Å"occupe-toi de tes fesses† being a bit vulgar, but very used as well. We also say mà ªle-toi / occupe-toi de tes affaires which is an exact translation of mind your own business. Alors, c’est vrai ce que j’ai entendu ? Tu sors avec Bà ©atrice maintenant ?Is it true what I’ve heard? You’re going out with Beatrice now? Mà ªle-toi de tes oignons !  Mind your own business! ​More About the French onion

External Enviroment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

External Enviroment - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to explain how big companies can affect the government role as an external environment. The government stipulates policies on how and when companies should remit their taxes. Big companies are key contributors to tax collection and when they remit the tax as per the regulation, the government is able to finance other expenses (Claire 13). This enhances government performance. Big companies are likely to have outlets all over wide region of the sphere and still a wide range of products. The explanation of this is that the company will have a lot of product transportation from one region to another or even to its scattered customers. Consequently, roads will wear out more often than not hence that government has to keep on replacing the worn out roads. Although this keeps the government on its toes to in making sure that roads are in good state, this affects the government budget negatively as it has to look for finances and may lead to borrowing (Hardgrave 15). A big company like coca cola uses big and heavy commercial trailers to transport product to its outlets, such trailers speed up the wear and tear of a road. Big organizations are powerful in government during policy formulation and adherence. They have a lot of information from the market which they can use to assist government on decisions. Such advice help the government n make informed decisions (Hardgrave 32). Big companies are likely to carry out activities in more than one country. This shows that it has a big volume of resources and can execute government regulations on product control with ease. For example, if the government passes a bill stipulating that the company should use anew packaging, it becomes easier for bigger companies to pull resources together and act accordingly. Contrarily, big companies can pull its wide range of resources to challenge legally some of

XYZ (Pvt) Ltd Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

XYZ (Pvt) Ltd Case Study - Essay Example According to the company’s view, there are many basic aspects to be referred and people to be approached before the actual proceedings begin. At this juncture, the management can be advised by every aspect that they see the name and the knowhow are protected from being used by others. Since the scope of the scope of the product is promising and profitable in the long run and also while considering its unprecedented features, there seems every chance of this product getting a hit on the sales chart shortly. Taking into account all the possible features and benefits of getting the brand name and the patent registered, there needs a detailed study in this regard while it is strongly recommended that the company go with legal validation of their legally entitled right over this particular piece of intellectual property of Mr. Aimee. The finding Trademark registration and patent authorization come under way to defend the strength of the original makers of any product involving the investment of intellectual components. The very fact that the commercial world today has gained a saleable value for almost every human effort much to the relief of creative art lying in scientific development. A performer with a commercial intent, an artist with a monitory objective, or an organizer or producer of such events all come under the stakeholders of this wide web of intellectual property rights. In the absence of this right or the laws that enforce it and secure the creative achievers, the word business would not have its face today. According to certain clear information, patent of ownership of the intellectual property and its use can be protected by...In such cases, the need for obtaining registered identity recognition becomes essential for the safety of the developer’s innovative ideas. Conclusion While considering the commercial value of the new product and its innovative effect in a trend setting sales acquisition potential, the stand of the company at the moment is to be diverted and the management needs to be encouraged to file the application for the registration proceedings. When the details of studies on the importance of intellectual property registration as well as the trademark registration from both business and corporate social responsibility angle, the company is bound to ensure that their product is not misconceived by the people in the future course of business. It is also recommended that M/s XYZ endorse with the legal protection of its software in order to boost the morale and dedication of employees of all business where they feel their enterprising skills are recognized and preserved by the owners. Above everything, the little strain the company will have to take during the registration process can prove worthwhile once the product gets a spot in the hit cha rt of software sales.

