Things to Consider When Deciding to Join the Army

Things to Consider When Deciding to Join the ArmyThings to Consider When Deciding to Join the ArmyThere are many things to consider prior to meeting with a recruiter and even more once you have that first meeting. From literally hundreds of jobs, places you could live, ?career/education goals, and training you will endure should be part of the decision-making process compared to your experiences, skill levels, and interests and desires. But first and foremost, the consideration to serve your country should be something that you feel a strong desire to do a calling to serve if you will - along with receiving paid education, experience, and leadership/teamwork skills that are highly marketable in the civilian world. About the Army The United States Army is the main ground-force of the United States. The Armys main function is to protect and defend the United States (and its interests) by way of ground troops, armor (tanks), artillery, attack helicopters, tactical nuclear weapons, e tc. The Army is the oldest U.S. Military service, officially established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775. Traditionally, the Army has been trained and organized to deploy large, heavily armored and equipped ground combat forces, while the Marine Corps was primarily used when smaller, lightly armored, ground forces were required to be mobilized quickly. However, those lines have been blurred since 9/11. Before 9/11 the Army was organized around large, mostly mechanized divisions of approximately 15,000 Soldiers each. It took a lot of time and effort to deploy such large forces and their equipment, making rapid reaction nearly impossible. The Army then began reorganizing their forces into rapidly-deployable Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), each with 3,000-4,000 Soldiers, along with Brigade Support Battalions (BSB) designed to provide combat support to those teams. By 2007, the Army had reorganized to 42 BCTs and 75 BSBs, and by the year 2013, the Army plans to have 48 BCTs and 83 BSBs.The immediate concerns of smaller, shorter armed conflicts in the foreseeable future determine the size and structure of our military. The need for larger full-scale division sized movements has decreased with todays smaller and more mobile threat. Recruiting EnvironmentEnlistment IncentivesJob OpportunitiesBasic TrainingAssignment OpportunitiesDeploymentsQuality of LifePromotion OpportunitiesEducational OpportunitiesEnlisted Commissioning Programs The Pros and Cons of the Other Military Branches Regardless of the branch of service you select, be prepared to deploy to foreign lands around the world. If you like the ocean, the Navy should be a consideration. If you like both land and sea, consider the Marine Corps as an option.If you like jumping out of planes, the Army, as well as all branches Special Operations groups, have members who parachute into combat zones. If you prefer the land - all terrains - and working with large or small groups through complex maneuvers and missions, consider the Army. If you want to fly planes or helicopters, all branches of the service have them - just depends how you want to deploy - off a carrier/assault ship or from forwarding deployed airstrips and bases. But regardless, thank you for considering to serving our country. Good luck with your decision and future career.

Just Add Salt to 3D Printing

Just Add Salt to 3D Printing Just Add Salt to 3D Printing Just Add Salt to 3D PrintingPass the salt is a phrase you hear at the dinner table, but notlage when it comes to 3D printing. That could change as a team of researchers at Wilkes University uses the mineral to make medical scaffolds and more.You dont think of salt, but it can mix well with 3D printingto give scaffolds improvement in material porosity, says Xiaoming Mu, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Wilkes University. Its ideal for biomedical because you can culture cells and beyond. We had originally worked through a few technologies, but this had the strength we were looking for.His team originally started looking at substances that were coarser than salt, but they ultimately saw that salt could be used after it went through a special leaching process, in which salt particlesare added to a polymer resin. The particles contact each other and, in the small space between each particle, there is fusing.Later on , shining light and curing the polymer is involved, with water ultimately dissolving, Mu says. We need salt to connect so water can go inside the structure, otherwise there will be encapsulation and it cant be washed out.Different granule sizes of salt, from coarse to extra-fine, were experimented with to understand the variety of porosity that can be achieved in this method. Image Georgia TechConner Dunn, who worked on the project while a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology, described the method as a layering process.A motion stage moves up and down and a projector above this rotating stage holds the resin in place, he says. The projector on top then projects a cross-sectional image onto the resin and then photocures the polymerunder the projector itself, he says. Among the rest of the process is the motion station moving down and the rotating sweeper eventually laying another thin layer of material over a previously cured layer.The researchers used custom-built 3D printers and they basically used a projector to project a cross-sectional image onto a liquid, Dunn says. You have a self-supporting, powder bed-type printer that comprises a pretty simple fabrication scheme, according to Dunn.Simple leading images to our software and the exposure duration and layer thickness are factors, he says. We customized things. We built the frame for the printer itself, bought separate motors and a motion stage projector.From the customization, Conner says they developed MATLAB softwarethat processed the images and controlled the motion. The frame is customized because with the printers we had available it wasnt easy to print because we could not get even infill in the platform.The sweeping blade, resin bag, and the blade design changed over time. As the sweeper pushes new material over, it inlays the material, Dunn says. The salt leeches out within the CAD model.I think salt was chosen partly because its low cost and can be implemented in existing 3D printe rs right now, Dunn says. You dont think salt. But it just shows you have to keep an open mind.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionYou dont think of salt but it can mix well with 3D printing to give scaffolds improvement in material porosity, Prof. Xiaoming Mu, Wilkes University

