WhiteSmoke Software Review

WhiteSmoke Software Review WhiteSmoke Software Review WhiteSmoke Software Review By Ali Hale Editors Note: WhiteSmoke has been a sponsor of the blog for a while, and we often get emails from readers asking how good their software are. That is why we decided to review it. But keep in mind we did not get paid to do it. Ali Hale did the review for us, and I asked her to be completely transparent with it. First Impressions I found WhiteSmoke very easy to install and get started with. It checks the grammar, spelling and readability of everything that you write (it will do this whilst running in the background, or you can load up the program directly). It’s a bit like a very advanced and more intelligent version of Microsoft Word’s spelling and grammar checker. I liked the way it automatically checked my typing in not only Microsoft Word but also in emails and when leaving comments using web forms. It caught a few potentially embarrassing typos before I had a chance to hit â€Å"send† or â€Å"submit†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Testing WhiteSmoke I tried running a few pieces of my regular writing through WhiteSmoke to see what it would say. This passage came from a piece I was writing for my blog The Office Diet: Now you know what calories are and you know how to figure out how many are in your food you just need to know how many you should be eating. WhiteSmoke suggested putting a comma after the words â€Å"calories are†, and when I clicked to find out why, I was told: Explanation: This sentence requires a comma to separate its clauses and improve clarity. Definition: Two coordinated clauses should be divided by a comma. So far so good: I agree that the sentence is improved when rewritten as: Now you know what calories are, and you know how to figure out how many are in your food†¦ The next suggestion, however, was to put a full stop after â€Å"out† and before â€Å"how†, which would make the sentence: Now you know what calories are and you know how to figure out. How many are in your food This time, when I asked why, WhiteSmoke explained â€Å"Two distinct sentences have to be divided by a full stop [period].† However, these were not two separate sentences, and putting a full stop here would lose meaning. I suspect the use of â€Å"figure out† (which is quite informal or colloquial) confused the software. My frequent use of bullet points, rather than conventional paragraphs, also caused a few issues: It suggested putting a period after the first bullet, but not after others. (Conventional advice is that you do not need to use periods for bullets consisting of short phrases, but if you do use periods, you should be consistent.) WhiteSmoke believed that â€Å"Your weight† and â€Å"Your activity levels† should be â€Å"Youre weight† and â€Å"Youre activity levels† respectively. Again, I suspect the use of bullets and fragments rather than full sentences caused this confusion. Sometimes, the software didn’t recognise what role a particular word was playing in a sentence. In the following example, the word â€Å"fast† is an adjective modifying â€Å"food†, but WhiteSmoke believed it was a verb: They found that those who skipped breakfast tended to eat more fast food. I was advised to â€Å"Change more to faster†. I can understand where the confusion came – â€Å"more fast† would be poor grammar if the sentence was â€Å"I ran more fast than Billy.† But my sentence was correct as it stood. Enrichment Suggestions WhiteSmoke makes a number of enrichment suggestions which can help improve the flow or style of your writing. For example, one of these came up for me when it recommended changing â€Å"And† in: And your muscle mass is also important to â€Å"Furthermore†, â€Å"In addition†, or â€Å"Moreover†. I would probably have picked one of these if I’d been writing a more formal piece, but for a blog post, I don’t think starting with â€Å"And† is a problem. Verdict I enjoyed using the WhiteSmoke software, and found it was particularly good at spotting typos as I wrote. It could seem a little intrusive at times (a small window pops up in the right hand side of the screen as you type, when the software is running), so I usually turned it off when writing fiction or informal emails as I tended to get a lot of warnings about these! There were a few occasional slips when the software didn’t understand the meaning of what I’d written, but so long as you don’t just accept every suggestion automatically, these infrequent mistakes shouldn’t cause too many problems. I think it would be an excellent piece of software for: People learning English as a foreign language Students writing academic essays Anyone producing a formal business-related piece (perhaps a report, or a job application) Freelancers writing for print or traditional markets You might find the WhiteSmoke software frustrating if: You mainly write fiction or poetry (especially if you use a lot of dialogue or your style involves breaking grammatical rules) Your emails and other non-fiction writing tend to be very informal You use a lot of bullet points or other sentence fragments Youre already very confident about your spelling and grammar Overall, WhiteSmoke is a very easy to use, intuitive piece of software, and considerably cheaper than paying a proof-reader to check your work! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the General category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a US Business LetterComma Before ButWoof or Weft?

