Avoid age-related memory loss with these activities

Avoid age-related memory loss with these activitiesAvoid age-related memory loss with these activitiesYou cant prevent getting old, but you can slow down or stop age-related memory loss through mentally stimulating activities, according to new research.A study published in the medical journal Neurology found that interacting with mentally stimulating activities like computer use, crafts, playing games, and just partaking in social activities can either lower or completely stop memory loss called mild cognitive impairment.Researchers had 2,000 people participate in the study. The average age of participants was 78 and they didnt have mild cognitive impairment - also known as MCI. Each participant took part in a questionnaire that asked them about mentally stimulating activities that they did during the middle of their life between ages 50 to 65. They were also asked about similar patterns but after age 66.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happi ness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraRespondents were also administered thinking and memory tests about every year and a half and were followed for an average of five years.Out of the 2,000 participants, 532 developed MCI, but researchers say those who did mentally stimulating activities had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment.Heres the breakdown of each activityCraft activities - 42% lower riskUsing the computer - 37% lower risk (later life)/30%Playing games (like crosswords or playing cards) - 20% lower riskGoing out with friends - 20% lower riskMild cognitive impairment - or MCI - is a medical condition that comes with aging. While its not dementia, its often linked to people who suffer from thinking or memory. MCI makes it difficult for people to do harder tasks and its often been considered to come before dementia.There are currently no drugs that effectively treat mild cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimers disease, so there is growing interest in lifestyle factors that may help slow brain aging believed to contribute to thinking and memory problemsfactors that are low cost and available to anyone, said study author Yonas E. Geda, MD, MSc. Our study took a close look at how often people participated in mentally stimulating activities in both middle-age and later life, with a goal of examining when such activities may be most beneficial to the brain.

How to Upload Music Videos to YouTube

How to Upload Music Videos to YouTubeHow to Upload Music Videos to YouTubeFor an up-and-coming music act, or a band trying to build a following, there are few better avenues of free promotion than YouTube. Uploading a video to YouTube, which has more than one billion users, gives artists a huge audience as well as insights about that audience. How to Upload a Video to YouTube First, youll need a YouTube account. If you have a Gmail address or Google account, youve already got a YouTube account you just have to sign in using your Google log-in and password. One of the benefits of the integration of Google and YouTube is the potential boost from Googles search results, where YouTube videos rank highly. Once youre signed in to your YouTube account, all you need to do to upload your video is click the Upload button on the top right of the page, add a description, and youre all set. Its easy in theory. But there are some rules you should know before adding content to YouTube. The R ules for Uploading Videos Make sure you only upload videos which you own, or which you hold the publishing rights for. The last thing you need is to have your brand new YouTube channel suspended for copyright violations before it attracts any visitors. Ensure your video follows both YouTubes Terms of tafelgeschirr and its Community Guidelines. Videos containing violent, pornographic, threatening or hateful content are against the Community Guidelines, and YouTube will shut you down if you break these rules.You can use the embeddable YouTube player to put videos on your own website, but dont try to alter the player itself. Thats also against YouTubes Terms of Service. Depending on which mobile device you have, you can upload videos to YouTube using either its mobile app or YouTubes mobile site, similar to the process for uploading from a desktop or laptop computer.YouTube and Google add new features all the time, so be an active participant and know how any rule changes or new featu res could hurt or help your bands visibility. Getting Helpful Tips From YouTube YouTube has a lot of helpful tips, tricks, and advice in its Help section, and can guide you on technical issues like the sound quality and video resolution. If youre ready to take the next step into live streaming videos on YouTube, you can learn how to do that as well. YouTube also has an active user community, where you may find answers to problems or concerns. Promoting a YouTube Video on Social Media Now that your video is on YouTube, use your other social media channels to promote it. Its easy to share to Twitter, Facebook, and other social channels right from your YouTube page. Include links back to your bands website on your YourTube profile along with information on where and how to buy your music. Commenting on other peoples videos is a good way to draw some traffic back to your own YouTube page. Its also good karma and can lead to cross-promotion from other bands and musicians.