Guide to Getting a Job in the Thoroughbred Industry

Guide to Getting a Job in the Thoroughbred IndustryGuide to Getting a Job in the Thoroughbred IndustryMany people long to have a career in the Thoroughbred industry, but few make the dream a reality. Here are a few tips on getting into the business Choose Your Path There are many different jobs available within the Thoroughbred industry at the track, on breeding farms, and in other related fields such as veterinary medicine, sales, transportation, and insurance. At the track, you will find trainers, assistant trainers, jockeys, jockey agents, exercise riders, racing officials, horse identifiers, photographers, hot walkers, farriers, veterinarians, and administrative staff. On breeding farms, you will find farm managers, broodmare managers, stallion managers, yearling managers, foaling attendants, grooms, veterinarians, stallion booking secretaries, bloodstock agents, and administrative staff. Other related positions may be found with shipping companies, sales agencies, insurance agencies, veterinary clinics, publications, and industry organizations. Consider Relocation Realize that while there are breeders and racetracks across the country, the Thoroughbred industry is largely based out of Lexington, KY, and Ocala, FL. Southern California and New York also have significant populations of Thoroughbreds. There are more racing-related jobs in these areas than anywhere else. If you have the flexibility to change locations, youll be at a huge advantage.If you are in an area with fewer opportunities, you may face much more competition for any available jobs. Use Your Education If you are still in school or planning on attending, be sure that you choose a major in an area that can help you in your pursuit of a Thoroughbred career. If you plan to work with horses in a hands-on capacity, a degree in Equine Science or Animal Science could be useful. You could also major in accounting, marketing, journalism, or business- each of these degrees can lead to a pos ition with racing organizations, farms, or publications. Your degree doesnt have to be in an equine-specific field since there are many related positions in the industry that dont require hands-on experience. Two schools that offer degree programs areUniversity of Arizona Race Track Industry ProgramandUniversity of Louisville Equine Business. Consider Internships Remember that while a degree is certainly a plus, this industry tends to place a high value on practical experience and references. If you can get a job with a top outfit, it will go a long way on your resume. An internship can be a great way to get your foot in the door and brush up on your horsemanship skills. Many of the large farms in Lexington take on interns. Some farms offer free on-site housing.Take a look at the websites for the Kentucky Equine Management Internship program, theDarley Flying Start Course, and the Irish National Stud Course. There are many racing industry programs, but viewing these three can g ive you a good feeling for what will be involved with an internship in the racing industry and are considered some of the best programs out there. Network Many jobs never appear in the classified section of a newspaper or magazine, and this is often the case with positions in the Thoroughbred industry. If youve completed an industry internship, you might get a job lead from that organization which is not offered to the public. A friend at a farm might know of entry-level grooming or foal watch positions. Use your connections whenever possible. Go to all the industry events that you can and try to meet the vets, breeders, and managers. Networking is key in the Thoroughbred business.

So When You Aren#8217;t Succeeding, It#8217;s Always Because You Are Either Trying Too Hard or Not Hard Enough