Literature review Essay Example for Free

Literature review Essay According to (Light, Pillerner, 1984), systematic literature review is also useful for it provides literature review needed in the scientific world. Systematic reviews follow a predetermined set of guidelines while being conducted and produces results that are fair. Unbiased reports are of great scientific value for they become the rationale for scientific studies. Through the results, hypotheses that do not have supporting evidence are eliminated and the ones which are based on evidence used for scientific studies. Thus systematic literature reviews define strengths and limits of available researches that are used in the science world. Among the many advantages of systematic literature review is that, unlike ordinary research that provides conclusions and suggests recommendations to a particular study or question, systematic literature review does not limit researchers, practitioners, clinicians, health care managers among other users of systematic review findings. Mulrow (2008) states that systematic literature review leaves room for the findings to be challenged. For instance, if researchers do not agree with a particular study that has been appraised through systematic literature review; room is provided for parties who do not agreeing with the research findings to build their own reviews. The transparent way through which systematic literature review is conducted provides the building blocks through which it can be challenged. In addition, the process of conducting a systematic literature review is less tiring as compared to the primary studies which use data collected from the field. Systematic literature reviews uses the already processed and documented primary data and therefore is less tedious. Power and precision is accorded to systematic reviews through their use of quantitative methodologies in data analysis. When compared with other traditional research literatures, systematic reviews have an advantage over them for they are able to justify their evidence and conclusions qualitatively and also quantitatively. Thomas, Harden et al, (2004) acknowledges that the use of Meta – analysis in systematic reviews gives them a greater command when it comes to evidence over traditional literature reviews that only relies on qualitative evidence. In addition, the combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies ensures that the results are of greater precision. Systematic literature reviews uses a methodology that does not have room for biasness. The results obtained through systematic literature reviews are valid and can be reproduced when the same procedure is used. Mulrow, (2008) emphasizes that systematic reviews are transparent and researches widely on the available data making policy makers, clinicians, nurses among other users to widely rely on systematic literature reviews. The reviews also provide information that is clear and defined depending on the question or the study under review. Last but not least of the advantages of systematic literature review is the use of quantitative methods in literature reviews. The combination of both qualitative and quantitative methods of evaluating existing data contributes to the accuracy of results accorded to systematic literature reviews. Systematic literature review is far from perfect and many professionals argue as to the practicability of the evidence produced through systematic literature reviews. They argue that systematic literature reviews are reviews done by a group of researchers who think that by conducting the review, they have already solved a problem. According to Mulrow, (2008) to most professionals, a systematic literature review only signifies the beginning of a finding and not a way for solving a problem. For instance, while systematic literature reviews makes use of existing researches to make the reviews, the existing research evidence may have been conducted in relation to a particular group of people, area or particular settings. Then, though the systematic review conclusions will be drawn, questions arise as to how systematic literature reviews that may have used research findings that were only meant for a particular group of people or area should be generalized to other regions or people. They raise a problem of generalizing and disseminating quality and clear information to consumers and thereby undermining one of the most important reasons as to why systematic literature reviews should be done.

Interview with a Barber Shop Owner Essays -- Business Management Inter

Have you ever wonder what it is like to be the owner of a barbershop? Well Raymond Jackson, owner and operator of Your Barbershop, is the one you should learn from. Not only do you get to work for yourself in this recession-resistant growth industry, you get to revive an American tradition while serving upscale clientele with your staff of professionally-trained employees, all with the support of the latest technology, proven operating philosophy, and an experienced management team at your disposal. In a two-hour interview, Mr. Jackson was asked a series of questions pertaining to his work atmosphere, personal goals, and personal thoughts about his establishment. This report will illustrate the necessities of running an established business. When asked, â€Å"What, in your own opinion, would make another successful in this position?† he said, â€Å"You need a lot of people skills.† He believes in order to run a barbershop; you need to be able to meet the needs of the customer. If the customer is not satisfied, you will lose their business. You must be patient. If not, the customer will not return for more service. It’s all about keeping the customer satisfied. This led him to the topic of supply and demand. Most of his profit is dependent on what the customer wants. For example, if the customers come in and want to purchase a bottle of water, you have to provide the water at their convenience. This will keep the customer satisfied and ensure their return for more business. Sometimes business gets slow. He feels the need to bring in more customers. To achieve this goal, he offers various incentives such as discounts. The discounts allow more people to come in and e... ... in its current state, and consumers directing more of their resources on fuel costs, have your business felt a slowdown? a. No, due to the fact that customers still tend to keep up their appearance 13. As a small business owner, how do you plan your budget for your business? a. By paying attention to the supply and demand of the customer i. He buys what is needed 14. What does your company do to retain existing customers? a. Consistency i. Keeping up with what the customers want 15. What is your number one source of new business and how do you get it? a. Siblings/families/friends i. Referrals ii. Growth of family 16. What is competition’s biggest advantage over you and how do you intend on fixing this problem? a. Advantage i. Technology 1. Computers 2. Accessories b. Intentions i. Add these things and more in the near future