How to Succeed at Asking for a Pay Raise

How to Succeed at Asking for a Pay RaiseHow to Succeed at Asking for a Pay RaiseAsking for a pay raise can be an awkward conversation for most people. While many companies have a pay increase policy, it may not address your needs. Competitive industries, such as tech, usually are mora inclined to grant wage increases, but the question of a raise still may be valid. How should the conversation go? And what can you do to increase the chances of a salary increment?The Key Elements of Asking for a Pay RaiseUnfortunately, there is no magic formula that will guarantee your boss agreeing to a raise, but enough preparation will make a difference. Before you have the conversation, considerCompany policyTimingProof of your accomplishmentsMarket researchYour bosss personalityMethod of communicationThe mora you prepare, the more confident youll be. If you believe in your skills and that you deserve a raise, negotiations will be much smoother.Company PolicyMany companies dont grant pay raises to employees except during employee-review cycles. Additionally, they already may pay competitive, industry-standard wages which they mayadjust forcost of living. If this is the case at your company, and you demand an out-of-cycle pay raise, your chances of success are slim. You wont fare any better if you want more than the average for your position.Check your employee policy manual (or similar document) for information on pay raises. Follow policy guidelines to the letter. If theres no flexibility on out-of-cycle pay raises, perhaps wait until your next review. Then ask for a better-than-usual increase. You might see better results than by trying to buck the system.TimingIf youve scored some recent wins, strike while the irons hot. Did you hit your targets out of the park or finish a project ahead of time and under budget? Maybe you solved a serious problem for the company. Most bosses will recognize the merits of a reward under these circumstances.Of course, the opposite holds true as well. Are you way off budget on a project orbehind schedule? Then put pay negotiations on the back burner for now. If the scale of the work you do is disproportionate with the bump in salary youve been promised, you still can talk to your boss. Companies set budgets for pay raises before annual reviews, so dont leave it until then.Approach your boss a few months before and begin the conversation. They can investigate how much you do for the company to justify an out-of-policy increase. Youll need to do your research to back up your argument.AccomplishmentsDont just ask for more money. Give the decision-makerincentiveto reward you. If you do little above the call of duty, your employer probably thinks you get paid enough. If you do more than expected, prove that you deserve a pay raise by emphasizing your value to the company. Document your accomplishments, then present your case to the decision maker when the time comes. Be specific, use examples, and include impressive feats su ch asRevenue you earnedMoney you savedCustomer satisfaction you achievedTight deadlines you met or beatSolutions you implementedProducts or services you improvedInitiative you demonstratedExtra hours you worked without overtime payUse action verbs during the conversation to underscore what youve done for the company.You also could play the long game if you think the time isnt right because of issues like financial difficulties or company restructuring. Consider taking on more responsibilities to justify a pay raise in the future.ResearchHave a reasonable figure in mind and prepare tonegotiate. Establish your earnings range based on your job, company size, location, experience, skills, and demand.Conduct research the following waysLook atsalary surveys. Get a rough idea through sites like Glassdoor and Payscale. They contain salary data on a range of jobs. Numbers could be limited to industry averages, though, and may not reflect experience, geography, demand, etc.Talk to peers. Talk to people with similar circumstancess include performance-based bonuses, extra paid time off, or other benefits. If negotiations are a success, get it in writing with authorizing signatures.Some sample letters can give you a framework from which to craft your own written request.Pay Raise Letter SampleDear (Managers Name),Im grateful for the opportunity to work for you, and my time with the company has been a pleasant and rewarding one.I hope youll agree that in the two years Ive worked for you, Ive become an integral member of your team and accomplished a great deal. For example, in the last six months alone, I haveBulleted list of major accomplishmentsHowever, Im still working on the initial salary on which we agreed two years ago.As I recall, we also agreed to renegotiate my salary in two years based on my accomplishments, and that time has come. In light of my accomplishments and per our agreement, Im respectfully requesting an immediate pay raise of 6%, to be followed in six m onths by a performance-based pay raise of an additional 3%.I feel strongly that Ive earned the immediate pay raise and Im confident that I also will earn the six-month raise based on my performance. But Im willing to negotiate, per our agreement. If you would like to meet to discuss this, please let me know. If I dont hear from you by reasonable date, I will assume that youve waived our meeting because youve agreed to my terms.Thanks again for the opportunity. I look forward to continuing to be a key player on your team in a mutually rewarding relationship.Pay Raise Letter Sample Asking for Meeting 1Dear (Managers Name),Im grateful for the opportunity to work for you, and my time with the company has been a pleasant and rewarding one. I would appreciate your advice on how to increase the reward for my contributions. Would you please schedule a time for us to meet within the next week or so?Any time that is convenient for you will work for me.I look forward to our meeting.Pay Raise Letter Sample Asking for Meeting 2Dear (Managers Name),Im grateful for the opportunity to work for you, and my time with the company has been a pleasant and rewarding one. Im also pleased that youve added new responsibilities to my job and I appreciate the chance to grow my skills. I would like to meet with you to further discuss my new responsibilities and the possibility of a pay raise for performing them well.I can meet with you anytime this week that is convenient for you. If this week isnt convenient, please let me know.

Online Jobs That Pay Better for College Students

Online Jobs That Pay Better for College StudentsOnline Jobs That Pay Better for College StudentsFinding a job in college can be tricky.You may find a job that pays well, but the hours dont fit with your class schedule and dont allow any time for schoolwork.You may find a job with great hours, leaving you plenty of time to complete your schoolwork, but barely enough money to function.It can feel like a constant trade-off between time and money.But it doesnt have toOnline jobs can be an excellent alternative for college students.The pay is often better than your run-of-the-mill part-time job and the hours are flexible enough to cover a busy school and activity schedule.Here are some great ansprechbar jobs for college students that pay better than your average part-time job.Online TutorIf you are a good student who enjoys helping others learn, online tutoring is a great place to look for work.This is a great way to put your educational skills to use and make some money doing it.Whats th e job You tutor students from all over the world on subjects where you excel.Sessions vary in length, depending on the student and the site.You assist with homework and classwork for students ranging from elementary to college.What skills do you need You need a thorough understanding of the subject you are tutoring in.Good communication skills will also help you when working with your students.What do you make The pay scale varies company to company, but the average range runs from $10/hour to $20/hour.What companies are hiring Enroll, Chegg, StudentTutor.Virtual AssistantIf you are looking for a job doing administrative work, but want a flexible schedule, a virtual assistant is a position for you.Its a great way to earn good money and a great way to make professional connections and build your network.Whats the job You handle administrative tasks for clients, such as scheduling appointments, and managing emails and calls.Job tasks depend on who you are working for and the services they need.What skills do you need You will need excellent communications and writing skills. Thorough knowledge of MS Office and Google Apps is preferred.Great soft skills are a definite plus for virtual assistants.What do you make You can expect around $10-$15/hour, but earnings can scale with experience and skill as well.What companies are hiring 24/7 Virtual Assistant, Fancy Hands, ZirtualFreelance WriterIf you are looking grow your skills and make money, look at Freelance writing.Freelance Writing is considered one of the best ways to make money online. It develops your skills and can lead to more professional opportunities down the road.For my fellow English majors, this is an excellent way to prepare for your future and kickstart your career.Plus, its super flexible and easy to do with a busy college schedule.Whats the job There are several freelance writing options out there, depending on what style of writing you prefer.You can work in technical writing, digital marketing, j ournalism, or other fields.Subject matter depends on your client. You can choose to write in your area of expertise or branch out.What skills do you need Knowing your way around the English language and having a good understanding of grammar and writing is a necessity.Its also good to know about editing and some possible publication styles.What do you make Earning potential typically runs off of the length of your writing. An article of 500-1000 words can run anywhere from $25-$50.What companies are hiring TextBroker, Upwork, About.com