So When You Aren8217t Succeeding, It8217s Always Because You Are Either Trying Too Hard or Not Hard Enough So When You Aren8217t Succeeding, It8217s Always Because You Are Either Trying Too Hard or Not Hard Enough It seems its almost always one or the other, no matter what kind of success youre shooting for- dating, creating a good impression in a job interview, snagging a client, dieting, quitting smoking, whatever.Somehow everybody but you seems to know that youre elend doing it right and that the worst of it is that the only thing between you and your success is your own effort, which, in their estimation is either too much or too little.Even more exasperating than being told youve been getting it wrong is the predictable reaction of others among them when you take the advice of one of them, e.g., and do try harder and still fail Youre trying too hard. OK. So you then try leid to try so hard and still fail. Predictably, someone among them will then advise you that you arent tryi ng hard enough. Try that, fail and the criticism cycle will repeat.If this damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-dont treatment werent exasperating, confusing and demoralizing enough- in compounding the misery of failure with implied accusations of its all being your own fault- you also are stuck with knowing with near certainty that such two-phase fault-finding with your efforts will never abate so long as you are still complaining about or merely bedrngnis achieving the success youve targeted for yourself. Expecting helpful advice or insights, you end up with two problems rather than just one failure plus responsibility for it.Two-Phased FriendsBy two-phase- not to be confused with two-faced- fault finding, I mean the pattern in which your confidants, as a group, will predictably shift from the too hard to the not hard enough line whenever you take either road and still do not succeed.Take dating for example I never meet anybody.Im so lonely you say.In the absence of detailed information about your efforts, one in the circle of confidants will toss off Youve got to get out there, make more of an effort, be more patient and try harder. The squeaky wheel gets the grease (s)he who hesitates is lost In that information vacuum, it could have gone the other way. Everything comes to those who wait. Or, A watched pot never boils. You not only get the idea youve probably heard it all before.Which way it goes matters less than the constant in their advice giving You have to change something, with the implication that the something is in particular, only or always the intensity, frequency and forms of your efforts.What never seems to occur to these confidants in critiquing the frequency of your effort is that perhapsDoing the same thing over and over again or even harder and expecting a different result is not a good definition of insanity, as drilling for oil, doing the numbers in sales cold calls, or merely repeatedly bending an expired credit card along a crease to split i t in two prove.Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same result is also not a good definition of insanity- unless quality control procedures, standardized engineering procedures and scientific repeatability are nutty standards. If it were, then not increasing or decreasing ones efforts would be insane, which, in many instances, it isnt, e.g., sticking to a fixed number of resume submissions per day as part of job-hunt discipline.The point here is that you should not be faulted for trying too hard or not trying hard enough just because you persist.When More or Less Effort is PointlessWhat these usually well-intentioned confidants also dont seem to grasp is that sometimes, indeed often, your efforts beyond a certain minimum are irrelevant to your success. Whether its a search for a job, a mate or a cure for cancer, much of the time all that matters is the minimum initial effort, as it is in buying a lottery ticket or a ticket for a flight to Tahiti.Beyond that, t here is nothing for you to do to ensure a win or a successful, safe flight for the plane- apart from abstaining from behavior that will get the flight diverted to a tarmac swarming with police.If the flight is cancelled, no one would or should say that you didnt try hard enough or you tried too hard to make the flight. Likewise, if you submit 100 resumes and get no replies, it may very well be all about the job market and entirely beyond your control or influence, rather than about your efforts in that market.As for the cancer research grant application, if its turned down, it may have nothing to do with your effort that went into it and more to do with budget cuts, making increased or decreased future effort in connection with that grant or others like it irrelevant on a per application basis.Why the Too Hard-Not Hard Enough Mantra?So, why is the too hard-not hard enough mantra so likely to be chanted at you automatically, without regard for case-by-case specifics? Its because that s what confidants, consultants and advisers think their primary role is to suggest a change, rather than to rubber-stamp whatever you are doing, like unimaginative, timid yes-men/women.Moreover, unconsciously, many will have the mindset of FDA bureaucrats better to reject something that should be accepted than to accept something that should be rejected.So, if you are failing the success test, their mandarin risk-analyst take on it is that something is wrong and that therefore the hypothesis that your effort is not part of the problem should be rejected, just to be on the safe side.After all, if your effort is not part of the problem, changing it cant make matters worse, if you are thinking in a binary way, namely, that either you succeed or fail, and that if you still fail, the degree of failure matters much less than the mere fact of it. (This, despite the fact that modifying effort can compound failure dramatically and catastrophically, e.g., when boosting effort takes the form o f investing even more in a sinking stock, to capitalize on cost averaging.)Another reason that they will always single out your effort for criticism is that its one of the few variables they can influence.Few will suggest that capitalism needs to be completely overhauled or that the power of large chemical corporations to influence what gets published about GMOs needs to be opposed and curtailed (if your paper critical of GMOs cant get published).Instead, youll be encouraged to put more effort into your stats and experimental design or to put less effort into them, e.g., by simplifying them for readability and replication before resubmission.The core attitude of these confidants is not unlike that of a sows barnyard confidante who tells her that the reason shes not making the human Miss America finals is that shes putting on too much or too little lipstick- when the real unalterable fact and problem is that if you put lipstick on a pig it is still an ineligible pig.Surely, the confi dante reasons, it is better to keep hope alive than to be responsible for completely crushing it.Thats why lonely hearts and desperate job hunters are more likely to be told to change their efforts rather than their goals.After all, which would you rather hear or say (Dont) try harder or Give up? Of course there is a middle path to take with this kind of advice.(Dont) Try harder to give up.