How to Better Mentor Employees In Business Writing

How to Better Mentor Employees In Business Writing If your team's business writing ability is weak, it willimpact potential revenue and decreaseproduction. Poor written communication may steer a prospect in another direction. It also means your team willrequiremore time than necessary to complete writing tasks. Poor business writing reflects poorly on an organization. Strong business writing abilities influence others on the team positively; conversely, the opposite is also true. Improving business writing skills will save money and time. If your team's writing is weak, you must correct this. Assess Measure Current Business Writing Skills To assess and measure current business writing skills, look at the content and organization (substance) and then the language of the document (syntax). These substance and syntax components go hand-in-hand, but are measured separately. Relevant questions: Does the writer display an ability to communicate complex ideas clearly? Can the write extract the significant information? Is the information organized? Does the language complement the message? hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(41482, '934718b3-251a-45d6-8853-a7f94e43b92c', {}); Best Business Writing Training Approaches for Your Team Larger organizations with well-equipped training programs in place may be able to implement business writing training internally. Perhaps this is not the case, or you believe your team will benefit by using an external source. External sources providing training should carefully be reviewed. Look at the trainer's credentials, structure of the training, ability to customize training for your team's specific needs, and flexibility on delivery options closely. These aspects are important in selecting an external training program. Ongoing support provides lasting results. Mentoring Employees and On-Going Support Managers mustmodel strong business writing skills! If your trainingbudget is tight, train your managers first. Their skillwill trickle down to their direct reports.Managers will be better equipped to provide guidance for others. Make Business Writing Skills Matter Honing in on the critical skill of business writing is an important process during hiring and performance reviews. We recommended meeting with employees and reviewing business writing together. Discuss strengths and weaknesses with them, and provide support to improve weak areas. If you are looking for quick tips it is worth reading our full list of business writing tips. To learn more about effective business writing and how to improve business writing skills, download our guideâ€Å"Four Steps to improve your Team’s Business Writing Skills†today!

Coming of Age in Mississippi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coming of Age in Mississippi - Essay Example Through Anne’s development of virtues and faults, one gets to visualise a real picture of discrimination based on colour and gender. A reader has to fight with what the author believes in throughout the book, and gets drawn into her deeds that one can cheer when the actions are justified or shy away when someone is treated unfairly. Using her memories, the author invites the reader to imagine a young girl growing up in Mississippi. During her entire life, Moody dealt with hardships that most people could not imagine, but due to her experiences, Anne gains the heroin qualities. How Moody deals with the questions of gender in her life and in her book As Moody grows up, she notes that there are different roles and misconceptions associated with each gender and race. She realizes the way women are treated and she struggles to make sure that they do not hinder her from achieving the best she could be. In the book, she depicts her everyday life in detail as a teenage lady being brou ght up in the pre-civil rights times in the South. Her maturity and experience become tools that she utilizes to cope up with gender inequality within her society and the family to develop into a woman she desired. Through most of her youthful experiences, Moody manages the question of gender by learning its social importance on her own since her mother avoids dealing with the issue as she feels that nothing regarding the societal believes about women can be changed. The insufficiency of information on society that Moody received from her mother made her to explore even further on life issues on her own and critique the standard of that era, rather than incorporating herself into a society that seemed so unfair and disgracing. Anne Moody proudly and confidently uses her observations of the various social aspects to determine her individual identity as a tough black woman who is ready and willing to stand up for what she considers right with hopes of future success and progress for A frican Americans (Moody 280). How white supremacy affect gender related experiences among and between the black and white communities According to Moody, white supremacy restrains black women to take up certain roles in the working environments and acts as a hindrance to equal rights in terms of wages. Quality education is also given to white women at the expense of the blacks. For instance, the author argues that the only option that was availed to her uneducated mother was working as a house help for a worthless pay. This forced Anne to take the burden of working to support her family while still at school (Moody 300). It is further depicted that white women were given more respect and their rights protected more than the blacks of both genders. Meddling with the life of a white woman meant that the black person associated with the action would face serious consequences. For example, Moody says that a 14-year old black man from Chicago was murdered merely for allegedly whistling a t a young white woman. This made Moody to conclude that white supremacy was too stern that any black person could be killed simply for his or her colour. At some point in time, Moody tries to depict that whites were always superior and that their wrong deeds were not treated with serious consequences as did for male blacks. This is illustrated in the book when Moody gives a picture of her life in high school when a white police administrator was caught having a love affair with a black teenage girl. It is quite obvious in this context that the act brought them