The Pitfall of Free Generator Guide

The Pitfall of Free Generator Guide The Importance of Free Generator Guide All the absolutely free woodworking plans are in various various styles, making it simple to find the best one for your house. As a key tool, workbench ought to be part of your beginners woodworking tools. The machine may be used anywhere on earth. Always be certain that you have all of the critical tools, materials, space ready. Start projects you could finish. Much enjoy the Table of Contents builder in Word, you can pick a predesigned bibliography format that comprises a title or you may just click Insert Bibliography to. Generator Box Plans Basically, anyone whos interested in building with wood can learn it successfully with the assistance of absolutely free woodworking plans that are found online. Consider your abilities and analyze the time which you have, before you begin with an undertaking. The video series is a significant resourse and will answer lots of your shed building questions. Us ing our plans and instructional resources youll have tons of help to finish your construction undertaking. A very low cost list of every item you have to run your house with a Tesla device. In buchen to avoid bot spamming you need to show that youre human just by downloading 2 suggested free application and opening them for 30 seconds. Science believes things since they have been observed to be true. The generator can power all sorts of house appliances including the heavy ones with no issue. It makes use of natural materials like grass and tree branches in order to generate energy and thus deliver to your home appliances. The device can be produced with locally available materials and thus it wont cost you a lot. It is known to be 100% waterproof which means that you can even use it under the rain. Overunity Generator Guide If you want to understand about overunity generator then you want to experience the overunity generator guide because there is very little informatio n that can be found on the exact same. The manual provides tips and guidance to assist you produce your own generators, even when you dont have technical understanding, distributes information so the device can be obtained locally. The manual reveals to you the comprehensive details about the schematics and the plans of who to produce the overunity generator. The guide of overunity generator also comes together with a video with the aid of which you are able to produce the device all the more easily. Low wattage power drills will produce the task much simple. The simplest automatic bibliography citation generator is currently on Google Docs Our instructional videos shown above are intended to assist you build the various parts of your generator shed. The exact last thing you desire is to start your search for an excellent portable generator onlyafter the lights go out. The plans that will do the job best for you will be dependent on your degree of education. With the right planning and a strategy, its possible to attain success quickly. Securing the proper kind of generator for your house can offer peace of mind during the storm season. Everyone willing to spend less on their energy bill should get the manual so as to benefit themselves. The device employs gravitational and electromagnetic force to create power that consumes minimum energy. The key is it is the sourceof power thats virtually endless. The Adams Motor is a good example of the usage of magnetism as a free energy supply. RV generators are conveniently housed within a compartment outside the automobile and might even run off your present gas or propane tanks. New Ideas Into Free Generator Guide Never Before Revealed The simple fact that petroleum supplies are becoming lesser, folks will need to locate other energy sources to sustain their lives. Regardless of what the purpose is super wellness, psychic superpowers, or totally free energy many men and women will be obsessively driv en to obtain them. The great majority of the weight should be near the rim. Many people think that earth is likely to face a huge problem once nonrenewable energy sources are gradually gone.

Best Resume Writing Program - the Story

Best Resume Writing Program - the Story UPenns Career Services department supplies a huge selection of CV samples as well as the resume samples listed above. On top of that, take pleasure in the creative practiceCustomer service is an essential element in many jobs and its imperative that you concentrate on that in your resume. It is possible to also have a look at customer feedback on several platforms including BBB to come across the highest rated resume writing services. Notice how the example resumes are extremely specific when it has to do with technical skills. When it has to do with choosing the very best book writing software, authors have many choices. All our writers reisepass a considerable procedure to look at their abilities. Every writer we employ has written a good deal of special papers linked to your subject. Its also important to think about the sort of work you genuinely wish to be hired to do. Make certain you didnt miss whatever could cost you the jo b that you dream about So decide what type of resume you need before you begin looking for a resume writing service. In the end, it doesnt really supply the ideal format for those with zero experience. Writing general duties is a typical mistake because applicants feel that nursing is comparable to distinct hospitals and departments, but in fact, your duties will differ between different facilities. You can begin making a list of all of the responsibilities you had. The website also hosts a network for employers searching for new talent.