Kids, Work and What to Put on Resume If No Experience

Kids, Work and What to Put on Resume If No Experience The work experience part of your resumethe part in which you describe your previous jobsis the fruchtwein critical element of your whole job application. Now youre networking and building contacts in the business Examine the work description and determine the abilities and keywords that youve demonstrated previously through alternative types of work. For instance, you can prepare three to five topics which you are most interested to understand about. The purpose of your resume must be to BLEND IN. What you would like to avoid is having an experience section thats almost empty, or one which is full of experience thats not pertinent to your targeted position. While the functional resume format may be an attractive alternative for job seekers with very little experience, most employers would rather have a chronological or hybrid resume format. Each resume format can be helpful, based on your own personal circumstances. A free resume review may give you the confidence required to attack the work search with total force. Under that topic you would chat about a couple of jobs you held previously that highlight your abilities in that region. If do not have any experience because you merely graduated from college, then you may wish to list your education information prior to your work experience info. Now you need to know how to compose a resume with no experience thats compelling and distinctive, ideal for a high school resume or a beginners resume for teens. To begin with, it may be an effective approach to show employers about your work ethic. The very first thing you ought to do is carefully review the work description and note any particular skills youve got or requirements you may fulfill. Simple you start with heading out and gaining experience. For instance, if youre asking for a job as an administrative assistant, you dont will need to discuss the way your job for a babysitter helped improv e your childcare skills, but you might share the way the experience helped you cultivate time management abilities and the capacity to juggle many tasks simultaneously. Finding What to Put on Resume If No Experience on the Web For the reason that its focused on the requirements of the organization, a qualifications summary ought to be on your resume. The qualifications summary is put close to the top of the resume. Therefore if you would like to go noticed at once, you should incorporate an overview of qualifications on your resume. Whilst you write your summary for your resume, attempt to think of what you want them to discuss with you, and what exactly you desire an opportunity to discuss. What is Truly Going on with What to Put on Resume If No Experience Dont forget that your resume is the very first step to a prospective job so its crucial in order for it to be perfect in every manner. If your resume doesnt ensure it is crystal clear you have talent, you will need to s how or inform them in another manner. Many resumes incorporate a career goal listed on top or a bland overview of what a work seeker is searching for in a position. Finding a job can be difficult for everybody, even a very seasoned professional who has successfully navigated several job changes. Even in the event that youve never held an official job, its mucksmuschenstill true that you have life experience thats applicable to the work search. If youre interested in an amazing job, you take a wonderful resume. You have a great opportunity of getting considered for the position as it provides the impression that youre equipped with the correct tools. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. The main point is that you really have much more experience than you might imagine you have. The issue is you dont have plenty of experience. Of course, when youre searching for truly professional cover letters that could enable you to ge t noticed, were always here to provide help. Make certain each line on your resume speaks right to the position you wish to interview for and tells the story applicable to that particular audience. In case you have any part-time work, that will go a ways towards a good experience section. If you follow the advice above you are going to have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience Learning how to do a resume when do not have any work experience is much simpler if youre able to demonstrate some seasonal or short-term work experience. You dont need to stick to a rigid resume outline centered on related work experience if you dont have any. Building a resume can be a difficult task especially if youve got no prior work experience. Fortunately, you may make a resume that highlights your skills even when you have zero work experience. You might also have extra-curr icular activities which you didnt list below the Experience section that may be included in a sub-section. The business information ought to go on the left side of the webpage, and ought to incorporate the business anthroponym and the name of the contact person. Applying for work with very little work history is never simple, but it does not need to truly feel impossible. Before you pick the proper format, it is crucial to appear comprehensive the college resume fantastic examples readily available online.