Quality Management Proposal

BJB Quality Management Proposal Outline Learning Team B Christie Bryant, John Deprimo, Kareemot Olorunoje, Ammy Solis, Michael Willis, and Patrice Wills MGT/420 Kathryn Kendall November 5, 2012 BJB Quality Management Proposal Outline Introduction As a manufacturer of high-end compact disc changers for the automobile aftermarket, BJB manufacturing currently has no quality program.The organization needs a strategy for improving business performance through the commitment and involvement of all employees to fully satisfying agreed customer requirements, at the optimum costs, through the  continual improvement  of the products and services, business processes, and people involved (Total Quality Management – TQM, Unknown). The company’s president seeks to gain a competitive edge in the compact disc changer industry over its competition by establishing a total quality management (TQM) program. 1) Product and Needs of BJB Manufacturing Company 2) Quality Management Approac h ) Role of Leadership in Planning, Developing, and Implementing Week 2, Part I: Prepare a total quality management program for BJB Manufacturing Company by writing a 700-to 1,050-word paper in which you develop a quality management approach for BJB. 4) BJB Manufacturing Company Quality Management Initiative Proposal * a) Determine what needs the stakeholders may have for BJB’s products. b) Analyze the product and needs of BJB, and then select the quality management approach that would be the best fit. Explain your rationale. c) Describe the role of leadership in planning, developing, and mplementing a quality process in BJB. Week 3, Part II: Continue building your proposal by incorporating your instructor’s feedback from the Quality Initiative Proposal, and adding 700-to 1,050-words to address theory. * 5) BJB Manufacturing Company Quality Management Theory d) Select one of the theories that you feel would be the best fit for BJB and the successful implementation of t his particular project. e) Address how these quality theories and process-driven and customer-driven quality requirements apply to both the manufacturing and service industries. * * Week 4, Part III: * Continue building your proposal for BJB’s Strategic Planning Committee by adding 1,050-to 1,750-words outlining the strategies for addressing quality management issues and determining an effective means of deploying the quality management initiative. 6) BJB Manufacturing Company Quality Management Implementation Strategy * 1. Analyze factors that should be considered when measuring the results of quality initiatives by using the quality initiative the Learning Team selected to be the best fit for BJB.Address the leadership’s roles in successfully deploying an initiative. Then determine how this approach would help enhance the accomplishment of the following: i) Reduction of the number of product failures ii) Material and labor costs due to gains in operational efficienci es iii) Profitability iv) Customer complaints management v) Environmental regulations compliance vi) Reduction of the number of damage claims and service reliability in the supply chain vii) Levels of inventory iii) Inventory damage and shrinkage management ix) Communications, cooperation, and coordination between all departments within the company improvement * * Week 4, BJB Total Quality Management Program, Parts I through III Presentation * 2. Prepare a 12- to 15-minute oral presentation of Part I-III of the BJB Total Quality Management Program proposal your team developed. Include 7-12 Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® slides. * * Week 5, Part IV: * * BJB Manufacturing Company Quality Management Supplier Alliance Metrics ReportPrepare a report in which you determine supplier alliance requirements and appropriate metrics for BJB to measure the performance effectiveness of their suppliers. What recommendations would you present to BJB’s Strategic Planning Committee to integrate the supplier alliance and metrics? a) Determine KPIs for forming supplier alliances as well as how BJB would evaluate supplier qualifications and performance. b) How do these measurements help ensure a competitive advantage for BJB? c) Analyze the types of costs of changing supplier alliances. 7) Conclusion 8) References