The 10 things you wont see confident people do

The 10 things you wont binnensee confident people doThe 10 things you wont see confident people doIn The Empire Strikes Back, when Yoda is training Luke to be a Jedi, he demonstrates the power of the Force by raising an X-wing fighter from a swamp. Luke mutters, I dont believe it. Yoda replies, That is why you fail.As usual, Yoda was right - and science backs him up. Numerous studies have proved that confidence is the real key to success.Studies exploring the performance gap between men and women in math and spatial skills have found that confidence plays a huge role. Women who were asked to identify their gender before taking a spatial skills test performed more poorly than those who werent. Women also performed better when they were told to envision themselves as men, and both genders performed better when they were told that their gender is better at the task.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuro science, and moreWhats even more interesting is that the gender gap practically disappeared when parteicipants were required to answer every question. Apparently, when the women were allowed to skip questions, they did so bedrngnis because of a lack of knowledge, but because of a lack of confidence.If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. - Vincent Van GoghTrue confidence is very different from egotistical swagger. When people believe in themselves and their abilities without bravado, there are certain things they simply dont do.They dont make excusesIf theres one trait confident people have in spades, its self-efficacy - the belief that they can make things happen. Its about having an internal locus of control rather than an external one. Thats why you wont hear confident people blaming traffic for making them late or an unfair boss for their failure to get a promotion. Confident people dont make excuses, becaus e they believe theyre in control of their own lives.They dont quitConfident people dont give up the first time something goes wrong. They see both problems and failures as obstacles to overcome rather than impenetrable barriers to success. That doesnt mean, however, that they keep trying the same thing over and over. One of the first things confident people do when something goes wrong is to figure out why it went wrong and how they can prevent it the next time.They dont wait for permission to actConfident people dont need somebody to tell them what to do or when to do it. They dont waste time asking themselves questions like Can I? or Should I? If they ask themselves anything, its Why wouldnt I? Whether its running a meeting when the chairperson doesnt show up or going the extra mile to solve a customers problem, it doesnt even occur to them to wait for somebody else to take care of it. They see what needs to be done, and they do it.They dont seek attentionPeople are turned off by those who are desperate for attention. Confident people know that being yourself is much more effective than trying to prove that youre important. People catch on to your attitude quickly and are more attracted to the right attitude than what, or how many, people you know. Confident people always seem to bring the right attitude. Confident people are masters of attention diffusion. When theyre receiving attention for an accomplishment, they quickly shift the focus to all the people who worked hard to help get them there. They dont crave approval or praise because they draw their self-worth from within.They dont need constant praiseHave you ever been around somebody who constantly needs to hear how great he or she is? Confident people dont do that. It goes back to that internal locus of control. They dont think that their success is dependent on other peoples approval, and they understand that no matter how well they perform, theres always going to be somebody out there offering noth ing but criticism. Confident people also know that the kind of confidence thats dependent on praise from other people isnt really confidence at all its narcissism.They dont put things offWhy do people procrastinate? Sometimes its simply because theyre lazy. A lot of times, though, its because theyre afraid - that is, afraid of change, failure, or maybe even success. Confident people dont put things off. Because they believe in themselves and expect that their actions will lead them closer to their goals, they dont sit around waiting for the right time or the perfect circumstances. They know that today is the only time that matters. If they think its not the right time, they make it the right time.They dont reisepass judgmentConfident people dont pass judgment on others because they know that everyone has something to offer, and they dont need to take other people down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to other people is limiting. Confident people do nt waste time sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up to everyone they meet.They dont avoid conflictConfident people dont see conflict as something to be avoided at all costs they see it as something to manage effectively. They dont go along to get along, even when that means having uncomfortable conversations or making unpleasant decisions. They know that conflict is part of life and that they cant avoid it without cheating themselves out of the good stuff, too.They dont let a lack of resources get in their wayConfident people dont get thrown off course just because they dont have the right title, the right staff, or the money to make things happen. Either they find a way to get what they need, or they figure out how to get by without it.They dont get too comfortableConfident people understand that getting too comfortable is the mortal enemy of achieving their goals. Thats because they know that comfort leads to complacency, and complacency leads to stagn ation. When they start feeling comfortable, they take that as a big red flag and start pushing their boundaries again so that they can continue to grow as both a person and a professional. They understand that a little discomfort is a good thing.Bringing it all togetherEmbracing the behaviors of confident people is a great way to increase your odds for success, which, in turn, will lead to more confidence. The science is clear now you just have to decide to act on it.This column first appeared on LinkedIn.