15 Traits of Unabashedly Successful Women

15 Traits of Unabashedly Successful Women Article by Edie BergEvery week for the past year,Ive interviewed a successful woman scientists, athletes, a rabbi, activists, an astronaut, authors, and entrepreneurs. Each woman has a story each one is different. But perhaps unsurprisingly, there are traits and characteristics that they have in common. Its fascinating to learn from them, and now I get to share those lessons with you.Here are 15 things the 49 successful women Ive interviewed have in common1. They Play to Their StrengthsThis is not necessarily the same as doing what you love. You might love doing mosaics, but you might not choose that for your career. Think about what you can do so well that you can dominate your field with time. You should also love it. But successful women often choose their career paths by thinking first about what theyre good at and second about what they love to do.2. They Have AmbitionSuccessful women do not dream about b eing the best in their section or department. Their eyes are tischset on the best in the state or country, at least. Most want to change the world.3. They Stay PositiveSuccessful women know how to deal with disappointment in a way that keeps them from getting down and staying down. They know the future will be bright for them.4. Theyre OrganizedThe vast majority of people I interviewed said yes quickly, checked their calendars, booked a date, and did the interview. No extra emails. Not many reschedules. They decide what they want to do and then they just do it simple and organized.5. Theyre Constantly LearningThese women do not stay static. They are continually improving themselves and use mentors and coaches to accelerate their improvement.6. They Have a Strong Support SystemMost of the women I spoke to have a partner or family member who is supportive of what they do. They know they have somebody to lean on when needed.7. They Know Failure and Success Go TogetherEveryone has thei r failures on their way to the top. Thats just how it is.8. They Remain GratefulThese women give leistungspunkt to those whove helped them along the way. They are grateful for what they have. They dont take their current position for granted.9. They Work Hard and PersistentlyNobody got to where they are now without working hard and staying persistent during the tough times. This might be obvious, but its a lot easier to say than to do.10. They Dont Sweat the Small StuffSuccessful people are good at separating the valuable from the worthless.11. They Choose Their Battles WiselySuccessful women dont make a big deal about every little thing. But if theres a real problem, you can be sure that it will be swiftly solved.12. They Do What They Believe InThis is crucial. The belief in the purpose of their work is the fuel behind years of hard work and dedication.13. They Have ConfidenceSuccessful women believe in themselves. Its a beautiful thing.14. They Have a Vision for the FutureSuccessf ul women see a new and better world in the future, and they work toward achieving those changes. They are in it for the long haul.15. They Feel Successful, but Never DoneTheres always more, always better, always further to reach. These women are seemingly tireless, ultimately devoted, and constantly curious.The moral of this story for me, when listening and learning from unterstellung women over this past year, is that they are just like you and me. They were not born with silver spoons in their mouths. True, theyre intelligent and focused, but they dont have superpowers they have determination, vision, and purpose.We can be that We can do thatA version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.Edie Berg is the founder of The Strong Womens Club, highlighting the behind-the-scenes stories of successful women with a weekly podcast she gets into the details of how you can set and reach your goals to achieve success. Edie is also the facilitator of Strong Womens Mastermind grou ps and Strong Womens corporate and group workshops, and she produces Strong Womens Online Summits. She has been the head of rehabilitation departments owner, chef, and instructor at food workshops and executive administrative manager of a global bank.Edie believes that it is never too late to do what you love, that you can reach your goals and choose your dreams to live life without regret. She has lived in California, Australia, Canada, Boston, and is currently enjoying life CrossFitting, with her blended family of her four kids and his two kids in Israel.