Impact of Smoking During Pregnancy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Impact of Smoking During Pregnancy - Assignment Example Even though it is widely understood that tobacco products, specifically smoking them, can create negative impacts upon a pregnancy, relatively little inquiry has been devoted towards the impacts of smoking marijuana during pregnancy. For purposes of this particular study, the analysts sought to measure these two against one another; utilizing a series of metrics as a function of accomplishing such a goal. As denoted above, the problem investigated was contingent upon the potential harm that smoking of either tobacco products or marijuana during pregnancy could affect. Likewise, the core problems investigated was with regard to how tobacco and/or marijuana usage during pregnancy impacted upon gestation, growth, and morphology. By seeking to draw inference on these core issues, the researchers pre-supposed that a greater level of understanding concerning the impacts of smoking either of these substances during pregnancy could be compared to existing research; assisting in the creation of a more baseline understanding of the negative of neutral health effects that such a practice entails. The problem is of extreme importance as healthealthcareessionals are faced with the negative impacts of such issues each and every day and need verifiable measurements and statistics that they can use to warn their patients. The underlying purpose of the study is to of course provide more identifiable metrics with respect to the negative health impacts that smoking either marijuana for tobacco products during pregnancy can affect.  

Hunger Games essay Essay Example for Free

Hunger Games essay Essay The Hunger Games is a fictional book, which establishes the relationship between the protagonist Katniss, and the protagonist Peeta. Katniss is a 16 year old girl who lives in District twelve, Panem. She is the sole provider for her family and competes in the Hunger Games, a game where two people from each of the twelve districts are chosen to fight to the death. Peeta is a 16 year old boy who is also from District Twelve who competes in the Hunger Games with Katniss. Throughout the book there is great debate on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not in love. Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta because it helps her in the Games, and it is an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand is deeply in love with Katniss. Throughout the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple references back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend for years. She wonders what life would be like with Gale. Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta. She sees it as her only way of survival in the Games. When she and Peeta are in an affectionate state, the Capitol audience is entertained. This results in her and Peeta getting both food and messages from their mentor Haymitch and their sponsors. Luckily, they entertain the audience enough to survive the games but towards the end of the book Peeta says to Katniss, â€Å"It was all for the games, how you acted. † (Pg. 372) This is legitimate proof that Katniss only pretended to be in love with Peeta. Based on much evidence from the book, it is revealed that Peeta is deeply in love with Katniss. Prior to the beginning of the Games, both Katniss and Peeta had to take part in a pre-game interview. In Peeta’s interview, he tells the audience how winning the games would not help his situation because he is deeply in love with Katniss. Katniss was not happy with Peeta’s statement, but later in the book calmly asks him, â€Å"Peeta, you said at the interview you’d had a crush on me forever. When did forever start? † (Pg. 300) Peeta responded, â€Å"Oh let’s see. I guess the first day of school. We were five. You had on a red plaid dress and your hair†¦ it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed your out. † (Pg. 300) This is the most heart-felt moment between the two; however Katniss only asked Peeta the question because she knew she had to keep entertaining the audience. Her strategy to manipulate Peeta’s emotions was a great advantage to her game. Katniss often makes references back to her friend Gale, her long time best friend that is back home in District Twelve. She has mixed feelings about him because when Katniss was about to leave for the games, Gale was saying good bye to Katniss and was cut short with the slamming of a door. There are many misinterpretations about what Gale was trying to say to Katniss. Most people, including Katniss, think that he was about to say â€Å"I love you. † This unfinished sentence disturbs Katniss during the games when she has mixed feelings about Peeta. Katniss thinks to herself, â€Å"Gale’s not my boyfriend, but would he be, if I opened that door? † (Pg. 280) Any person who is truly in love would not be thinking about other men in this way. Throughout the Hunger Games there is great talk on whether Katniss and Peeta are in love, or not. Katniss pretends to be in love with Peeta because it helps her in the Games, and she uses it as an act of survival. Peeta on the other hand, is deeply in love with Katniss. During the book Katniss often finds herself making multiple mentions back to her friend, Gale, who has been her best friend and hunting buddy for years. She wonders what life would be like if she was with him. Too conclude, Katniss and Peeta are not meant to be. They have completely different individualities and although it may seem that their pretend love is mutual, it is not.