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 peopleThe 10 things you wont see confident people doIn The Empire Strikes Back, when Yoda is training Luke to be a Jedi, he demonstrates the power of the Force by raising an X-wing fighter from a swamp. Luke mutters, I dont believe it. Yoda replies, That is why you fail.As usual, Yoda was right - and science backs him up. Numerous studies have proved that confidence is the real key to success.Studies exploring the performance gap between men and women in math and spatial skills have found that confidence plays a huge role. Women who were asked to identify their gender before taking a spatial skills test performed more poorly than those who werent. Women also performed better when they were told to envision themselves as men, and both genders performed better when they were told that their gender is better at the task.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhats even more interesting is that the gender gap practically disappeared when participants were required to answer every question. Apparently, when the women were allowed to skip questions, they did so not because of a lack of knowledge, but because of a lack of confidence.If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. - Vincent Van GoghTrue confidence is very different from egotistical swagger. When people believe in themselves and their abilities without bravado, there are certain things they simply dont do.They dont make excusesIf theres one trait confident people have in spades, its self-efficacy - the belief that they can make things happen. Its about having an internal locus of control rather than an external one. Thats why you wont hear confident people blaming traffic for making them late or an unfair boss for their failure to get a promotion. Confident people dont make excuses, because they believe theyre in control of their own lives.They dont quitConfident people dont give up the first time something goes wrong. They see both problems and failures as obstacles to overcome rathe r than impenetrable barriers to success. That doesnt mean, however, that they keep trying the same thing over and over. One of the first things confident people do when something goes wrong is to figure out why it went wrong and how they can prevent it the next time.They dont wait for permission to actConfident people dont need somebody to tell them what to do or when to do it. They dont waste time asking themselves questions like Can I? or Should I? If they ask themselves anything, its Why wouldnt I? Whether its running a meeting when the chairperson doesnt show up or going the extra mile to solve a customers problem, it doesnt even occur to them to wait for somebody else to take care of it. They see what needs to be done, and they do it.They dont seek attentionPeople are turned off by those who are desperate for attention. Confident people know that being yourself is much more effective than trying to prove that youre important. People catch on to your attitude quickly and are mor e attracted to the right attitude than what, or how many, people you know. Confident people always seem to bring the right attitude. Confident people are masters of attention diffusion. When theyre receiving attention for an accomplishment, they quickly shift the focus to all the people who worked hard to help get them there. They dont crave approval or praise because they draw their self-worth from within.They dont need constant praiseHave you ever been around somebody who constantly needs to hear how great he or she is? Confident people dont do that. It goes back to that internal locus of control. They dont think that their success is dependent on other peoples approval, and they understand that no matter how well they perform, theres always going to be somebody out there offering nothing but criticism. Confident people also know that the kind of confidence thats dependent on praise from other people isnt really confidence at all its narcissism.They dont put things offWhy do peopl e procrastinate? Sometimes its simply because theyre lazy. A lot of times, though, its because theyre afraid - that is, afraid of change, failure, or maybe even success. Confident people dont put things off. Because they believe in themselves and expect that their actions will lead them closer to their goals, they dont sit around waiting for the right time or the perfect circumstances. They know that today is the only time that matters. If they think its not the right time, they make it the right time.They dont pass judgmentConfident people dont pass judgment on others because they know that everyone has something to offer, and they dont need to take other people down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to other people is limiting. Confident people dont waste time sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up to everyone they meet.They dont avoid conflictConfident people dont see conflict as something to be avoided at all costs th ey see it as something to manage effectively. They dont go along to get along, even when that means having uncomfortable conversations or making unpleasant decisions. They know that conflict is part of life and that they cant avoid it without cheating themselves out of the good stuff, too.They dont let a lack of resources get in their wayConfident people dont get thrown off course just because they dont have the right title, the right staff, or the money to make things happen. Either they find a way to get what they need, or they figure out how to get by without it.They dont get too comfortableConfident people understand that getting too comfortable is the mortal enemy of achieving their goals. Thats because they know that comfort leads to complacency, and complacency leads to stagnation. When they start feeling comfortable, they take that as a big red flag and start pushing their boundaries again so that they can continue to grow as both a person and a professional. They understand that a little discomfort is a good thing.Bringing it all togetherEmbracing the behaviors of confident people is a great way to increase your odds for success, which, in turn, will lead to more confidence. The science is clear now you just have to decide to act on it.This column first appeared on LinkedIn.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