When distraction is a good thing

When distraction is a good thingWhen distraction is a good thingIs distraction a curse or a blessing? Not giving full attention to what we should be doing makes us miss deadlines, fail classes, and crash into other drivers. Distraction certainly has a price. Nonetheless, we love ur distractions Social media, spectator sports, movies, books, TV shows, the news, video games - what would we do without them?Clearly, there are benefits to distractions as evidenced by the fact that nearly everyone on earth seeks them out. But why? Although they seem to pull us away from more important things, what purpose do they serve? And, when at times we seem to give in to distractions, how do we ensure they serve us well?Distractions can ease painOur brains have alimited ability to focus. We cant pay attention to everything around us all at once so we must choose what to focus on. For example, we may choose to focus on work while struggling to resist more interesting distractions.However, in some sit uations, we can leverage this biological limitation to ur advantage. In her book,SuperBetter The Power of Living Gamefully, Dr. Jane McGonigal, describes how distractions can be a powerful tool for reducing the impact of painful or negative experiences.For example, children are notoriously anxious before surgery. Their levels of preoperative anxiety are known to reduce the effectiveness of anesthesia and increase recovery times. Physicians need alternatives to sedative medications to keep them calm. A study, cited by McGonigal, used distractions to effectively reduce their stress.In the study, one group of children welches given anti-anxiety medication before surgery, another group played handheld video games, while a third control group was given no medication and no video games before surgery. The kids in the video game group were the only ones to show a decrease in anxiety before surgery. They also required less anesthesia during the procedure and suffered from fewer medication s ide effects after surgery than children in the other two groups.The video games proved effective, researchers believe, because they distracted the children from the pain and uncertainty of the surgery. The engaging nature of the video game helped children direct their attention away from their fear and towards the challenge of the game.This study isnt alone in demonstrating the power of distractions to lessen negative experiences. Burn patients are typically given large doses of medications to help them through the excruciating pain of cleaning their wounds. A new virtual reality game designed by scientists at the University of Washington Seattle demonstrated the extraordinary power of distractions in fighting pain. The researchersfoundthat patients who played the game during wound cleaningfelt up to 50 percent less pain. In fact, playing the virtual reality game was more effective at reducing pain than using medication. The researchers concluded that the more immersive and engaging the game was, the more it helped direct attention away from the pain of the procedure.Distractions can make us betterThe ability to shift ur attention away from negative experiences is also helpful outside of a hospital setting. Distractions can help us cope with the pains of everyday life. Research on how distractions can be used to control our urges and impulses show that certain games, like Tetris for example, can help reduce cravings forfatty foodsand even addictivedrugs. Researchers suspect the cognitive demands of these games redirect our attention away from craving triggers, reducing the painful urge to indulge. Playing matching puzzle games like Candy Crush, Puzzle Blocks, or Interlockedmight actually help us distract ourselves away from digging into that pint of ice cream in the fridge.Distractions can also help us stay fit. Researchsuggeststaking our minds off the pain of physical exercise, with music or television, can improve performance and endurance.Digital distractio ns and personal technology can help us be stronger in the moment, but McGonigal thinks they can also help us develop our ability to take on challenges in the future. Certain personal technologies can help us build up our courage, McGonigal says, and games are a particularly good way to boost our self-efficacy - our confidence in our ability to overcome problems.Evidence to back McGonigals claim comes from a notableexperimentabout how a video game helped adolescent krebs patients fight their disease, literally. The study tested whether playing a cancer-themed video game called Re-mission would help patients stick to their treatment plan and take their medication regularly. In this example, the game didnt fight pain directly but built up patients capabilities. Patients who played the game were more likely to take their medications, increase their sense of self-efficacy, and show more knowledge regarding how to fight their cancer.From McGonigals standpoint, digital games are powerful tools to build strength and confidence because constantly escalating challenge requires a willingness from patients to keep trying, even when they fail. It instills a belief that if they keep practicing and learning, if they put in the hard work, they will eventually be able to achieve more difficult goals. By attempting and overcoming challenges within a game, the cancer patients strengthened their perseverance to keep fighting.Other digital games have been used to help patients withasthma,diabetes,anxiety, andADHD all showing increases in self-efficacy and self-care behavior after playing. More evidence that games can heal is emerging from new digital health platforms which use game-based elements to increase patient participation.For example, taking prescribed medications and adopting a healthy lifestyle can greatly improve patient outcomes but only if people actually change their behavior. TheEmpower digital health platformhelps patients manage their chronic diseases through pla yful design elements traditionally used in games, like levels, point systems, unlocking content, variable rewards, and competition. Combining the engaging nature of games with the accessibility of personal technology creates a healthy distraction that can build patient confidence to combat disease.When are distractions destructive?Clearly, distractions can help us verstndigung im strafverfahren with pain and build our courage to tackle future challenges. However, dont distractions pull us away from our priorities? What about the many products and services, like video games and social media sites, designed to be so good we want to use them all the time? Sometimes we have trouble limiting their use and find ourselves sucked into distractions.Whether personal technology distractions are a force for good, McGonigal explains, depends onwhy and howwe use them. Do you play to escape your real life, or do you play to make your real life better?McGonigal describes two modes for how we engage with distracting activities self-suppression and self-expansion.Self-suppression is using distractions to avoid negative experiences while self-expansion is using distractions to promote positive ones. Sounds simple enough, but McGonigal warns that at times, it is hard to tell the difference between the two. The same activity could be expansive for one person and suppressive for another. It all depends onwhythe person is engaging in the distraction and for how long.How can you tell if a distraction is good or bad for you? McGonigal suggests first asking yourself, Why am I doing this? If your response is to avoid a negative feeling such as Because work is boring, or I dont want to deal with anything right now, the distraction may be self-suppressive.Of course in some instances, such as burn victims or children about to go into surgery, distractions can be an effective coping strategy. However, these are justified in that the distractions are used as a temporary solution. Once the pa tient is healed physically, they no longer require the escape from pain.However, problems can arise when distractions become a permanent escape from an uncomfortable reality. McGonigal warns of solutions that dont build our ability to deal with pain in the future. Temporary distractions used for too long may backfire because over time self-suppression actually diminishes our sense of self-efficacy We no longer see ourselves as people who can effectively solve our own problems. When we rely on pain-relieving distractions, be it personal technology, drugs, or other escapes, we may never build our capacity to deal with a painful situation, either physical or psychological.In contrast, self-expansive distractions involve achieving goals, building skills, or attaining new knowledge that can be used over the long-term. These distractions help us improve ourselves and can build self-efficacy.For example, answers to the question Why am I doing this? that sound like, I want to learn a new l anguage, I want to build a bigger career network, I want to know more about my health, or I want to improve my well-being, are the kind of answers that a self-expansive technology can help with. Using distractions with an expansive mindset builds strength, while using them with a suppressive one simply shields us from the pain we are avoiding.Identifyingwhy and howyou engage with personal technology may be the difference between healthy and destructive behavior. Take a look at your favorite digital distractions - social media, video games, puzzles, television shows, podcasts, news, and spectator sports - and ask yourself whether you are using them as tools to build strength, skills, knowledge, and self-efficacy for the future or for a temporary escape from an uncomfortable reality. If its the latter, you may want to reconsider the role these distractions play in your life. If the pain youre escaping is permanent, no distraction will ever heal it. You must either learn new coping s trategies or fundamentally fix what is broken.When we think about personal technology distractions, we must ensure they continue to serve us. Whether it is helping us get through a difficult time in our lives, or helping us build strength and perseverance for the long-term, continually asking why am I doing this? can help make sure were getting the most out of our distractions.Heres the gistDistractions arent always bad, sometimes they are useful tools.Personal technology distractions like video games and puzzles can give us the strength to endure negative experiences.Some distractions can strengthen our ability to tackle new challenges.Personal technology is a healthy distraction for most people, but it can go bad when it becomes an escape from an uncomfortable reality. It all depends onwhy and how longwe use it.Using distractions for self-expansion builds strength, while using them for self-suppression simply shields us from the pain were avoiding.To determine if a distraction is self-expansive or self-suppressing, get to the bottom of why you are really using it.Self-suppression is acceptable for coping with negative experiences in the short term, but can backfire when used as a long-term solution.This column, co-authored by Nir Eyal - the author ofHooked How to Build Habit-Forming Products- and Chelsea Robertson, first appeared at Nir and Far, where Eyal blogs aboutthe psychology of products. For more insights on using psychology to change customer behavior, join his free newsletter and receive a free workbook atwww.nirandfar.com.

8 Animal Nutrition Internships

8 Animal Nutrition Internships8 Animal Nutrition InternshipsThere are many internship options available for those seeking to gain experience in the field of animal nutrition. Whatever your particular interests are, one of the following opportunities should appeal to you. The Animal Nutrition Center at Disneys Animal Kingdom theme park offers animal nutrition internships that allow students to prepare diets for a variety of exotic species. They can also assist with research involving nutrient analysis, utilize specialized laboratory equipment, and log data related to the animals in into the centers collection. To qualify for an internship, applicants must be college juniors, seniors, or recent graduates from an animal science-related program. Candidates must also have completed at least one semester of a nutrition course. Direct contact with animals is not a part of this internship experience. Alltech, a leading animal health, and nutrition company, offers a variety of internships in the areas of marketing and research. The research internship program is offered at Alltechs Center for Animal Nutrigenomics in Kentucky. A wide variety of research options are available and can be tailored to the students specific interests in the field. Candidates must have completed two years of college and have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Kentucky Equine Research offers both summer internships and year-long internships at their fully-equipped research facility in Versailles, Kentucky. KER publishes a variety of research studies relating to nutrition and exercise physiology. The summer internship program runs from May to August and accepts students that have completed at least two years of an animal science-related program. The year-long internship program can be extended to 18 months if the candidates schedule allows for it. The National Zoological Park, a part of the Smithsonian Institution, offers animal nutrition internships to students in Washington D.C. Undergraduat e applicants must have completed at least two years of study in an area related to animal science or nutrition. While one recent internship opportunity focused on studying the nutritional needs of desert tortoises, opportunities vary from one season to the next and another internship in clinical nutrition focused on the nutrient analysis of feeds and forages. This position carried a stipend of $300 per week (or $3600 for the 12-week session). Nestle Purina, a leading pet food manufacturer, offers a variety of student internships in areas such as sales, marketing, product management, supply chain management, and business management. The Sales Internship Veterinary Channel is just one of several opportunities. This internship provides extensive nutritional training regarding Purina products as well as hands-on experience via field calls with a mentor. This 10-week summer program is a paid opportunity, with mileage reimbursement and housing assistance provided. Junior and senior stud ents can apply and do not need to have a specific major. ADM Alliance Nutrition (located in Illinois) offers several nutrition-related internship opportunities including options such as show feed sales, field sales, plant management, and research/livestock specialist. Candidates must be at least juniors in college and have a minimum 2.8 grade point average. The Monterey Bay Aquarium (located in California) offers an animal food technician internship program that allows students to prepare fresh, frozen, and live dietary rations for the aquariums collection. In addition to basic food preparation duties, students can assist with feedings, maintaining USDA sanitary standards, and other staff duties. The Audubon Nature Institute (located in Louisiana) offers a zoologischer garten commissary internship. This internship requires at least a 12-week commitment, with interns required to work at least four mornings a week. Interns are allowed to prepare diets, manage product inventory, provid e quality control, and learn about the nutritional requirements of a variety of exotic species. It is important to remember that many internship opportunities are not be advertised so its wise to check with your local college, agricultural extension agent, zoo, and animal nutrition manufacturers to see what internship programs are available in your area. Additional animal nutrition-related internship possibilities can be found through an online keyword search or by viewing some of the other animal-related internship pages on this site includingwildlife rehabilitation internships, animal behavior internships, zoo internships, avian internships, equine internships, or pre-veterinary internships.

Read a child 5 books a day theyll hear 1.4 million words by kindergarten

Read a child 5 books a day theyll hear 1.4 million words by kindergartenRead a child 5 books a day theyll hear 1.4 million words by kindergartenHeres another argument to take screens away from babies and toddlers reading five books a day to your kid in the years before they enter kindergarten means theyll have heard 1.4 million more words than kids that were never read to. Mic drop.Thats according to a new study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.Lead author and assistant professor of educational studies at Ohio State University Jessica Logan calls it the million-word gap, and says it could explain discrepancies in vocabulary and reading advancement.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe results of the study, which used data from 60 popular childrens books in order to estimate the number of words that children are exposed to when theyre read to, c oncluded that parents who read one picture book with their children every day exposed them to about 78,000 words a year. Over the 5 years, before they entered kindergarten, researchers estimated that kids from highly literate households (meaning they were read five books a day) heard a cumulative 1.4 million more words from being read to than children who were never read to.These books arent Ivanhoe think simple board books through their 3rd birthday and picture books after that.Kids who hear more vocabulary words are going to be better prepared to see those words in print when they enter school, said Logan, in a release. They are likely to pick up reading skills more quickly and easily.Logans research was inspired by her earlier work, which found that 25% of children in a national sample were never read to, and another 25% were read to only once or twice a week.Heres how many words kids will have heard by their 5th birthday based on how much they were read toNever read to 4,662Rea d to 1-2 times per week 63,570Read to 3-5 times per week 169,520Read to daily 296,660Read to daily (5 books a day) 1,483,300According to the results of this study, parents who only speak to their children instead of adding reading are doing them a disservice when it comes to literacy. Being read to is different and more important than simply overhearing speech, Logan says.This isnt about everyday communication, she says. The words kids hear in books are going to be much more complex, difficult words than they heard just talking to their parents and others in the home.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people