Euthanasia Essay - Let Them Die! :: Euthanasia Physician Assisted Suicide

Euthanasia - Let Them Die! Euthanasia is one of society's most widely and hotly debated moral issues. It has pained and exhausted the courts for entirely too long, questioning the ethics and morality of the issue. It is a never-ending loop that by no means considers our right, or the victim's right, to freedom. It has pierced the pocket books of American taxpayers extensively and should be put to rest with only this statement. Let them die! I believe that euthanasia is only debated and kept on the political agenda to keep the courts busy, thereby ensuring the security of political pocket books. The vast majority of the population is in favor of euthanasia. However, their elected candidates don't represent their views (Humphry). Thus eliminating their power of democracy and right to freedom. In this essay I will argue that euthanasia is not a concern of religious ethics but rather an entitlement of freedom. Euthanasia is typically broken into two categories: 1. Active euthanasia: The act of ...administering a lethal drug, or using other means that cause a persons death" (MacKinnon, 126). 2. Passive euthanasia: "Stopping (or not starting) some treatment, which allows a person to die, the persons condition causes his or her death, (MacKinnon, 126). Active euthanasia is typically the more highly debated of the two acts of euthanasia and is better known because of the actions of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has aided in many successful suicides. Passive euthanasia, on the other hand, is rarely debated and usually never enters the mind's eye because it is typically looked at as letting someone die naturally. In passive euthanasia one simply refuses treatment with the knowledge that death is imminent. This offers little debate for several reasons, primarily because it is seen as a natural way of dying. The exception, however, is that some religions refuse to accept treatment with the knowledge that without the treatment they will die. For example in the faith of the Jehovah's Witness, a child, who has been in a vicious car accident and is in need of blood, will die rather that accept treatment. This kind of passive euthanasia would come under much scrutiny, but be accepted because it is tied to religious convictions. In either case, active or passive, the victim will die. There is essentially no difference between them. From herein both active and passive euthanasia will not be separated but rather both will be referred to simply as euthanasia. It will be the primary interest of this paper to focus on and address the concerns of

Legal and Ethico Moral Practice of Nurses

Nurses are facing many legal or ethical dilemmas in their career. It is very essential to know what kind of dilemmas nurses may face during their profession and how they have been dealt with in the past. Nurses should combine knowledge of ethical and legal aspects of health care and professional values into nursing practice. It is very essential for the nurses to know the difference between law and ethics.Ethics observes the values and actions of people. On the other hand, laws are necessary rules of conduct. A nurse may be faced with an act that may be ethical but not legal. The purpose of this study was to look into the level of compliance to the Legal and Ethico-Moral responsibilities of Staff Nurses of Selected Tertiary Hospitals in Lucena City and the assessment of their head nurses.To achieve this purpose, the researcher determined the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, employment status, educational attainment and length of service; the analysis of the level of compliance in terms to the legal responsibilities and ethico-moral responsibilities and in determining the significant difference between the head nurse assessment of their staff nurse followed and then the significant relationship between the demographic profile and the assessment made by the staff nurses.Using the descriptive correlational and descriptive comparative method of research, the study presented the demographic profile on the level of compliance of staff nurses and head nurses based on the gathered data. The study adapted the questionnaire utilizing the Core Competency Standards for Nursing Practice in the Philippines, PRC-BON Resolution No. 112, s. 2005 and the National Competencies in the Context Entry-Level Registered Nurse by the College of Nurses of Ontario.Simple percentage, weighted mean, t-test and chi-square, and were used in the treatment of the data. The findings of the study revealed that on the profile of respondents, most of the staff nurses belong to 21-30 years old age range, majority were female who were regular or permanent, Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree holder with more than two years of working experience. It was found out that staff nurses complied at all times to the legal responsibility and ethico-moral responsibility.Furthermore, it was drawn that there is significant relationship between the demographic profile of the staff nurse (age, gender, employment status, educational attainment and length of service) and the Level of Compliance to the Legal and Ethico-Moral responsibility. The researcher recommends to the hospital administrator that the result of this study be used to support the conduct of professional and continuing education for staff nurses and to provide adequate, resources, training and development and a more supportive work environment.To the Head Nurses that they do strict monitoring on the clinical area to ensure the compliance of staff nurses to the legal and ethico – moral res ponsibilities. That the staff nurse should be encouraged to continue their nursing education and by participates in the research team of the hospital. . For future researcher, it is recommended to conduct or replicate this study on a larger scale in the public/private tertiary hospitals in other regions of the country, considering the eleven (11) competency standards.

Channel Conflict Analysis of Schwinn Essay

With Schwinn’s recent expansion into many large-scale retail stores (i. e. Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us, Target, etc. ), they began to shift into a dual channel marketing strategy. Often times, if not handled properly, this type of approach can result in significant problems for some or all of the distribution channel partners. Fortunately for Schwinn however, they were able to make many critical decisions which ensured that each of the partners’ distinct interests was narrowly aligned with their own. This proactive plan not only motivated many of their smaller independent bicycle dealers to continue carrying their products but it also allowed Schwinn to effectively reach a much larger segment of their target market. By closely analyzing this case, we can learn many valuable lessons regarding the overall importance of strong channel management. Product differentiation was one of the primary ways that Schwinn managed to avoid channel conflict. Schwinn segmented the market and delivered to the different segments of the market through different channels. The product line delivered through the mass market channel consisted of completely different bicycles than those found at the independent bicycle dealers. This segmentation reduced the likelihood of conflict between the two channels, since the two product lines were targeted at segments with little to no crossover. Additionally, Schwinn introduced products like the Sting Ray which had nostalgic appeal and stretched beyond the traditional customer base of the independent bicycle dealers. These types of bicycles provided them with a unique product and furthermore a healthy margin to bolster profits. By maintaining distinct product lines for their two channels, Schwinn was able to minimize multi-channel conflict. The key to motivating channel members is to provide value and benefits to each partner in order to align interests and thus achieve the ultimate goal: satisfy the customer’s needs. Schwinn used both push and pull strategies effectively. By offering a relatively higher margin level than other high-end manufacturers catering to independent bicycle dealers, they were able to restore the confidence and interest of their long term retailers in spite of going for a dual channel strategy. Moreover, as mentioned in the article, unlike most companies in the industry, there was no complicated loyalty formula required to get the best prices from Schwinn. In addition, Schwinn did not require specific pre-order sales in order to carry their products. Instead, suppliers were granted flexible purchasing options so they did not have to unnecessarily stock inventories during their off-seasons (i. e. winter months in cold climates). This push strategy not only reduced the administrative cost of the retailers, but also improved the inventory turnover and ultimately the retailers’ bottom line. Conversely, Schwinn was also able to simultaneously create a pull strategy after they utilized the extensive media exposure of products, such as the Sting Ray, to increase the brand recognition among customers thus drawing them to the independent bicycle dealers. In addition to this, the specialty storeowners found significant profits lying in the repairing of these bikes and selling of parts/accessories. This proved to be a great factor for specialty bike owners to remain in business while selling Schwinn. They had a clear edge over other big retailers like Wal-Mart who did not provide any after sales service to its customers. Because they were making money by servicing the bikes sold at the mass market stores, the independent bicycle dealers were more tolerant of losing some sales on the edge of their segment to Wal-Mart, Target, Toys-R-Us, etc. Schwinn has done a good job of heading off any channel conflict by keeping the incentives aligned for its two main distribution channels. By expanding its product line into major retailers, the company has been able to target a new segment of casual bike riders. With Schwinn’s new line of entry-level bikes, big-box stores can satisfy the needs of casual bike riders by offering a large selection of affordable bikes at convenient locations. Meanwhile, Schwinn still provides a number of incentives to local bike shops, which form the company’s other main distribution channel. These shops still profit from service and repair, which large retailers do not offer. Additionally, some of Schwinn’s higher-end models are exclusively available in bike shops. Finally, Schwinn is flexible with its inventory requirements and offers good margins. By offering different incentives to each of its distribution channels, Schwinn has been able to target more customers while also keeping its retailers happy.

Get Copies of Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates

Get Copies of Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates Vital records- birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and divorce decrees- are one of the best resources to help build a family tree.  Once you determine the state where the birth, death, marriage or divorce occurred, select the state from the list below to learn how to get a certified copy of the vital record or where to find free vital records online.   Where to Find U.S. Vital Records A AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansas C CaliforniaCanal ZoneColoradoConnecticut D DelawareDistrict of Columbia F Florida G Georgia H Hawaii I IdahoIllinoisIndianaIowa K KansasKentucky L Louisianna M MaineMarylandMassachusettesMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontana N NebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNew York CityNorth CarolinaNorth Dakota O OhioOklahomaOregon P PennsylvaniaPuerto Rico R Rhode Island S South CarolinaSouth Dakota T TennesseTexas U Utah V VermontVirginiaVirgin Islands W WashingtonWest VirginaWisconsinWyoming Vital records  are one of the best resources for helping you to build your family tree due to their: Completeness- Vital records usually cover a large percentage of the population and include a wide variety of information for linking families.Reliability- Because they are usually created close to the time of the event by someone with personal knowledge of the facts and because most governments have measures in place to try and ensure their accuracy, vital records are a fairly reliable form of genealogical information.Availability- Since they are official documents,  governments have made an effort to preserve vital records with newer records being found in local government offices and older records residing in a variety of record repositories and archives. Why Vital Records May Not Be  Available In the United States, the responsibility for registering vital events is left to the individual states.  Many states, however, did not require birth, death or marriage records to be registered until late into the 1800s, and in some cases not until the early to mid-1900s. While some New England states kept town and county records as early as the 1600s, other states such as Pennsylvania and South Carolina didnt require birth registration until 1906 and 1913, respectively.  Even after registration was required by law, not all  births, marriages and deaths were reported- the  compliance rate may have been as low as 50-60% in earlier years, depending upon the time and place. People living in rural areas often found it an inconvenience to take a day from work to travel many miles to the local registrar. Some people were suspicious of the governments reasons for wanting such information and simply refused to register. Others may have registered the birth of one child, but not others . Registration of births, marriages,  and deaths is much more accepted today, however, with current rates of registration closer to 90-95%. Marriage records, unlike birth and death records, can also usually be found at the county level, and are often available from the date the county was organized (going back into the 1700s in some instances). In some areas, marriage records may also be found at the town level (e.g. New England), the city level (e.g. NYC) or the parish level (e.g. Louisiana).

Convert Your Gasoline-Burning Car to Run on Propane

Convert Your Gasoline-Burning Car to Run on Propane With the price of fuel, propane car conversions (also called LPG conversions) are attracting more attention. Propane is certainly one viable alternative fuel option: it has been used as a commercial motor fuel for more than 80 years and millions of miles. Its also less expensive to use than gasoline, even though the cost per liter is higher. Why It Can Be Tough to Convert to Propane The Environmental Protection Agency requires all vehicles to meet the same emission standards. While propane burns cleaner than gasoline, increased regulations from the EPA, means that there are very few propane conversion kits for U.S. street passenger vehicles available today. It has actually been a much more popular choice in Europe and other countries due to less stringent regulations and higher petrol prices. Even though propane powered engines offer cleaner emissions along with 10 to 15 percent less carbon dioxide, 20 percent less carbon monoxide and 50 to 60 percent fewer hydrocarbons and nitric oxide, tighter emissions regulations have changed the way conversion companies can do business. While generic propane conversions used to be common fare for a trained mechanic (generally not for the DIY-er, though), most four-stroke engines (carbureted and fuel-injected) can still be converted to operate on propane when a certified technician installs the correct kit. And propane’s minimal sooting, owing to its low carbon content, means increased engine life, fewer oil changes, and longer spark plug life. Why Conversion May Still Be a Good Idea Although it may take some legwork on your part, it can be worth converting to propane if you have a propane filling station in your area that makes fueling up easily accessible and less expensive. Unfortunately, there are relatively few U.S. propane conversion companies with an online presence that sell street-ready passenger car kits or do conversions (some have websites, many don’t). Prices for a full conversion by a qualified technician can range from $3,000 to $4,000. Hopefully, you’ll be close to one of the shops that are on RASO Enterprises’ extensive shop list (below), and they can help you go from there. Where to Find Conversion Kits Because of the scarcity of conversion companies, its unlikely that youll find one in your backyard. That said, however, these two companies may be able to provide you with what you need at a reasonable cost. Got Propane?  Based in Tempe, AZ, the eye-catching off-roading photos on this company’s website showcase propane’s ability to operate at any angle with no loss of power or fuel spillage. *Note: These kits are only for off-road vehicles, and this company does not sell kits for late model cars and trucks (1987 and newer).RASO Enterprises  In addition to selling kits, this company provides a wealth of information to help you find a certified conversion shop in the United States or Canadian conversion center. Most of these shops specialize in heavy duty/commercial vehicles with minimal offerings for passenger cars. There are links to find kits for your personal car fleet vehicles, (options are limited) or off-road  and agricultural equipment. This site also refers to TECHNOCARB, the manufacturer of many different conversion kits.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Case Study Example (Neenan & Dryden, 2006). In many cases patients that require cognitive behavior therapy exhibit traits like self-destructive and repulsive habits, shame, avoidance, harbor unproductive thoughts and entertain blame games. (Willson & Branch, 2006). Stan's case is not isolated as he depicts similar traits. For example, he avoids the people he used to associate with while he was still in employment, he is unwilling to take work he is over qualified for hence has been unemployed for six months. At the same time he feels ashamed of his unemployment status hence avoids going out of the house at all, he drinks during the day rather than look for another job, he feels entitled to provide financially as the firstborn in his family irrespective of his impossible situation. His panic attacks are as a result of the anxiety he feels from the overwhelming responsibility of being a father, a first born and a husband and the fact that he is not able to get himself out of the situation. The source of Stan's problems is in his pattern of thoughts. The way he perceives his situation has led to the outward show of his frustration and depression. For example, he lost his job and hence he thinks that he has failed. Highly likely are thoughts like 'I am no good' or 'I am a failure' and in that case a self-prophecy has been written in his mind. It is from this thought that he now behaves like a failure and has no time to look for a job but drink during the day or avoid going out of the house to hide his failure. Of course, his problem aggravates because he avoids doing the very things that might be helpful in bringing forth a solution. For example he avoids former colleagues and friends and turns down employment because he is 'over' qualified. Stan's panic attacks root from anxiety linked to distorted thoughts and idealistic expectations. Intervention strategies As seen Stan's problems are birthed from own thoughts and this has affected his behavior. Therapy will focus on helping Stan change his way of thinking. His panic attacks will be dealt with by challenging Stan's thoughts and fears. This will entail encouraging Stan to confront his object or subject of fear in this case going out of the house, not providing financially towards his fathers funeral and the new baby, fear of failure and so on. The aim here will be to desensitize these fears by helping Stan realize that he needs to react to situation in reality rather than from his own distorted perception of the situation. First, the therapist will guide Stan in exploring his thoughts and situation the identify thought patterns and link them to behavior. (Neenan & Dryden, 2006). He might be required to document his thoughts, habits, feelings, events in a journal for review during therapy session. This will help the client and the therapist identify unproductive thoughts in Stan and guide him in replacing each of them with productive and positive thoughts. For example, 'if am jobless, I should not go out' can be replaced with 'I need to go out and network with friends so that I get a job' or 'I am a failure because I did not provide financially to my father's funeral yet am the first born' can be replaced