Puppu

You know I have been wanting a puppy for almost a year now!!! I have been working my butt off to try and earn one, I have tried everything but you wont budge I Just don't know what I need to do. Whenever mom is gone I'm the one that takes care of the pets and I am responsible and you both know it I put a lot of effort into things I love. For example, I am doing a lot better in soccer now that I love it, and eating food and a lot more. I know puppies are a lot of work especially since we already have a dog. When I have to get up in the middle of the night to take it out to go potty.I know u think I wont do that cause I never get up for school, but I don't enjoy school that much so why would you want to interrupt your sleeping to do something that you don't LOVE I mea school Is k I always get up right away when we have to leave should be able to get one The dog will help me to be more responsible The dog can be a companion for the whole family Taking the dog on walks will give me more exercise and be able to get outdoors more Dogs are therapeutic, especially during sad or lonely times. A dog is a friend that will always be there to cheer you up.And I know our family needs that a lot when you guys yell or I do something wrong They are Like people who understand what you're saying and they know when Just to lick you and lay down right next to you and Just sit there and let you pet them until you feel better. I will clean up after It and teach It tricks and train it I wont be on my phone or watching T. V. Or on the computer because I will be busy with the dog I would stop nagging on you and arguing with you I will try and pay for it Now that we are moving we have a backyard with a fence and I still remember to this ay that you said that â€Å"once we get a fence you can have another dog'.The fence will keep him and we can easily watch it while it runs around and plays and goes potty. I did some research and this is what I learned. The Golden Retrievers' intelligenc e makes them versatile, allowing them to fill a variety of roles, Including gulled dog for the blind, hearing dog for the deaf, hunting dog,illegal drug detector, and search and rescue participant. Because of their loyal and gentle temperament, Golden Retrievers are also popular family pets. Golden Retrievers possess friendly, eager-to-pleaseUnited States, the fifth most popular in Australia and the eighth most popular in the United Kingdom The temperament of the Golden Retriever is a hallmark of the breed, and is described in the standard as â€Å"kindly, friendly and confident†. Golden Retrievers make good family pets, particularly as they are patient with children. They are not â€Å"one man dogs† and are generally equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them. Their trusting, gentle disposition makes them a poor guard dog.Any form of unprovoked aggression or hostility towards either people, dogs or there animals, whether in the show ring or communi ty, is considered unacceptable in a Golden Retriever and is not in keeping with the character of the breed. Nor should a Golden Retriever be unduly timid or nervous. The typical Golden Retriever is calm, naturally intelligent and biddable, with an exceptional eagerness to please. One of the brightest dogs ranked by obedience-command tractability. ) Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage are a size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate love for water. Golden Retrievers are exceptionally trainable?due to their intelligence, athleticism and desire to please their handlers?and excel in obedience trials. They are also very competitive in agility and other performance events. Harsh training methods are unnecessary, as Golden Retrievers often respond very well to positive and upbeat training styles. Golden Retrievers require regular grooming and an occasional bath.They should be groomed at least once a week, and every day during heavy shedding. They s hould be bathed every two months. Their coats shed somewhat during the year, but are known to heed profusely twice a year. They also need to have their ears cleaned regularly, or ear infections might occur. While shedding is unavoidable, frequent grooming (daily to weekly) lessens the amount of hair shed by the animal. Severe shedding resulting in bald patches can be indicative of stress or sickness in a Golden Retriever.That was my research but I did a lot more ask me any question and I will answer it correctly. Now that we are moving into this new house there is more room for two dogs. I know taking care of a puppy is a lot of responsibility but I need that challenge. I have been reading a lot about how to train and how to potty train your new puppy I have read books and researched it too and I know it will poop and pee on the carpet but I will potty train it, heck it might even come potty trained but I am dead set on getting a golden retriever I will do anything.This dog will be mine, my responsibility mine to train, feed ,give it love,take for walks,provide and care for. I need something a pet pr Just something like this dog that will love me for what I am and when I am in trouble or did something very wrong, have a bad day at school and need it to love me hen I'm sad. Maybe my puppy will be the glue for all the broken pieces in our family , it will mend the family back into one like it used to be.I know we are in the process of moving right now and I would be able to take care of it AND actually help move pack everything up help organize do chores outside WITHOUT arguing or sassing back or being disrespectful and doing everything the first time you guys ask. If I really want something I can have the right mind set and I can get it done. I know you both feel you will end up having to take care of it but I will take care of it f my own to call it mine and have my puppy love me a lot. I have found a couple people that we can get them from in our price range. It would really mean a lot to me if I got one I will trade my phone, pad and T. V. In for a puppy I will never let you guys down and I will never not care for it. 🙂 All I want is a puppy a golden retriever puppy to call my own. I know they don't stay puppies forever, they will grow up to become dogs and I promise always to take care of it. I will sleep on the floor with only a blanket for the rest of the I live here. Every mourning I will wake up take it out to go to he bathroom brush it give it exercise and go to school come home and take it out for a walk do my homework then play with it more.I know I will need both of you guys help to take it out to go to the bathroom when at school and that does take a lot, but know that school is almost over I will have all summer to train it and keep it company and do everything. I know right now isn't the time to ask for a puppy but I have good grades but I have been very disrespectful and mean and Just not a good child and you guys probably feel like you shouldn't do anything for me right now which is exactly how you should feel but think of the good things I have AR points good grades am doing good in soccer and have been VERY responsible.I will do anything for this puppy I really will and it would mean everything to me it would show how much you love me and care and have confidence in me. I have showed that I am responsible with dogs when I fostered Rocco and Rudy and I tried very hard to do everything I could for them. Thank you very much for reading this I really hope you know how much this means to me truly and I love you. 🙂