Facts About Use of Force in Law Enforcement

Facts About Use of Force in Law EnforcementFacts About Use of Force in Law EnforcementWithin criminal justice careers, perhaps no other area or action draws the public scrutiny, and sometimes ire, than a use of force. Law enforcement and corrections officers are necessarily authorized to employ various forms of physical control in order to carry out their jobs. The circumstances, level, and the degree to which that force is used, however, is often the subject of serious debate. Law Enforcement History and the Use of Force Though the idea of law enforcement has a long history, in truth modern policing as we know it is a relatively recent societal institution. The history of the professional polizze force is less than two centuries old. Prior to the establishment of standing law enforcement agencies, there welches a great deal of public concern over granting power and authority to what they feared would become aleidher occupying force, and thus there has always been a slight level of mistrust between society at large and those who have been sworn to serve and protect them. Though they have been granted the authority to use force when necessary, the public has long been wary of the abuse of this power. Nevertheless, in a more rough-and-tumble era, more rough-and-tumble tactics were called for. Officers did not have as many force options available to them as they do now, and society did not have the same distaste for harsh justice as it now seems to. Changing Times, Changing Temperament As society has advanced and evolved, though, so have public attitudes toward crime and punishment, as well as law enforcement and police tactics. Over time, the public began to demand more mild and measured responses to crime as opposed to brute force. Increased Scrutiny This has been accentuated in recent history with the proliferation of video and photographic technology, first on television and then on the Internet. From Rodney King and Marvin Anderson to Andrew Dont taze me, bro Meyer and the latest YouTube police video, law enforcement and corrections officers have been placed on notice that the public is watching what they do and how they do it. The added scrutiny has gone a long way towards keeping officers honest and to expose those who are not. In response to the increased attention, police, correctional officers and other criminology and criminal justice professionals have made advances in policies as well as technology. In addition, courts and criminal justice standards and POST commissions have introduced guidelines to aid officers in making sound decisions on when and how to use force. The Disconnect in the Discourse Despite this evolution in police tactics and technology, a disconnect still exists between what the public sees, expects and understands about law enforcement training, goals and practices and how police and corrections officers are actually trained to respond to use of control situations. The Goal of Law Enforcemen t in Uses of Control Most often, when members of the public question an officers use of force, they first question whether force was necessary in the first place. Likewise, courts tend to focus first on whether or not any force was justified at all before broaching the topic of excessive force. To look at this question properly, we must first understand the ultimate goal of officers when they apply force. Generally, the purpose is to effect an arrest and bring a potentially dangerous situation to as quick and peaceful a conclusion as possible, without injuring the officer or innocent members of the public. Obviously, the preferred outcome would be for a resisting subject to allow himself to be arrested peacefully. When that doesnt occur, though, officers must make a quick, split-second decision whether or not to employ force and just what force to employ. During that decision-making process, the well-being of the suspect is most often a secondary concern. Objective Reasonablenes s Because behauptung decisions must be made quickly, officers may not have all of the information regarding the level of threat a subject actually poses before they feel that they must take action. In Graham vs. Connor, the U.S. Supreme Court established the objective reasonableness standard to determine whether or not force was justified. Objective reasonableness simply asks whether or not a reasonable person with the similar training, knowledge, and experience would have acted the same under similar circumstances. In making this determination, three factors are applied whether or not the subject poses an immediate threat, the severity of the alleged crime, and whether or not the subject is attempting to flee or resist arrest attempts. Implicit in the so-called Graham factors is the question of whether or not the officer was justified in exercising his arrest authority, to begin with. Most importantly, the objective reasonableness standard recognizes that officers must think fast and act fast. Under these circumstances, the facts available to the officer at the time she made her decision to use force are what the officer is judged by, as opposed to what may come to light after the fact. For example, if an officer shoots a subject who is threatening him and pointing a gun at him, it does not matter if it turns out later that the gun was not loaded. If the officer can articulate that at the time of the incident he believed his life or the life of someone else was in danger, then he will have been justified in his use of deadly force. Just the Facts If an officer learns after the fact that what he perceived to be a weapon was actually a toy gun, a cell phone, or even a wallet, the standard by which the action will be judged will come from what the officer knew at the time. Officers need not, and often times cannot afford to, wait for a subject to pull the trigger or try to stab them before they react. Instead, they must weigh the totality of the circumstanc es and make a decision based on the facts available to them at the moment. Reasonable Choices The objective reasonableness standard also establishes that officers are not necessarily limited to the least amount of force possible. Rather, officers are called to use only that force which falls within the range of what might be considered reasonable. This is an important distinction to make because in most situations there is a range of force options available, all of which may be an appropriate response. For example, if a subject is fighting and resisting arrest, an officer may choose to use pepper spray, an electronic control device, or hands-on control techniques such as joint manipulation in order to gain compliance. Anyone of these choices may be reasonable, though the public may perceive the taser or pepper spray to be more invasive and less necessary than going hands on. An officers actions, then, are not evaluated based on what she could have done differently, but rather th ey are assessed based on what might be considered reasonable. Judging Deadly Force Situations This standard becomes especially important when looking at instances of deadly force by police officers. By and large, officers are taught at the police academy to meet deadly force with deadly force. They are trained and given the techniques and tactics to make sure they make it home at the end of their shift, and they spend extensive time training in the use of firearms. Its important to recognize that, when discussing the use of deadly force by officers, the expected result of a subjects actions dont have to be death. Instead, deadly force is described as actions that are likely to cause either death or great bodily harm, which could include permanent disfigurement without causing death. The type of weapon used is an important factor in an officers decision to use deadly force, but it is not the only factor. To a police officer, deadly force is deadly force, whether the subject is wi elding a knife, an ax, a gun or a baseball bat. All of these have the potential to take a life or cause great bodily harm. Instead, to be justified in employing deadly force, officers must be able to articulate that the suspect had the apparent ability, opportunity and reasonably perceived intent to commit an act likely to cause death or great bodily harm. Justifiable Decisions Though important to law enforcement and correctional officers, this standard is often the source of confusion on the part of the public when it comes to police use of force. As an example, an officer may shoot a suspect who is holding a knife. Some members of the public may disagree with the officers decision, suggesting instead that he should have used a non-lethal weapon such as a taser to disarm the subject. While a taser may have been one of many possible options available, it may not have been the most reasonable or, more likely, it may have been one of many reasonable force options and thus, given t he fact that a knife is quite capable of causing death or great bodily harm, the officer is very likely justified in the use of deadly force. Officer and Subject Factors Another important consideration in evaluating an officers use of forces is the officer himself as compared to the subject in question. An officer who is 52 and 100 pounds may be justified in using greater force against a subject who is 62 250 pounds than would a taller, heavier and presumably stronger officer in similar circumstances. Uses of Force More Complicated Than First Looks Suggest All of this goes to demonstrate that uses of force by corrections and police officers are most often far more complicated than a single news story or Internet video may initially make them appear. Law enforcement careers are known to be inherently dangerous jobs, and officers are often placed in situations where they are required to make instantaneous life and death decisions. While it is entirely correct and appropriate t o evaluate and scrutinize the actions of the police, especially when they employ control techniques, it is also very important to withhold judgment until all of the facts leading up to the incident are known. It is especially important to judge these decisions based only on those facts that were known or perceived by the officer at the time of the incident, as opposed to those facts that may become known after the fact. Sound Law Enforcement Requires Sound Judgement Likewise, it is important for officers to use sound judgment and due diligence when determining whether or not to employ force and exactly what force to use. The public rightly holds its law enforcement officers to a high ethical standard. It is incumbent upon officers, then, to adhere to that standard and to always act in the interest of safeguarding lives and property, while at the same time preserving and protecting the rights of the innocent.

