Wheeling

Wheeling Wheeling. 1 Village (1990 pop. 29,911), Cook co., NE Ill., a suburb of Chicago ; founded c.1830, inc. 1894. Machinery, computer supplies, metal and paper products, security devices, insulation, and chemicals are manufactured. 2 City (1990 pop. 34,882), seat of Ohio co., W.Va., in the Northern Panhandle, on the Ohio River; settled 1769, inc. as a city 1836. It is a manufacturing and commercial center in an area rich in coal and natural gas. Its many industrial products include metal products, chemicals, ceramics, glass, plastics, textiles, tools, tobacco, and paper goods. The city is the seat of Wheeling Jesuit Univ. Points of interest include the site of Fort Henry; St. Joseph's Cathedral; and Oglebay Park, with museums, a nature center, and an outdoor theater. Fort Fincastle, renamed Fort Henry, was built at what is now Wheeling in 1774; in 1782 it was the scene of one of the last skirmishes of the American Revolution, in which a party of British and Native American attacke rs was driven off. Wheeling became the western terminus of the National Road in 1818, a port of entry in 1831, and a railhead in 1852. A center of pro-Unionist activity during the Civil War, the town was the site of the Wheeling Conventions (1861â€"62), which provided a means of forming a new state out of the northern and western counties of Virginia. Wheeling became the first capital of West Virginia in 1863 (see Charleston ). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography

What Does It Mean to Make a Claim During an Argument

Claims backed by reasons that are supported by evidence are called arguments. To win an argument, you first have to make a claim that is more than just an assertion. You use critical thinking skills and argue your case using claims, reason, and evidence. In rhetoric  and argumentation, a claim  is an arguable statement—an idea that a rhetor (a speaker or writer) asks an audience to accept. Persuasive Claims Generally speaking, there are three primary types of claims in an argument, also called persuasive claims: Claims of fact assert that something is true or not true.Claims of value assert that something is good or bad, or more or less desirable.Claims of policy assert that one course of action is superior to another. A persuasive claim in an opinion, idea, or assertion. In rational arguments, all three types of claims must be supported by evidence. Jason Del Gandio, in the book, Rhetoric for Radicals, gives these examples of persuasive claims in an argument: I think we should have universal health care.I believe the government is corrupt.We need a revolution. Gandio explains that these claims make sense, but they need to be backed up with evidence and reasoning. Identifying Claims The University of Washington says a claim persuades, argues, convinces, proves, or provocatively suggests something to a reader who may or may not initially agree with you. A claim is more than an opinion but it is less than a universally agreed upon truth, such as The sky is blue or Birds fly in the sky. An academic claim—a claim you make in an argument—is considered debatable or up for inquiry. James Jasinski explains in Argument: Sourcebook on Rhetoric that a claim expresses a specific position on some doubtful or controversial issue that the arguer wants the audience to accept. A claim is not, then, an opinion, such as I think Twinkies are delicious. But if you took that same sentence and recrafted it into an arguable statement, you could create a claim, such as Twinkies and other sugary, processed foods can make you fat. Not everyone might agree with your claim, but you would be able to use scientific and medical evidence (such as studies showing that sugary processed foods lead to weight gain and other health problems) to support your claim. Types of Claims You can further break claims in an argument into four basic types, says Mesa Community College: Claims of fact or definition: Particularly in this day and age, people disagree on hitherto commonly accepted facts. A claim of fact or definition might be that grades do not accurately measure student progress or lie detector tests are inaccurate. Traditionally, grades have been the common measure of student success, but you could argue that they do not really represent a students true abilities. And lie detector tests were at one point thought to provide clear and accurate evidence, but you could use facts to argue that they can be unreliable. Claims About Cause and Effect: This type of claim argues that given causes lead to specific effects, such as watching too much television when young leads to obesity or poor school performance. To make this claim, you would have to show evidence (scientific studies, for example) that show television leads to these outcomes. Another debatable cause-and-effect claim would be that video games that depict violence lead to real violence. Claims About Solutions or Policies: This kind of claim might argue that because the healthcare system does not adequately assist Americans (you would argue that this is a fact), it should be reformed (you argue for the solution/policy), says Mesa Community College. Claims About Value: This type of claim might be the trickiest to argue because you are trying to prove that one thing is better or superior to another. For example, you might claim that people who are blind or deaf have a unique culture of blindness or deafness. You could support either argument by researching and presenting facts that these two areas of disability do indeed have unique cultures and communities.