15 Tips For Planning Successful Social Media Events

15 Tips For Planning Successful Social Media Events A great and memorable event  Ã‚  takes time, money, sweat, tears†¦well, hopefully not tears. But it does take a lot of planning to get it right and, when the event is over, youll discover that each person had a completely different experience at the same event. So how do you prepare for something, like a conference, meetup, or press event, and how do you prepare for the reaction to it? Each week, I attend  1 Million Cups  here in  Bismarck-Mandan. At each meeting, a local  entrepreneur  will present their business idea, answer and ask questions, and get feedback. 1 Million Cups is also a great way for people within the community to network and drink a free cup of coffee. I started going for the free coffee, to be honest, but the event was so well done and insightful that I kept coming back. In fact, I now live tweet on their Twitter account each week! What could make an event that good? How can you plan an event like that yourself? 1. Give yourself time. No matter how small or simple the event, you need to give yourself enough time to troubleshoot and problem solve. A lot of last minute details will pop up and youll want to have time to deal with them. This means you need to start planning early for several things: Booking speakers:  A speaker will need anywhere from six months to a years notice before they agree to speak at an event. If you are extremely lucky, a speaker will be able to come last minute but DO NOT rely on this. Have a speaker booked months in advanced and even have a back-up or two. This will help prevent scrambling at the last minute for a replacement, or ending up with no speaker (or a bad speaker). Booking a venue: One of the first things on your to-do list should be to book a venue. Without knowing what your venue is capable of, you really cant plan much. Have a back up venue, just in case. This is especially important if the event takes place outside (weather can be unpredictable.) Booking a block of hotel rooms:  Along with a venue, your event may need to have a block of hotel rooms set aside for guests traveling to multi-day events. You want to be sure attendees will be able to find a place to stay; the last thing you want are hotels that are full and have no rooms left. Contacting the press:  People have to know about your event if you want them to attend, so dont be shy about letting the press know youre having an event. Send them a press release with the information about the event, including information that alerts them to whether or not the event is something they might want to cover. Keep in mind that this is a short list. There are a multitude of things that need to be planned ahead of time. 2. Focus on your goal. Stick with the theme/purpose of the event. It’s easy to get side-tracked or want to please more people, but stick with your goal. A lack of focus makes it difficult to pull an event together and the end result is confusing for the guests. In order to determine your goal, think about what feeling you want people to walk away with. Do you want people to be inspired? Do you want people to   take action? Do you just want people to be entertained? What do you want people to bring to the event and what do you want them to take away? 3. Make useful lists. When planning any event, lists are your best friend. You can use any list system youd like, but make sure that the  important tasks are first. When creating your list, the most challenging and important tasks should be on top of the list. For example, the venue, food/drinks, and speaker/entertainment have to happen, so be sure those are in place first. When the big items are in place, you’ll find it easier to plan the smaller details. Plus, it can be hard to plan the small details if youre not sure how big the venue will be, what the time the caters are showing up, or what type of entertainment there will be. Think big-picture first, then worry about the details. Where will you keep your list? Evernote  Is my personal favorite. Its a great platform to get organized and Im able to share it with multiple people. Google Docs  is similar to Evernote, and great for those who make heavy use of Google products already. There, your able to create documents and share them with people. They can have specific permissions, like just being able to view or being able to edit the document. Google Keep is a simple note and list application that makes lists easy. Wunderlist  lets you plan for events, collaborate with others, and access the lists from anywhere. Which ever list platform you choose (and you might even choose pen and paper), just be sure it fits what you need. Complex tools dont always help plan for simple events. There are a lot of  online resources  to help you with lists for event planning, but you should always customize a pre-made planning list for your own event. Each event is unique. Whats your favorite list app? What do you use for planning? 4. Get help from others. Asking for help isn’t a bad thing. Volunteers can be a great source of help, as long as you know where to find them. Find groups or organizations that might be interested (or benefit) from your event. Reach out to local universities to see if students would be interested, particularly those with related majors. Students might be a great source for help with social media, marketing, or public relations, for example. They build experience and a resume, and you build a great event. Dont forget to reach out to your own social media fans or blog readers. They might love to help, too. Consider giving away free entrance or other swag as an incentive to get involved. There are always some little details that need to get done. Give them to your volunteers to do. Just be sure to treat them well and thank them. This will make them want to help you out again. Planning an event? Get volunteers, and give them ownership. Their enthusiasm helps build the event.5. Know what your audience expects. What does your audience expect from your event? As I mentioned earlier, I attend a weekly event called 1 Million Cups Bismarck-Mandan. There are 1 Million Cups events all around the United States. I guarantee each event is different, although the goal of each is the same: to engage entrepreneurs in communities around the world. My expectations for my first event were low, because I had never heard of 1 Million Cups before. However, after the first event, my expectations rise every time. Now, I expect there to be an insightful speaker(s) who has a unique business/business idea. I expect them to give advice to the audience, but also need advice back. I expect there to always be delicious coffee and friendly people to network with. Ive gone to eight of these events and I have yet to be disappointed. Its important for an event to reach and connect with their audience. 1 Million cups connects with me because Im interested in what the speakers have to say. I love getting and giving advice, meeting new people, and I have a strong love for coffee, especially free coffee! Determine your target audience for your event. Find what interests them so you know how to plan everything from speakers to entertainment and food. Know if your audience will have disabilities and plan accordingly making sure everyone has access to the full event. 6. Have the outcome in mind. What would you like the outcome to be? Is there a call to action? Would you like people to sign up or buy something? Join a movement? The outcome is different than the goal. The event has a purpose, and the outcome is the action that comes from that purpose. Perhaps your goal is to inspire people to help out in their community. The outcome might be an entire community-first movement from those who participated. Or perhaps you hope the outcome is a stronger connection between the community and your business (e.g. Riggs Partners and their efforts with Smashburger). 7. Scheduling the date and time. Be smart when you’re planning the date of the event. Don’t plan it too close to holidays or other similar, related events that are happening in the area. Make sure your target audience won’t have to decide between your event and another one. Yet again, knowing your target audience helps. Does your event target high school students? Make sure youre not conflicting with sports seasons or extra-curricular events. Full-time workers? You might want to keep your event to weekends. If you do have to schedule your event the same day as another event, make sure its at a time that doesnt conflict with the other event or try to make your event more appealing than the competition. 8. Be realistic about whats possible. It’s fun to day dream about events, but make sure you’re being realistic when planning. Know how much time you have to pull off the event and know your budget. If you’re planning a bigger event, give yourself a few months. You wont necessarily need more money for a bigger event, youll just have to be more creative. 9. Stick with SMART goals. Be smart and stick with SMART goals. This will help keep the event reasonable. S Specific. Use action verbs to describe the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. M Measurable. Make sure your goals can be measured. If they cant be measured, how can you let sponsors know if you were successful or not? A Achievable. Once again, be realistic. Its so easy to think big, but plan for what your resources and time allow. R Relevant. The goals need to be relevant to why youre planning the event in the first place. T Time-bound. Set mini goals for when tasks need to be completed to help keep you and your team on track with time. 10. Budget It’s easy to say, â€Å"Oh, this will be a small event. It won’t cost much,† and never set a budget. If you do this, you’re setting yourself up to over spend, by a lot. Set a budget, keep an expense report. If you find yourself straining against your budget, youll have to get creative (maybe even DIY!). There are many places you can go to help for planning your budget and working with finances. Mint.com, for example, is free and fast. Another site is Planning Pod, which can do much more than just help you with a budget. Planning Pod can help you track, create, build, manage, collaborate, and prepare. You can also create your own budget managing system using Excel or a Google Docs spreadsheet. Its also important to know how you are paying for an event. Are you paying for the event through sponsors? If so, be sure to get your sponsors first, before you sign contracts or start spending money on the event. It would be unfortunate to have a sponsor pull out of the event when you have signed contracts and booked the venue and entertainment. 11. Get Creative Bring in fresh ideas. It’s important to try new and creative things at events. And if you use DIY, it can help keep the cost down. How do you keep the cost down and stay creative? You could find a few DIY books, watch DIY shows, orPinterest.  Its a great resource for event planners. You can browse for ideas for all types of events, finding ideas on everything from food, drinks, decorations, games, and more. It’s like the holy grail of DIY. Julius Solairs  lists 20 different Pinterest boards to follow for different components of events. This post by   Angela Schelp has some tips on how to plan an event via Pinterest. This post  by Yusno Yunos has some great ideas on why using Pinterest is an exceptional tool for event planners. As you can see, Pinterest is a great tool to use when it comes to planning events. If youre not a fan of Pinterest, try DIY blogs that focus on great event planning. Youll find  great blogs  that give you the help and inspiration needed for planning a variety of events. Whenever there is a craft fair near by, go to it. You may not buy anything, but they are a great place to get ideas and meet makers who might be able to help you out with your event for a reasonable cost.  I was involved with a fundraiser where we were to have a product to sell. When I was brainstorming ideas I thought about a tie blanket I saw at a craft fair. We were able to get fabric stores to donate the fabric, and the fundraiser turned out to be a huge success. Ideas are everywhere. 12. Marketing One of the most important aspects of an event is marketing it. If you want people to show up, you need to let them know the event is happening. Dont just assume people will tell their friends and the event will spread by word of mouth. Where is your audience most likely to see your message? TV? Radio? Social media? Promote your event where your audience is. You might even want to send  out a press release. In order to help organize your marketing efforts, a marketing plan is necessary. Youll be dealing with press deadlines, and staggering your promotion of the event on social media. Perhaps youll be writing blog posts leading up to the event, and have to coordinate with writers and designers for those posts. A plan–with a timeline–is the only way youll get the marketing to fall into place. An editorial calendar is a great tool, too. 13. Incorporate social media Every event should incorporate social media. Not just to promote an event, but also during the event. If Twitter is an appropriate medium for your audience, create a hashtag for your event. It will help people spread the excitement of the event while at the the event, or while talking about attending the event. Attendees can interact with one another. It will also make measuring your reach on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, more effective. Another reason to use social media is because its an inexpensive way to market/advertise your event. By creating a hashtag and an event landing page on your site and on social media platforms, you start the conversation ahead of time.

Mosasaurus Facts and Figures

Mosasaurus Facts and Figures The name Mosasaurus (pronounced MOE-zah-SORE-usis) is partly derived from the Latin word Mosa (the Meuse River), and the second half of the name comes from the word Sauros, which is Greek for lizard. This ocean-dwelling creature is from the late Cretaceous period (70 to 65 million years ago). Its distinguishing characteristics included a blunt, alligator-like head, fin on the end of its tail, and a hydrodynamic build. It was large- up to 50 feet long and weighing 15 tons- and subsisted on a diet of fish, squid, and shellfish. About Mosasaurus The remains of Mosasaurus were discovered well before educated society knew anything about evolution, dinosaurs, or marine reptiles- in a mine in Holland in the late 18th century (hence this creatures name,  in honor of  the nearby Meuse River). Importantly, the unearthing of these fossils led early naturalists like Georges Cuvier to speculate, for the first time, about the possibility of species going extinct, which flew in the face of accepted religious dogma of the time. (Until the late Enlightenment, most educated people believed that God created all the worlds animals in Biblical times and that the exact same animals existed 5,000 years ago as do today. Did we mention that they also had no conception of deep geologic time?) These fossils were variously interpreted as belonging to fish, whales, and even crocodiles; the closest guess (by the Dutch naturalist Adriaan Camper) was that they were giant monitor lizards. It was Georges Cuvier who established that the fearsome Mosasaurus was a giant member of the family of marine reptiles known as mosasaurs, which were characterized by their large heads, powerful jaws, streamlined bodies, and  hydrodynamic  front and rear flippers. Mosasaurs were only distantly related to the pliosaurs and plesiosaurs (sea serpents) that preceded them (and which they largely supplanted from the dominance of the worlds oceans during the late Cretaceous period). Today, evolutionary biologists believe they were most closely related to modern-day snakes and monitor lizards. The mosasaurs themselves went extinct 65 million years ago, along with their dinosaur and pterosaur cousins, by which time they may already have been succumbing to competition from better-adapted sharks. As with many animals that have lent their names to entire families, we know comparatively less about Mosasaurus than we do about better-attested mosasaurs like Plotosaurus and Tylosaurus.  The early confusion about this marine reptile is reflected in the various genera to which it was assigned in the course of the 19th century, including (take a deep breath) Batrachiosaurus, Batrachotherium, Drepanodon, Lesticodus, Baseodon, Nectoportheus, and Pterycollosaurus. There have also been close to 20 named species of Mosasaurus, which gradually fell by the wayside as their fossil specimens were assigned to other mosasaur genera; today, all that remain are the type species, M. hoffmanni, and four others. By the way, that shark-swallowing Mosasaurus in the movie Jurassic World may  seem impressive (both to people in the fictional park and people in the real-life movie-theater audience), but its completely out of scale: A real, 15-ton Mosasaurus would have been an order of magnitude smaller and much less impressive than its cinematic depiction- and  almost certainly  incapable of dragging a gigantic Indominus rex into the water.