Engines of the Future

Engines of the Future Engines of the Future Engines of the FutureOver the past several years, road transportation has seen some significant advances in what are considered alternative technologies. Energy storage, electric drive systems, and fuel cell technology all seem to be poised to find a significant place in the automotive marketplace.But it would be a mistake to believe that such technologies will completely sweep aside what has come before. Instead, the internal combustion engine will continue to be integral to the transportation of people and goods for the foreseeable future.That is not to say that things will stay as they are now. The engine is undergoing a significant evolution of its own, as new fuel economy and emissions standards in the light-duty and heavy-duty sectors push the development of new technologies on an unprecedented scale toward the theoretical limits of engine operation. Coupled with continuing research into fundamental engine processes, the introduction of affordable high-performance computing, and the annahme an kindes statt of advanced manufacturing techniques throughout industry, those new technologies are leading to tauglichkeitly disruptive opportunities for the introduction of engines with extraordinarily high efficiencies. How these new engines perform and how they will be integrated into new vehicle architectures will be the story of personal mobility for this half of the 21st century.From my position at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, I have been able to see the intersection of knowledge discovery, advanced engine and vehicle technology development, and the use of one-of-a-kind computing resurces. Although the public tends to think of automobile and engine research as a purely private-sector concern, my colleagues and I at ORNL are helping to realize the full efficiency potential of internal combustion engines.The internal combustion engine has seen a remarkable evolution over the past century. Before 1970 the evolution of engine design was driven by a quest for performance and an increase in octane in the fuel supply. Since then, however, the imperative was the need to meet new emissions and fuel economy regulations. Vitaly Prikhodko of ORNLs Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research studying advanced catalysts which are used to reduce vehicle pollution. Image ORNLInternal combustion engine efficiency has historically been limited mora by the state of technology than innovation. As an example, the potential of technologies such as gasoline direct injection were known and attempted in production mora than 50 years ago, but direct injection has only become widely available in production within the last decade and now makes up approximately 38 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales. Another example is low-temperature combustion modes such as homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion- in which fuel and air are injected during the intake stroke and then compressed until the entire mixture reacts sp ontaneously- which were demonstrated in a laboratory more than 30 years ago but are still many years away from market introduction. Game-changing advances in recent years are improvements in engine technologies, sensors, and onboard computing power. This combination of technologies will enable unprecedented control of the combustion process, which in turn will enable real-world implementations of low-temperature combustion and other advanced strategies as well as improved robustness and fuel flexibility. In fact, technological advances are blurring our historical distinction between spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines we will see new engine concepts that blend the best characteristics of both engine types to push the boundaries of efficiency while meeting stringent emissions regulations worldwide. The push toward higher-efficiency engines will alter exhaust temperatures and chemistry and may create challenges for emission control technologies. For example, new higher-eff iciency engines will have lower exhaust temperatures, due to more efficient work extraction at the piston. Lower exhaust temperatures will, in turn, require the development of new emission control technologies, which must not only be effective at low temperatures but also must survive high exhaust temperatures encountered under high load conditions. custompagebreak Even the most efficient and robust engine technologies will never make it to market without the vehicle system meeting emissions regulations. But this is not the first instance where significant emissions control advances were needed to transition a combustion technology to market. Advances in catalyst technologies more than 40 years ago were critical to meeting emerging emissions regulations the effectiveness of catalysts for conventional spark-ignition engines has since improved by a factor of 100 while achieving a substantial reduction in expensive platinum group metals. Meeting the new challenges is a very active area of research at ORNL and other U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories, as well as in industry.Low-temperature combustion processes are of significant interest due to very high thermal efficiencies with significant reductions in many criteria pollutants. As mentioned above, LTC has been a challenge due to the state of technology unlike conventional spark-ignition and compression-ignition combustion modes, most LTC modes are kinetically controlled and hence much more sensitive to environmental conditions and ever-changing speed/load demands. Recent advances in enabling technologies such as fuel injection systems, turbomachinery, valve actuation, sensors, and onboard computers have led to new real-time control opportunities which are enabling the potential of LTC engines with production-viable hardware. Glass capillaries with diameters on the order of a human hair allow sampling of exhaust pollutants inside the flow channels of catalytic converters (left) yielding critical und erstanding of the chemical process for the whole devise (below). Photo ORNLGasoline compression ignition combustion is an advanced combustion mode that has received considerable attention in recent years. While GCI combustion is not a new concept, it has evolved over the past several decades as technologies improve. Earlier GCI research was focused primarily on homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion, but in recent years, we have seen increasing interest in a continuous range of GCI combustion modes spanning fully homogeneous HCCI to partial fuel stratification modes to full stratification modes which are diesel-like in execution. These technologies have also led to a strong interest in reactivity controlled compression ignition combustion (RCCI), which makes use of the differences in reactivity of two fuels to manage the combustion process for maximum efficiency with lowest possible emissions. Understanding the potential of these combustion modes- as well as understandin g emissions and emissions control challenges and fuel technologies opportunities- forms the foundation of much of the fuels, engines, and emissions research at ORNL and builds upon more than two decades of experience in these areas. This research also includes a detailed comparison of the landscape of GCI and RCCI combustion modes to better understand the challenges and opportunities from efficiency, emissions, noise, and controllability perspectives. Simultaneously, other national laboratories are performing complementary and synergistic research providing new insight into areas such as combustion fundamentals, advanced engine technologies, spray atomization, and simulation. Stability and control have been major roadblocks to the implementation of many advanced combustion modes. Many low-temperature combustion modes such as GCI and RCCI operate on the edge of stability- in other words, at conditions under which very small variations in engine boundary conditions (such as intake tem perature) may result in unintended excursions that result in undesirable emissions, reduced efficiency, and the potential to destroy the engine or emissions control system. One can imagine the challenge of these types of combustion modes under ever-changing conditions of a real-world drive cycle where a single unintended excursion could be catastrophic. Meeting that challenge requires a control system which is predictive for avoidance rather than reactive after the occurrence of a potentially damaging event. ORNL has a long history in