Financial Analysis On Financial Statements - 854 Words

Firm Performance: A Review of Financial Statements Financial crises like dot-com bubble in the late 1990s and the housing market crash in the late 2000s prompted investors, and firms, to reconsider the criticality of financial discipline. Transparency would be necessary to entice investors to spend money again, thus a firm’s financial statements became their marketing tools. These examples reinforce the importance of financial statements’ relation to the financial wellbeing of a company. This paper serves as a report on the purpose and aspects of the various financial statements and their applicability to the performance of a firm. Income Statements Income statements, also known as profit-and-loss statements, are one of the core financial statements publicly held firms must present annually. Serving as the officially documented representation of company expenses and revenues over a set duration, the income statement is often used to assess the performance and profitability of a company (Alvis, n.d.). The key expense items included on an income statement are: general and administrative expenses (GA), research and development expenses, depreciation/amortization, and cost of revenue (Alphabet, 2014). The crucial importance behind the income statement lies in its ability to lay out the relevant facts in a simplistic manner. By reviewing a company’s income statement, one can instantaneously ascertain the financial productivity of a company and their currentShow MoreRelatedThe Implications Of Bank Specialization On Its Financial Statement Analysis1097 Words   |  5 PagesWhen making a financial analysis on a bank, the type of business it conducts need to be considered. Specialization can lead a bank to operate in different practices and have a varied structure of their balance sheet. If the structure and composition of the bank is not to be considered, financial statement analysis will provide misleading information. This report will investigate the implications of bank specialization on its financial statement analysis. Specialization Larger banks specialize inRead MoreLet s Talk About Financial Statement Analysis1874 Words   |  8 PagesLet’s talk about Financial Statement Analysis is the process of reviewing and analyzing a company’s financial statements to make better decisions. When you are dealing with financial statement analysis you will be looking at income statement, balance sheet, statement of cash flows, and a statement of retained earnings. The larger field of business analysis is very significant and essential. Forecasts and jeopardy are part of the process in business analysis. Most business will make sure they haveRead MoreFinancial Statement Analysis And Financial Statements1704 Words   |  7 Pagesinformation to those that need it (Siam, Rashid, 2010). Financial statements analysis is very important to various users because it helps to express the overall financial health of the organization (Gibson, 2013). Managers use the financial statements to measure the profitability of a company, manage day to day activities and make important decisions about pricing, production that will benefit the organization (Gibson, 2013). Financial statements are also used to form contracts between organizationsRead MoreFinancial Statements And Financial Statement Analysis Essay3026 Words   |  13 PagesLITERATURE REVIEW INTRODUCTION Financial statements are usually means of communicating information on a company’s operations. They contain information on the revenues, expenses, assets, liabilities and retained earnings of the business. 2.2 FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS According to Drake (2010), financial statement analysis is the selection, evaluation, and interpretation of financial data, along with other pertinent information, to assist in investment and financial decision-making. Moreover, itRead MoreFinancial Statement Analysis : Financial Analysis1558 Words   |  7 Pagesyou hear the phase financial statement analysis, one wonders what is stands for. financial statement analysis is one of the most important part of any company to be successful. The reason companies rely on financial statements is for the company to come profitable even if the company is small or large. When companies use financial statement, it helps them to see if they are being profitable, by being used in different areas and reviewed by different departments. 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The analysis for each companyRead MoreThe Analysis Of Financial Statements1876 Words   |  8 PagesThe analysis of financial statements is the critical process that is aimed at assessing the present and past financial position and the results of operations that are carried out in a company. The primary objective of this analysis is to establish the best possible estimates and predictions about future results and conditions that the company can reach. It is based on two primary pieces of knowledge, where the first is the in-depth knowledge of the accounting model and the second would be the domainRead MoreFinancial Statement Analysis4339 Words   |  18 PagesChapter 2 Introduction to Financial Statement Analysis 2-1. What are the four main financial statements? What checks are there on the accuracy of these statements? The four financial statements are: the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flows, and the statement of changes in shareholders’ equity. Financial are required to be audited by a neutral third party, who checks and ensures that the financial statements are prepared according to GAAP or accounting standards

Mutagen Free Essays

Quantification of a Mutagen: Tobacco By Selenia Lopez November 30, 2012 Section 44 Abstract: Tobacco is commonly used and kills millions until this day. Tobacco is a potential mutagen due to all the chemicals added. The spot overlay Ames test was conducted to test at what concentration of tobacco was it at the most mutagenic. We will write a custom essay sample on Mutagen or any similar topic only for you Order Now The hypothesis of this experiment was as the concentration of tobacco increases, the growth of bacteria increases. The control for this experiment had a UV positive and a UV negative. Four different tobacco concentrations, Salmonella Typhimurium of strain 1538 were incubated for 24-72 hours to observe bacterial growth. At a 100% bacterial growth was at its greatest number of colonization and at 5% the mutagen was at its least. These results reflected that tobacco has the ability to grow without histidine making it a mutagen and at which concentration was it the most mutagenic. Intro: A mutagen is a substance which increases the frequency of mutation in a plant or animal population, which can lead to a variety of consequences or alterations in the DNA structure (Ligorio, Izzotti, Pulliero, Arrigo 2011). Salmonella being a mutagen can cause mutations such as substitution, insertion, deletion and frame shift depending on the strain. S. typhimurium carries a defective gene making it unable to synthesize histidine from its culture medium. Some types of mutations can be reversed with the gene regaining its function. Tobacco having lots of chemicals with possibility of being mutagenic is known to kill an estimated six million people worldwide each year and drains $500 billion annually. It can be consumed as a pesticide and in the form of nicotine tartrate. It is sometimes used in some medicines, but most commonly used as a drug. The use of Ames test is based on the assumption that any substance that is mutagenic. For this eason the FDA uses the Ames test to screen many chemicals to measures the mutagenic strength in bacterial cells (FDA 2012). In this experiment to test whether tobacco is mutagenic and if so at what concentration has the greatest bacterial growth. The spot overlay Ames test was conducted. Though it’s a cheap version of the Ames test, the result were still compatible. The hypothesis of this ex periment was as the concentration of tobacco increases, the growth increases. The greatest growth should occur in the 100% concentration and the least in the 5% concentration. Methods and materials: The control for the experiment was an Agar plate that had a UV positive reactant with a known mutagen, and UV negative reactant that hasn’t been reactant with anything. With a micro pipette that amounted to 250ul, strain TA 1538 of Salmonella was Obtained and placed on to the Agar plate and spread with a sterilized rod. The four paper discs that have been soaked in the 5%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of tobacco concentration were placed spaced apart on the plate. The plate was sealed and place it in the incubator at 37 degree for 24-72 hours. Results: Table 1: The table shows the concentration of mutagens to the number of colonies observed. Concentrations | Colonies | 100% | 39 | 50% | 13 | 25% | 8 | 5% | 2 | The control resulted in the UV positive having growth and the UV negative having none at all. At a 100% bacterial growth was at its greatest number of colonization at 39. At 5% the mutagen was at its least with only 2 colonies. Discussion: The mutagenic effect of the chemical has caused many bacteria to regain the ability to grow without histidine in tobacco, causing the formation of the colonies seen around the disc (Pounikar and Dawande 2010). Not only is a tobacco a mutagen, but colony growth increased as the concentration increased. The hypothesis was supported according to the data show in the table. Even though the disc were slightly shifted. The numbers were still attainable. The 100% concentration had the highest bacterial colonization and the 5% concentration had the least as predicted. In future experiments, more trials can be done. In order to make sure the results will remain the same every time; or using other mutagens to see how they react in the 100% concentration. This type of experiment can also be useful in finding out whether smoking tobacco or chewing tobacco is more mutagenic or if the different brands make a difference on how mutagenic they can be. Works Cited Asiatic Journal of Biotechnology Resources: Pounikar, R and Dawande, A. Y. (2010). Detection of potential carcinogens by Ames test. Doi: 01: 57-64. Department of Health Sciences: Ligorion M, Izzotti A, Pulliero A, and Arrigo P. (2011) Mutagens interfere with microRNA maturation by inhibiting DICER. An in silico biology analysis. Doi: 10. 1016 www. FDA. gov: Li Y, Yan J, Bishop M, Jones MY, Watanabe F, Biris AS, Rice P, Zhou T, Chen T. (2011) Genotoxicity evaluation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using the Ames test and Comet assay. How to cite Mutagen, Essay examples Mutagen Free Essays Quantification of a Mutagen: Tobacco By Selenia Lopez November 30, 2012 Section 44 Abstract: Tobacco is commonly used and kills millions until this day. Tobacco is a potential mutagen due to all the chemicals added. The spot overlay Ames test was conducted to test at what concentration of tobacco was it at the most mutagenic. We will write a custom essay sample on Mutagen or any similar topic only for you Order Now The hypothesis of this experiment was as the concentration of tobacco increases, the growth of bacteria increases. The control for this experiment had a UV positive and a UV negative. Four different tobacco concentrations, Salmonella Typhimurium of strain 1538 were incubated for 24-72 hours to observe bacterial growth. At a 100% bacterial growth was at its greatest number of colonization and at 5% the mutagen was at its least. These results reflected that tobacco has the ability to grow without histidine making it a mutagen and at which concentration was it the most mutagenic. Intro: A mutagen is a substance which increases the frequency of mutation in a plant or animal population, which can lead to a variety of consequences or alterations in the DNA structure (Ligorio, Izzotti, Pulliero, Arrigo 2011). Salmonella being a mutagen can cause mutations such as substitution, insertion, deletion and frame shift depending on the strain. S. typhimurium carries a defective gene making it unable to synthesize histidine from its culture medium. Some types of mutations can be reversed with the gene regaining its function. Tobacco having lots of chemicals with possibility of being mutagenic is known to kill an estimated six million people worldwide each year and drains $500 billion annually. It can be consumed as a pesticide and in the form of nicotine tartrate. It is sometimes used in some medicines, but most commonly used as a drug. The use of Ames test is based on the assumption that any substance that is mutagenic. For this eason the FDA uses the Ames test to screen many chemicals to measures the mutagenic strength in bacterial cells (FDA 2012). In this experiment to test whether tobacco is mutagenic and if so at what concentration has the greatest bacterial growth. The spot overlay Ames test was conducted. Though it’s a cheap version of the Ames test, the result were still compatible. The hypothesis of this ex periment was as the concentration of tobacco increases, the growth increases. The greatest growth should occur in the 100% concentration and the least in the 5% concentration. Methods and materials: The control for the experiment was an Agar plate that had a UV positive reactant with a known mutagen, and UV negative reactant that hasn’t been reactant with anything. With a micro pipette that amounted to 250ul, strain TA 1538 of Salmonella was Obtained and placed on to the Agar plate and spread with a sterilized rod. The four paper discs that have been soaked in the 5%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of tobacco concentration were placed spaced apart on the plate. The plate was sealed and place it in the incubator at 37 degree for 24-72 hours. Results: Table 1: The table shows the concentration of mutagens to the number of colonies observed. Concentrations | Colonies | 100% | 39 | 50% | 13 | 25% | 8 | 5% | 2 | The control resulted in the UV positive having growth and the UV negative having none at all. At a 100% bacterial growth was at its greatest number of colonization at 39. At 5% the mutagen was at its least with only 2 colonies. Discussion: The mutagenic effect of the chemical has caused many bacteria to regain the ability to grow without histidine in tobacco, causing the formation of the colonies seen around the disc (Pounikar and Dawande 2010). Not only is a tobacco a mutagen, but colony growth increased as the concentration increased. The hypothesis was supported according to the data show in the table. Even though the disc were slightly shifted. The numbers were still attainable. The 100% concentration had the highest bacterial colonization and the 5% concentration had the least as predicted. In future experiments, more trials can be done. In order to make sure the results will remain the same every time; or using other mutagens to see how they react in the 100% concentration. This type of experiment can also be useful in finding out whether smoking tobacco or chewing tobacco is more mutagenic or if the different brands make a difference on how mutagenic they can be. Works Cited Asiatic Journal of Biotechnology Resources: Pounikar, R and Dawande, A. Y. (2010). Detection of potential carcinogens by Ames test. Doi: 01: 57-64. Department of Health Sciences: Ligorion M, Izzotti A, Pulliero A, and Arrigo P. (2011) Mutagens interfere with microRNA maturation by inhibiting DICER. An in silico biology analysis. Doi: 10. 1016 www. FDA. gov: Li Y, Yan J, Bishop M, Jones MY, Watanabe F, Biris AS, Rice P, Zhou T, Chen T. (2011) Genotoxicity evaluation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles using the Ames test and Comet assay. How to cite Mutagen, Papers

Reaction Paper Yolanda doc Essay Example

Reaction Paper Yolanda doc Essay The PAGES does not have a us per typhoon classification so it is indeed the strongest typhoon ever struck Philippines. The worst hit provinces were Letter and Eastern Samara, with a combined population of 2. 3 million, winds of 270 kip up to 312 kip, and a storm surge as high as 7 meters or 21 feet. We only thought the typhoon Holland will come in and out of country for a few days and everything will be back to normal but then we under estimated it and never thought that it will leave Philippines with mass devastation killing thousands of people. We did think that government agencies were prepared or the coming of this super typhoon however, it was not enough. Many were blaming the government as the usual way of thinking of Filipinos but in this case no one is to blame but also people who did not want to evacuate when they were told to evacuate. Page 2 The super typhoon Holland leaving the Philippines with a death toll of 6,201 people, over 28,626 injured and more than 1,785 still missing. The days after the weapon Holland strutted Central Philippines, raking-off 1. 1 million houses left people homeless and displaced. Day by day, bodies are till being found, survivors were struggling without food, shelters and clean drinking water, so everyhere in those provinces was just a total bedlam. Then relief goods were sent in the area but there were no order, many people have been looting and so many people were blaming the government for having no preparations, contingency plans and could not even conduct the relief operations orderly. Government were hit by many criticisms brought by the local and international media but I have to say they must also know days before this happened, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management We will write a custom essay sample on Reaction Paper Yolanda doc specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Reaction Paper Yolanda doc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Reaction Paper Yolanda doc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Council and DILL had made efforts to activate all local government units to immediately evacuate families in the non-safe zones. As early as November 6, 201 3, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Rosa gave instructions to all governors and mayors in the Bucolic, Eastern Visas and Immoral to activate their local disaster risk reduction and management councils and disaster monitoring systems in preparation for the land fall of the super typhoon. Age 3 Rosa, who is also the vice chairman for disaster preparedness of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, (MODERN) said he local executives should immediately adopt measures on how to effectively warn residents, particularly those living along the coastlines and other danger areas, on the possible impact this super typhoon. Other than that, Rosa and his team arrived at Tactical Letter the day before the typhoon hit Central Visas region to make sure all necessary measures are carried out. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated before the typhoon arrived, but many evacuation centre schools, churches and government buildings proved unable to withstand the winds and storm surges. However, still, many residents near the danger zones such as the coastal areas did not want to leave their homes as they think this typhoon is like the other typhoon where they can overcome. In this scenario think government is not only to blame here. We also have to accept the fact that Filipinos are fond of point fingers at someone after the damage has been done but the truth is we must see what is more beyond that. Our country has been always getting many types of natural calamities but it is time to face what message these calamities are telling us, we have to hang as people. We have to admit that as residents of this country where we live every day, we have to take responsibility too. Philippines is our home and we must do our own share to protect it. Like what we always learn in elementary, the Family is the basic unit Of the Page 4 society but why are we are not protecting our family, instead, we let our government to protect our family. Looking at the ratio, our government cannot protect all Filipino families which are about millions, but they are always there to guide us and help us the way they can. Live that it is time that we stop looking who is to blame and look at the Holland tragedy as a big lesson that we should not just do people power to oust a President or to complain with the performance of our government but we should begin using people power to protect and help our own families and comma unities. An see the spirit of Banning is very much alive but always only during the times of disasters or after the damage has been done. Yes there were many relief giving efforts initiated by fellow Filipinos here and abroad that is go will but there why dont we inspire and use our banning to prevent starters, to secure our Filipino families first? That would lessen the number Of casualties. Thus, in my view, yes this is a super typhoon and so unfortunate that in all countries around the world it struck Philippines. Many Filipinos are making comments and taking this tragedy positively that this Philippines was hit because Filipinos are strong people and can handle and sun,vive these tragedies. It is positive in a way but it is sad that we even think like we deserve this devastation because we are strong people. It is never the measure of who is the toughest but if we can age 5 do something to prevent it then why not do it? I see this Holland tragedy as a lesson for all Filipinos that we should move forward, we must strive to make our lives better and thus make our homes safe to live in. This is our homeland so we must protect it. Let us learn to do our part as citizens of this country and stop the habit of blaming and whining at other people or to the government. The change must come from ourselves, let us make ourselves a good role model for the youth which will produce great future leaders with high morals and not the trashy future leaders.

How to Start a Private School

How to Start a Private School Starting a private school is a lengthy and complicated process. Fortunately for you, plenty of folks have done the same thing you are thinking of doing. You will find much inspiration and practical advice from their examples. In fact, you will find it extremely useful browsing the history section of any established private schools website. Some of these stories will inspire you. Others will remind you that starting a school takes lots of time, money and support. Here is a timeline for the tasks involved with starting your own private school. Todays Private School Climate Below, important information is outlined to guide you through the process, however, its important to note that in todays economic climate, many private schools are struggling. The Atlantic reports that private k12 schools saw an almost 13% decline over the course of a decade (2000-2010). Why is this? The National Association of Independent Schools reports that the growth forecast for 2015-2020 is declining, with fewer school-aged children between the ages of 0-17. Fewer children mean fewer students to enroll.   The cost of private school, and especially boarding school, is also concerning. In fact, The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) published a strategic plan for 2013-2017, in which it pledged to increase efforts to help schools identify and recruit qualified families in North America. This pledge led to the creation of  the North American Boarding Initiative to address the declining enrollment in private boarding schools. This passage is taken from their website: For various economic, demographic, political, and cultural reasons, the sector has faced serious enrollment challenges during distinct periods in its distinguished history, surviving the Great Depression, the specter of two World Wars, and the social turbulence of the 60s and 70s, among other disjunctions. Always, boarding schools have adapted: ending discriminatory policies and admitting students of different races and religions; adding day students; becoming coeducational; expanding philanthropy; investing aggressively in financial aid; modernizing curriculum, facilities, and student life; and recruiting internationally.Again, we face a serious enrollment challenge. Domestic boarding enrollment has declined gradually, yet consistently, for more than a dozen years. Its a trend that shows no sign of reversing itself. Moreover, multiple surveys have confirmed that a lions share of boarding school leaders identify domestic boarding as their most pressing strategic challenge. As a commu nity of schools, it is time once again to take decisive action. Considerations In todays day and age, it does warrant careful consideration and planning to determine if creating another private school in this already struggling market is appropriate. This assessment will vary greatly on a number of factors, including the strength of area schools, the number of and quality of competitor schools, geographic area, and needs of the community, among others.   For example, a rural town in the midwest without strong public school options may benefit from a private school. However, in an area like New England, which is already home to more than 150 independent schools, starting a new institution might not be quite as successful.   Identify Your Niche 36-24 months before opening: Determine what kind of school the local market needs. (K-8, 9-12, day, boarding, Montessori, etc.) Ask parents and teachers for their opinions. If you can afford it, hire a marketing company to do a survey. It will help you focus your efforts and ensure that youre making a sound business decision. Once you determine what kind of school you will be opening, then decide how many grades will actually open the school. Your long-range plans may call for a K-12 school, but it makes more sense to start small and grow solidly. Establish the primary division, then add the upper grades over time as your resources permit. Form a Committee 24 months: Form a small committee of talented supporters to begin the preliminary work. Include parents with financial, legal, management and building experience. Ask for and get a commitment of time and financial support from each member. This important planning work which will demand much time and energy. These people can become the core of your first board of directors. Co-opt additional paid talent, if you can afford it, to guide you through the various challenges, indeed, roadblocks, which will inevitably confront you. Incorporate 18 months: File incorporation papers with your Secretary of State. The lawyer on your committee should be able to handle this for you. There are costs associated with the filing, but he should donate his legal services to the cause. This is a critical step in your long-term fundraising. People will give money much more readily to a legal entity or institution as opposed to a person. If you have already decided to establish your own proprietary school, you will be on your own when it comes to raising money. Develop a Business Plan 18 months: Develop a business plan. This should be a blueprint of how the school is going to operate over its first five years. Always be conservative in your projections. Do not try to do everything in the first five years unless you have been lucky enough to find a donor to fund the program in its entirety. Develop a Budget 18 months: Develop a budget for 5 years. This is the detailed look at income and expenses. The financial person on your committee should be responsible for developing this critical document. As always project your assumptions conservatively and factor in some wriggle room should things go wrong. You need to develop two budgets: an operating budget and a capital budget. For example, a swimming pool or an arts facility would fall under the capital side, while planning for social security expenses would be an operating budget expense. Seek expert advice. Find a Home 20 months: Locate a facility to house the school or develop building plans if you will be creating your own facility from scratch. Your architect and contractor committee members should spearhead this assignment. Think carefully before you leap at acquiring that wonderful old mansion or vacant office space. Schools require good locations for many reasons, not the least of which is safety. Older buildings can be money pits. Investigate modular buildings which will be greener as well. Tax-Exempt Status 16 months: Apply for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. Again, your lawyer can handle this application. Submit it as early in the process as you can so that you can begin to solicit tax-deductible contributions. People and businesses will definitely look at your fundraising efforts much more favorably if you are a recognized tax-exempt organization.Tax-exempt status might also help with local taxes as well, though I do recommend your paying local taxes whenever or wherever possible, as a gesture of goodwill. Choose Key Staff Members 16 months: Identify your Head of School and your Business Manager. Conduct your search as widely as possible. Write job descriptions for these and all your staff and faculty positions. You will be looking for self-starters who enjoy building something from scratch. Once IRS approvals are in place, hire the head and the business manager. They need the stability and focus of a steady job to get your school open. You need their expertise to ensure an opening on time. Solicit Contributions 14 months: Secure your initial funding - donors and subscriptions. You will need to plan your campaign carefully so that you can build momentum, yet are able to keep pace with actual funding needs. Appoint a dynamic leader from your planning group to ensure the success of these initial efforts. Bake sales and car washes are not going to yield the large amount of capital which you will need. Well-planned appeals to foundations and local philanthropists will pay off. If you can afford it, hire a professional to help you write proposals and identify donors. Identify Your Faculty Requirements 14 months: It is critical to attract skilled faculty. Do so by agreeing to competitive compensation. Sell them on the vision of your new school. The chance to shape something is always appealing. While it is still over a year until you open, line up as many faculty members as you can. Do not leave this important job until the last minute. An agency such as Carney, Sandoe Associates will be helpful at this stage in finding and vetting teachers for you. Spread the Word 14 months: Advertise for students. Promote the new school through service club presentations and other community groups. Design a website and set up a mailing list to keep interested parents and donors in touch with your progress. Marketing your school is something which has to be done consistently, appropriately and effectively. If you can afford it, hire an expert to get this important job done. Open for Business 9 months: Open the school office and begin admissions interviews and tours of your facilities. January before a fall opening is the latest you can do this. Ordering instructional materials, planning curricula and devising a master timetable are just some of the tasks your professionals will have to attend to. Orient and Train Your Faculty 1 month: Have faculty in place to get the school ready for opening. The first year at a new school requires endless meetings and planning sessions for the academic staff. Get your teachers on the job no later than August 1 in order to be prepared for opening day. Depending on how lucky you are at attracting qualified teachers, you may have your hands full with this aspect of the project. Take the time needed to sell your new teachers on the schools vision. They need to buy into it, or else their negative attitudes could create a host of problems. Opening Day Make this a soft opening at which you welcome your students and any interested parents at a brief assembly. Then off to classes. Teaching is what your school will be known for. It needs to begin promptly on Day 1. The formal opening ceremonies should be a festive occasion. Schedule it for a few weeks after the soft opening. Faculty and students will have sorted themselves out by then. A feeling of community will be apparent. The public impression which your new school will make will be a positive one. Invite local, regional and state leaders. Stay Informed Join national and state private school associations. You will find incomparable resources. The networking opportunities for you and your staff are virtually limitless. Plan on attending association conferences in year 1 so that your school is visible. That will ensure plenty of applications for vacant positions in the following academic year. Tips Be conservative in your projections of revenues and expenses even if you have an angel who is paying for everything.Make sure real estate agents are aware of the new school. Families moving into the community always ask about schools. Arrange open houses and gatherings to promote your new school.Submit your schools website to sites like this one so that parents and teachers can become aware of its existence.Always plan your facilities with growth and expansion in mind. Be sure to keep them green as well. A sustainable school will last many years. One which is planned without any consideration of sustainability will fail eventually.

Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights The aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights, is a multi-colored brilliant light show in the Earths atmosphere that is caused by the collision of gas particles in the Earths atmosphere with charged electrons from the suns atmosphere. The aurora borealis is most often viewed at high latitudes close to the magnetic north pole but during times of maximum activity, they can be viewed very far south of the Arctic Circle. Maximum auroral activity is rare however and the aurora borealis is normally only seen in or near the Arctic Circle in places like Alaska, Canada, and Norway. In addition to the aurora borealis in the northern hemisphere there is also the aurora australis, sometimes called the Southern Lights, in the southern hemisphere. The aurora australis is created the same way as the aurora borealis and it has the same appearance of dancing, colored lights in the sky. The best time to view the aurora australis is from March to September because the Antarctic Circle experiences the most darkness during this period. The aurora australis is not seen as often as the aurora borealis because they are more concentrated around Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean. How the Aurora Borealis Works The aurora borealis is a beautiful and fascinating occurrence in the Earths atmosphere but its colorful patterns begin with the sun. It occurs when highly charged particles from the suns atmosphere move into the Earths atmosphere via the solar wind. For reference, the solar wind is a stream of electrons and protons made of plasma that flow away from the sun and into the solar system at around 560 miles per second (900 kilometers per second) (Qualitative Reasoning Group). As the solar wind and its charged particles enter the Earths atmosphere they are pulled toward the Earths poles by its magnetic force. While moving through the atmosphere the suns charged particles collide with the oxygen and nitrogen atoms found in the Earths atmosphere and the reaction of this collision forms the aurora borealis. The collisions between the atoms and charged particles occur around 20 to 200 miles (32 to 322 km) above the Earths surface and it is the altitude and type of atom involved in the collision that determines the color of the aurora (How Stuff Works). The following is a list of what causes the different auroral colors and it was obtained from How Stuff Works: Red - oxygen, over 150 miles (241 km) above the Earths surfaceGreen - oxygen, up to 150 miles (241 km) above the Earths surfacePurple/violet - nitrogen, over 60 miles (96 km) above the Earths surfaceBlue - nitrogen, up to 60 miles (96 km) above the Earths surface According to the Northern Lights Centre, green is the most common color for the aurora borealis, while red is the least common. In addition to the lights being these various colors, they also appear to flow, form various shapes and dance in the sky. This is because the collisions between the atoms and the charged particles are constantly shifting along the magnetic currents of the Earths atmosphere and the reactions of these collisions follow the currents. Predicting the Aurora Borealis Today modern technology allows scientists to predict the strength of the aurora borealis because they can monitor the strength of the solar wind. If the solar wind is strong auroral activity will be high because more charged particles from the suns atmosphere will move into the Earths atmosphere and react with the nitrogen and oxygen atoms. Higher auroral activity means that the aurora borealis can be seen over larger areas of the Earths surface. Predictions for the aurora borealis are shown as daily forecasts similar to weather. An interesting forecasting center is provided by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. These forecasts predict the most active locations for the aurora borealis for a specific time and give a range showing the strength of auroral activity. The range begins at 0 which is minimal auroral activity that is only viewed at latitudes above the Arctic Circle. This range ends at 9 which is maximum auroral activity and during these rare times, the aurora borealis can be seen at latitudes much lower than the Arctic Circle. The peak of auroral activity typically follows an eleven-year sunspot cycle. During times of sunspots, the sun has very intense magnetic activity and the solar wind is very strong. As a result, the aurora borealis is also normally very strong at these times. According to this cycle, the peaks for auroral activity should occur in 2013 and 2024. Winter is usually the best time to view the aurora borealis because there are long periods of darkness above the Arctic Circle as well as many clear nights. For those interested in viewing the aurora borealis there are some places that are best for viewing them frequently because they offer long periods of darkness during the winter, clear skies and low light pollution. These locations include places like Denali National Park in Alaska, Yellowknife in Canadas Northwest Territories and Tromsà ¸, Norway. Importance of the Aurora Borealis The aurora borealis has been written about and studied for as long as people have been living in and exploring the polar regions and as such, they have been important to people since ancient times and possibly earlier. For example, many ancient myths talk about the mysterious lights in the sky and some medieval civilizations feared them as they believed that lights were a sign of impending war and/or famine. Other civilizations believed the aurora borealis was the spirit of their people, great hunters and animals like salmon, deer, seals, and whales (Northern Lights Centre). Today the aurora borealis is recognized as an important natural phenomenon and every winter people venture into northern latitudes to watch it and some scientists devote much of their time to studying it. The aurora borealis is also considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.