improving the understanding and control of these combustion instabilities to push the operating window and benefits of advanced combustion modes. That research and approach has a foundation in deterministic chaos theory and has evolved over the years from high-dilution spark-ignited combustion to include GCI and RCCI combustion in more recent years.ORNL research has shown that for those combustion modes, the cyclic dispersion is made up of stochastic, or random, processes driven by in-cylinder fuel-air mixing and deterministic, or non-random, processes driven by the previous combustion event through residual gases. The resulting high level of instability is further amplified by cylinder-to-cylinder variations. While the high level of instability is a challenge, the existence of deterministic structure- non-random behavior- enables the potential for short-term prediction and control and ultimately to force stabilization of inherently unstable combustion modes. That sort of prediction and control would have been inconceivable with production-viable technologies even 10 years ago. With the recent significant advances in low-cost sensors, nahe daran sein actuators, and onboard computers, however, that level of control will be possible on production vehicles in the very near future.While significant advances in engine control technologies, sensors, and onboard computers are leading to unprecedented opportunity, that work is also leadi ng to an ever-expanding and unmanageable parameter space in modern engines. Current trends are showing an exponential increase in the parameter space which is expected to continue to grow for the foreseeable future. The inability to efficiently and effectively optimize this parameter space is leading to sub-optimal engines in the market and pushing the need for new approaches to engine design and optimization. custompagebreakModel-based and self-learning controls will be important for more robust and optimal calibration as well as for accelerating the calibration process. Current approaches to engine calibration depend primarily on reference tables, experimentally derived algorithms for parameter interactions, and manual optimization of calibration vehicles. Model-based controls will reduce the amount of experiments while better representing the complex interactions of engine hardware. Self-learning controls will take this one step further to enable autonomous intelligent systems wh ich will have the ability to learn, adapt, and manipulate engine controls to maximize efficiency and minimize emissions under ever-changing vehicle demands. Self-learning controls will also be a critical component to the development of connected and autonomous vehicles that make use of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure information for the further optimization of engine and vehicle fuel efficiency.Faster and more predictive simulation will be important to the design and optimization of the next generation of internal combustion engines. This will be important to critical knowledge discovery, managing the ever-expanding parameter space, and the development of reduced order models amenable to real-time control implementations. The continuing increase in computational speed and affordability of high-performance computing is leading to a new frontier in engine and vehicle development, including the ability to solve problems that were once deemed unsolvable.Using neutrons t o penetrate the internal structure of the engine part, researchers are studying cavitation, the physical event that leads to bubble formation inside the body of a gasoline fuel injector. Image ORNLTrends in the cost of high-performance computing indicate that petascale computers (and beyond) will be affordable to industry within a decade. For reference, a petaflop is one quadrillion floating point operations per second. The ORNL Titan supercomputer has a theoretical peak performance exceeding 27 petaflops. (To put this in perspective, 28 petaflops is equivalent to all 7 billion people in the world simultaneously performing 4 million calculations per second.) The affordability and availability of these types of resources to industry will be revolutionary to the design and calibration of engines as well as vehicles.The supercomputers at the national laboratories are currently being used in support of DOE and in collaboration with industry for improved simulation of sprays, advanced co mbustion, and engine design. ORNL has ongoing projects which make use of these resources for furthering the understanding of combustion instabilities, accelerating injector design optimization, and even bridging high-fidelity combustion and structural codes for material property prediction.ORNL recently led an industry stakeholder meeting with several other national laboratories to explore next steps in leveraging the massive power of high-performance computing for vehicle design. More specifically, the meeting focused on the potential of high-performance computing and industry interest in the development of an integrated software environment for bridging multiple technologies for multi-physics full 3-D high-fidelity vehicle simulation to make use of the power of the next generation of advanced computing architectures. The new simulation environment would be developed specifically for vehicles, based on recent experience developing similar environments for nuclear reactors and batte ries. As an example, consider the integration of 3-D high-fidelity models for the integrated design of thermal management, aerodynamics, and structure this approach not only has the potential to greatly accelerate the design process, but also to reveal synergistic opportunities beyond what could be identified with more conventional approaches.Most of the discussion up to now has focused on knowledge discovery and the development of better engine technologies- all areas within the control of automobile and engine manufacturers. There is now an ambitious program at the DOE and the national laboratories which is addressing the co-optimization of fuel and engine technologies for maximum performance with minimum greenhouse gas emissions, in other words removing the constraint that current fuels impose on engine design. custompagebreakThe Optima program bridges the broad expertise and resources of the Vehicle Technologies Office and the Bioenergy Technologies Office at the DOE. The overal l plan includes a near-term phase which builds upon current engine technologies with a goal of new fuel and vehicle technologies in the marketplace by 2025, together with a longer-term- and arguably more ambitious- phase focused on kinetically controlled combustion processes and fuel technologies with impact expected in the 2030 timeframe. The Optima team is working closely with a broad range of stakeholders representing vehicle and engine manufacturers, energy companies, biofuel producers, fuel distributors and retailers as well as identifying and addressing potential deployment issues to ensure maximum success.One way to cut engine emissions is to reduce the workload on the vehicle. Supercomputer simulations conducted at Oak Ridge modeled a system that could reduce drag and increase freight efficiency in long-haul trucks. Image Michael Matheson, ORNLThe combination of new regulations, consumer expectations, and the changing role of internal combustion engines with advanced vehic le architectures is increasing the demands on the next generation of engines and driving technology development at a rapid pace. An automotive executive recently said that the engine has changed more in the past 10 years than in the previous 100 years. I completely agree and believe the next 10 years will bring even more rapid change with advances which were well beyond the realm of imagination just a few years ago. I encourage members of ASME to explore the extensive research supported by DOE and under way at many of the national laboratories. The national laboratories are in a unique position to bridge large one-of-a-kind science resources with application and drive solutions to the energy challenges of the future. MERobert M. Wagner is the director of the Fuels, Engines, and Emissions Research Center and a distinguished member of the technical staff at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers and a Professor with the B redesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is technical chair of the 2015 ASME-ICEF conference in Houston.Advances are enabling new concepts that blend the best characteristics of both spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines.