How to Avoid Tax Identity Theft and Other Tax-Related Scams

How to Avoid Tax Identity Theft and Other Tax-Related Scams How to Avoid Tax Identity Theft and Other Tax-Related Scams How to Avoid Tax Identity Theft and Other Tax-Related ScamsSince its Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, we figured this would be the perfect time to help you recognize the signs of a tax-related fraud or scam.Tax season isn’t any fun, to begin with. Even if you’ve got a big, fat refund to look forward to, the process of getting your taxes actually submitted is a headache-and-a-half. But there’s one way that tax season can get much, much worse than you ever imagined. Well give you a hint: Did you know that this week, January 28th-February 1st, has been designated Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week?Tax-related fraud and identity theft generally involve scammers stealing your personal information and using it to commit tax crimes. Oftentimes, theyll file taxes under your name and then collect your refund. Theyll even make up fake numbers to get a bigger returnâ€"leaving you on the hook if the IRS comes knocking.If you’ve fallen victim to tax-related fraud, you should immediately notify the authorities. This includes the IRS, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and your local police department. And if you haven’t yet been taken in by such a scam, here are the types of fraud you should be on the lookout for and the signs you’ll need to recognize in order to avoid them. Some scammers pose as IRS agents.Attorney Josh Wu is a tax partner at the law firm Clark Hill, and he’s no stranger to tax scams. “Many of the schemes we have encountered involve the IRS impersonator directing the taxpayer to immediately satisfy their “tax liability,” or face criminal arrest, by purchasing pre-paid gift cards and providing the gift card number and PIN to the impersonator,” he said.According to him, taxpayers themselves aren’t the only ones who have to be on the lookout for IRS impersonators: “The scams also target tax professionals, who are encouraged to provide client information to IRS impersonators in order to receive IRS correspondence o r reactive their IRS e-services account.”Here are three ways that scammers posing as IRS agents will try to contact their intended marks:Email:  Cybercriminals will send taxpayers an email that looks like its from the IRS. These quite realistic-seeming emails can fake thousands of people each year into sharing their personal information. Email-based scams like this are also known phishing.Over the phone: Cybercriminals will also call a persons cell phone or landline and pose as IRS agents. They might demand your personal information or simply tell you that you can pay your debt off immediately, using fear and pressure tactics to create a false sense of urgency.Fake in-person visits:  Sometimes, these scammers will even go directly to a victims house, posing as IRS agents. These IRL IRS scams often target unsuspecting senior citizens.If someone gets contacted by the IRS, they’re naturally going to be a little nervous. Don’t let those feelings trick you into handing over your se nsitive information to someone who isâ€"after allâ€"a complete stranger!How to avoid the fake IRS.One of the best ways to tell that an IRS agent is actually a scammer in disguise is by the method they use to contact you. Simply put:  The IRS will never contact you by email, text message, or over social media. If the IRS wants to get in touch with you, they will send you a letter through the mail. Any other mode of communication should be treated with maximum suspicion.Another way to tell they’re fake is by the way they ask for payment. To steer clear of scammers, Wu advised that you “decline to make payments to the IRS via gift cards, virtual currency, or pre-paid debit cards.“Watch for any callers that threaten immediate arrest by law enforcement if payment is not made,” he added.As for agentsâ€"or “agents”â€"who show up in person, make sure you ask for identification. Furthermore, while IRS agents do  occasionally make house calls, they will always send you a letter b eforehand.For advice on how to strengthen your logins and passwords for your tax filing systemâ€"which will help prevent a thief from stealing your personal informationâ€"check out our recent post on identity theft. When it comes to phony emails, he said that you should forward them to phishing@irs.gov.Watch out for fraudulent tax preparers.Fake IRS agents aren’t the only scammers you have to be wary of. Some of the other common types of tax-related scams involve fraudulent tax filers and scam tax preparers who will steal your refund.Sometimes these scams involve a phishing scheme where a fraudster sends someone a phony email claiming to be from their tax preparer and asks for their personal information to help them update that persons account.But sometimes the scammers are tax preparers themselves! According to tax professional Jai Kumar with Rapid Filing Services (@RapidTax), the following signs should tip you off that a tax preparer is trying to take advantage of you:“Prepare rs who promise larger refunds without a consultation.“Preparers who plan on depositing your refund into their bank account or taking a portion of it.“Your preparer does not offer IRS e-file. If you pay a tax preparer, and they file more than ten returns, they must file your return electronically.“Preparers who do not ask for records and receipts if you are itemizing or reporting expenses.“A preparer who goes against the IRS and claims you can use your last pay stub instead of your income statement.“A paid preparer who does not sign your return and does not include their PTIN.”“Beware of a tax preparer who charges extensive fees and has suspicious availability times,” he added, saying that they must be available even after you file your return.How to vet your tax preparer.“Luckily, the IRS provides a page called the Authorized IRS E-file Providers which will let you find valid companies,” said Kumar. “You will need to enter the company’s zip code, state,  and Provider Type. This will list authorized e-file companies and their locations.”He also provided the following list of qualifications that you should verify if you’re going to be using a CPA, EA, or any tax professional:“Proper Training: Tax preparers need this to grasp an understanding of intricate tax questions and circumstances.“Continuing Education: Your tax preparer is informed about ongoing tax debates and official tax laws such as federal tax codes, regulations, and state and local taxes because they are constantly being subject to change.“Professional License: Your enrolled tax agent, public accountant, or attorney has a valid license, PTIN, or certificate to prepare tax returns.”Any legitimate tax professional should be able to easily provide you with their credentials. If you start getting a whole bunch of excuses, you know you’re getting taken for a ride.Keep your money safe!On this blog, we write a lot about how people can protect their financial wellbeing. More often than not, this means advising people on how they can budget better, build their savings, and avoid predatory bad credit loans and no credit check loans (like payday loans and cash advances).But more and more, protecting your money means protecting your sensitive personal informationespecially when its online. All it takes is one fraudster cracking into your accounts or stealing your identity to endanger your financial future for years to come. To learn more about how you can protect yourself from fraud and identity theft, check out  these related posts and articles from OppLoans:10 Common Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid ThemShould You Freeze Your Credit?Dating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Fake RomanceBeware These Scams That Target SeniorsHave you ever encountered a tax-related scam?  Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsJai Kumar is  Marketing Manager at  Rapid Filing Services (@RapidTax), an online tax preparation company. They file current and prior year tax returns for thousands of people every year while providing them with free high-quality customer  service.Josh Wu is a partner in the tax group at  Clark Hill, a national law firm with more than 650 attorneys with 25 offices in 12 states, the District of Columbia, Ireland, and Mexico. He advises businesses and high-net-worth individuals on all aspects of federal tax law. He has particular experience with complex IRS audits, administrative appeals, civil tax litigation, offshore trusts and assets, and multijurisdictional investigations.

Creator and Victims Martin Luther King Jr. and Aron...

People make choices in life either good or bad to succeed or to be a failure. Today I will be explaining the differences between a creator and victim some things you should know about the two. A creator is a person who leads not follow. A person who wants to take their dream to turn it into a reality and that can change the world. Victims do more of the opposite. Victims make bad choices that can get them into a lot of trouble that can lead there career goals going downhill. Victim also fails to understand the word trying and I can. Victims are quick to give up on life and other goals they had and lean on the negative side and make the wrong decisions. In this essay I will give you examples of a creator and victim also a peak of my mindset†¦show more content†¦Every weekend Hernandez was hitting clubs with the wrong crowd not being responsible towards his NFL career and violating the rules in the book throughout the offseason. Taking illegal drug substance like everything wa s good and not being responsible about his career. Hernandez fell victim because of spending money on girls at the clubs and hanging around old childhood friends that wasn’t such creators in life. He was a big face to the National Football league so it comes to mind why he was doing all the wrong things out in the open to mess his name up and the bold print of the National Football League? To be a creator in life my mindset is focus on making sure I’m on time and organized for my day. Every morning when I wake up I remind myself about staying focus on my goals and playing the creator role to be successful in life. First, I make sure I wake up an hour and thirty minutes early before class to get myself organized before I leave the house. Afterwards, I take a normally routine shower to support my hygiene so I don’t be stinking in public I always try to sell myself the best I can. Then during the extra thirty minutes before class I drive to a local food restaurant for breakfast to make sure I have the right nutrition in my system before class so I don’t be moody just ready to learn. My attentions in my English 111 class are to pass the class with an A

War Has No Limits Of War - 1724 Words

The Japanese s mouth glowed with huge gold-crowned teeth, and his captor wanted them. He put the point of his kabar [combat knife] on the base of a tooth and hit the handle with the palm of his hand. Because the Japanese was kicking his feet and thrashing about, the knife point glanced off the tooth and sank deeply into the victim s mouth. The Marine cursed him and with a slash cut his cheeks open to each ear. He put his foot on the sufferer s lower jaw and tried again. Blood poured out of the soldier s mouth. He made a gurgling noise and thrashed wildly. I shouted, â€Å"Put the man out of his misery.† All I got for an answer was a cussing out. Another Marine ran up, put a bullet in the enemy soldier s brain, and ended his agony. The†¦show more content†¦Society is completely unaware of the blood, gore, and true horrors that war brings leading them to become desensitized and accepting of war. Military advancements have shaped how war is fought today. Now that war can be fought by bombing enemies with drones thousands of miles away, face-to-face combat is not as present as before making war seem less gruesome to society. â€Å"World War II is considered to have been the largest and deadliest war in world history, killing 62 million people on the battlefield, in massive bombings of civilians in cities, and by genocide† (World War II 147). Many people believe that war only involves the soldiers fighting in the front-line. The harsh reality that society seems to dismiss is that thousands of innocent people have died because of war. â€Å"In World War II cities became the prime military targets of air and ground campaigns† (Roger W. Lotchin). World War II had been going on long enough and the United States had already lost thousands of lives (America at War: The War Ends in the Pacific). To avoid losing any more men and ending the war the United States decided to make the Atomic Bomb (America at War: The War Ends in the Pacific). †Å"Approved by Roosevelt, scientists working under military direction had devised a devastating bomb based on atomic fission† (Elbridge Colby). The goal of the Atomic Bomb was to get Japan to

The nuclear family is disintegrating Free Essays

string(41) " that its disintegration was inevitable\." Introduction The nuclear family has been described as an artificial construct of the nuclear age by some people. These people give more credit to the more traditional extended family. (Uzoka, 1979) However, in the present age, all the talks about family disintegration are directed to the nuclear family. We will write a custom essay sample on The nuclear family is disintegrating or any similar topic only for you Order Now The term nuclear family was instituted in the western world for the purposes of distinguishing the various family groups that are in existence. (Gottlieb, 1993)   There is a family group which consists of children and their parents that is, father, mother and children. This is what is referred to as the nuclear family. Then there is a different family structure composed of father, mother, children and relatives. This kind of a family structure is referred to as the extended family. (Bernardes, 1999) Nuclear family structures are not so new. They have been present since time immemorial even though the structures did not have a definite name. The term Nuclear family was coined in 1947 according to Merriam-Webster. Webster suggested that the term must have come up due to the ever changing nature of the industrial age. He thought that the evolution of the name was coincidental and that it did not come as a result of the nuclear age. Is the Nuclear family an artificial construct which has no benefit to an individual?   Originally, the nuclear family was referred to as the immediate family. (Uzoka, 1979) According to research carried out, the term nuclear was coined from ‘nucleus’ which has been known to serve as theoretical root word meaning a centre of a large structure. It has also been said that historically, the nuclear family did not have the dominance that it has been accorded in the nuclear age. Post WWII environment has been implicated for enhancing the dominance of the nuclear family by shifting the family structure. It is important to carry out a study of how sociological factors have played a role in the disintegration of the nuclear family. (Chester, 1986) Disintegration of the Nuclear family A lot of people have been affected by the breakdown of the nuclear family structure. This issue has made many people upset as it has been a source of problems and destructions to majority of people in the nuclear age. The nuclear family is the smallest possible unit that is considered before any breakdown in a family structured is considered. (Uzoka, 1979).   The nuclear family is not something artificial and it should be considered as anyone’s most vital and first social group. The nuclear family is a natural structure found in any social group whether big or small. (Gottlieb, 1993) An American anthropologist G.P. Murdock was the first sociologist to attest the Nuclear family as a social structure in 1949. (Murdock, 1949). According to many sociologists, the family nucleus found in the new transitory nature of American Society in the 1940s was described as a grounding unit that could easily be picked up and transplanted. Nuclear family disintegration has not only affected the American society, this issue has had a huge blow on most countries in the world. Sociological pressures have been implicated to play a major role in the disintegration. A lot of people try to diminish the anguish that comes as a result of disintegration in the nuclear family by instigating that this structure replaced the disintegrated extended family. The only cause of concern is whether the structure which will replace the nuclear family will be better or worse than it. (Taylor, 1997). Therefore, the contemporary society should be prepared of the sociological effects that the new family unit will bring with it. (Chester, 1986) Sociological Theories on Nuclear family disintegration The nuclear family has deeply been analyzed since the early nineteenth century with respect to various disciplines which include: Psychiatry, Cultural, Anthropology, Psychology and Sociology. Family Sociology can be attributed to have played a huge role in carrying out studies on family change since the twentieth Century. Parsons’ theory had the most influential power on the family structure at the time. (Parsons, 1955). There are various theories that have been put forward to explain disintegration in the nuclear family and emphasize on the adaptive elements that the family structure has to undergo. Many Western sociologist interchange the term ‘family’ with ‘nuclear family’. (Gottlieb, 1993) The disintegration of the nuclear family has led to the emergence of one-parent families which include: widowed, adoptive, divorced, unmarried people and also same sex families. Because these groups sought to be recognized as a family unit, a sociologist known as Popenoe in 1988 revised the definition of a family to incorporate the groups. He played a part in influencing a debate on the definition of a family. He suggested that a family should also describe: Any group consisting of one adult and one dependent person People married who are of the same sex. A couple which is not married. (Solly, 2006) The definition of a nuclear family has to include its functions as a social institution. (Taylor, 1997).   According to Murdock, the functions of this social institution include: economic, reproductive, sexual and educational. With the new science of sociology, analysis of the disintegration of the nuclear family became possible. Auguste Comte who was thought by many to be the father of sociology thought disintegration of the nuclear family came as result of French revolution. (Murdock, 1949). Auguste attributes the rejection of aristocratic and hierarchical relations between the common people and the aristocracy as the main cause of family dysfunctions. His theory of attributing social changes to nuclear family disintegration and crisis has become a major subject in family sociology. Frederic Le Play who was the founder of empirical family sociology perceived the breakdown of the nuclear family as a result of industrial revolution. His sociological theory describes the stem family as being stronger than the Nuclear family which was separated from stem family and suffer red both physically and financially. He concluded by saying that the nuclear family is very unstable and that its disintegration was inevitable. You read "The nuclear family is disintegrating" in category "Essay examples" (Taylor, 1997). According to Popenoe, the breakdown of the nuclear family could have been caused by Promiscuity in the society which made paternity issues difficult to establish. However, other sociologists like Howard and Westermarck found no clear evidence of promiscuity in early families. Marx and Engels influenced a major family theory in the nineteenth century. Marxist theory uses the economic determinism concept to explain how social power is determined by the available economic resources which influences the different kinds of struggle present in the various classes of people. (Parsons, 1955). The patriarchal family which had the father as having the right to private property and authority overshadowed the matriarchal system. The dissolution of capitalistic system led to the liberation of women which saw to it that they also had the ability to acquire and possess wealth. The result was the formation of strong feminist theories regarding gender differences in power that has contributed to the many divorces in the society. Women now have the ability to take care of their own children without the presence of a male figure in the house. This has largely contributed to disintegration of the nuclear family.  Sociological factors are thought to have been the cause of nuclear family disintegrations in Western countries like Canada, Northern Europe and United States. (Solly, 2006) The interactionist theory developed by Ralph Linton focuses on the interactions that occur between family members. Any nuclear family can be studied as a unit of interacting personalities. In the course of carrying out research on the interaction theory, the power in family roles was also studied. This theory explains that the disintegration of the nuclear family could have resulted from bad interactions within the family. For instance, a husband could exercise too much power in the family likely to send his wife away. (Taylor, 1997). A lot of controversy has resulted due to industrialization with women fighting for change of roles within a family setting. Although this move on the part of the women seems to be right, it has been established that single-parent families are not the best. Juvenile delinquency has risen due to the disintegrations in the nuclear family. The absence of the father figure and the ability to spend less time at home, transform children into delinquents. Industrialization has also led to many people dying due to accidents on roads, and places of work. This has increased the number of widowed people hence the nuclear family disintegration. (Patrick, 1995) The Social Darwin’s evolutionary theory has been applied to the family setting. The theory talks about the adaptation of organisms into their natural environments. The family has been compared to an organism which has to adapt to its natural environment if it is to survive from breaking up. Using this theory, Henry Morgan tried to explain the evolutionary development of family through six stages. The first one being the matriarchal stage characterized by promiscuity while the last being the monogamous family. The nuclear family has not been able to adapt to the increased industrialization, civilization and urbanization. There are many challenges that the nuclear family is frequently exposed to. For instance, industrialization and civilization have influenced the roles played by parents in the nuclear family. As a result, disputes have occurred leading to the disintegration of the nuclear family. (Eby, 1995) Morgan in trying to fathom this theory decided that since evolution results in higher development of species, then environmental and social evolution could result in higher development of the family. Extended family evolved to form nuclear family and it is hoped that evolution will lead to the disintegration and evolution of the nuclear family to come up with a unit that will be able to adapt to the current environment. Civilized nations such as North America and Europe have recorded the highest nuclear family disintegrations due to the extensive industrialization present in the nations. Studies reveal that nations considered to be ‘primitive’ such as Africa, have most of their nuclear families still intact. Spencer, who is Pro- Social Darwinism, has attempted to explain the evolution of the family from simple to complex forms. However his explanations were not in line with Engels, Marx and Le Play family sociologists who described the family to be evolving from more complex forms such as the extended family to simpler forms like the nuclear family. If the theory holds, then it is expected that the nuclear family will further disintegrate and evolve into a simpler form. (Betty, 1973)  Structural-functionalism concept was put across by Spencer in trying to explain family theory of change. This theory or concept was further supported by Durkheim and it was seen to form a basis of Parsons’ theory of family change. This theory attributed the changes in the family structure to be as a result of changes in the society. The family was seen as a part of a greater whole which established equilibrium when it was properly combined to other relevant units. When a change occurred in one of the units, then it was transferred to the other parts. It was then decided that changes in the society could have a greater impact on the family as compared to the biological and economic factors in the Social Darwinism and Marxist theory. Durkheim found out that the change in the family structure influenced the relationships between parents and their children. In that the relationship ceases to be based on economic or material needs but on personal motives. In the changing society, women are very liberated that they do not need financial assistance from their partners. The nuclear family is disintegrating and this is shown by the great number of reported divorces and separations in the society. (Betty, 1973) The evolutionary theory was not accepted by many cultural anthropologists as it did not incorporate variations present in many family types due to different cultural contexts in the society. Instead they came up with cultural relativism concept which they thought should be employed in the study of the family evolution. They did not think that it was right to consider other cultures to be more superior or civilized than others. Thy made it clear that each society has unique values and culture which should not be compared with another. This theory was dismissed all together by the end of the nineteenth century. However, the theory popped up again in 1930 in a different form as Ecological Anthropology. This theory emphasized on the relationship that exists between the environment and traits of a particular culture. The nuclear family is rapidly disintegrating due to the changes in the environment in terms of industrialization and urbanization. (Eby, 1995) Conclusion The nuclear family is the first social group that one has to belong to. Due to the changes and developments that are taking place in the society, the stability of this family structure has been questioned. (Bernardes, 1999)  Industrialization and urbanization have been the reasons behind the emergence of other family structures caused by the breakdown of the nuclear family. There have been many cases of familial dysfunction and disintegration reported in more industrialized nations than in ‘primitive’ nations which prove the social Darwinism theory. (Eby, 1995)   According to Marx, family structures are bound to change from being complex to simple forms. Therefore, it is expected that the nuclear family will further disintegrate to form simple family structures such as single-parent families, divorces, widowers, and single people unmarried people. (Betty, 1973) References Bernardes, J. (1999): We must now define The Family. Marriage and Family Review 28(3/4):21–41. Chester, R. (1986): The Myth of the Disappearing Nuclear Family. In Family Portraits, ed. D., Short Run Press, Ltd.UK Gottlieb, B. (1993): The Family in the Western World. New York: Oxford. Murdock, G. P. (1949): Social Structure. New York. Macmillan. Parsons, T. (1955): The American Family. Its Relations to Personality and the Social Structure. In Family Socialization and Interaction Process, ed. Free Press. New York Uzoka, A. (1979): The Myth of the Nuclear Family. Historical Background and Clinical Implications. American Psychologist 34. Pp1095–1106. Peplau Taylor, (1997): Sociocultural perspectives in social psychology. Guide to sociocultural resources in social psychology. Melbourne press. New York Betty Y. (1973): Extinction. Revised ed. of The Changing Family. Columbia University press. New York   Solly D. (2006): The family on the threshold of the 21st century. Trends and Implications. Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data Eby, L. (1995): Where’s Daddy: Nearly Half the Nation’s Children Are Growing Up In Homes Without Fathers. Prentice press. New York. Fagan Patrick F. (1995): The Real Root Causes of Violent Crimes. The Breakdown of Marriage, Family and Community Cultural Studies Project. The Heritage Foundation. Washington, D.C. No. 1026. How to cite The nuclear family is disintegrating, Essay examples

Language Rules for a Reliable Semantic Memory

Memory can be broadly classified into three; semantic memory basically associated with factual knowledge, procedural memory which takes care of learning and acquisition of skills and episodic memory which is in charge of recalling past events. The paper offers an explanation of the nature and functions of language, an examination of the stages of language production and the relationship between semantic memory and language production.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Language Rules for a Reliable Semantic Memory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nature and Functions of Semantic Memory Semantic knowledge as described is primarily concerned with facts. Communication through language is made possible through this memory. It is usually characterized by the brain storing information about words. According to Schacter (2001), the appearance and representation of these words is of importance as far as semantic memory is c oncerned. It is usually a funny scenario to see a person trying to recall a name James by mentioning John or Jack and not Moses. Semantic memory has been found to group words that share the same letters. The appearance of an object cannot evade the mind of a person once the name of the object is mentioned (Schacter, 2001). A mere mention of an object brings about a coordinated response by the brain and a person is able to figure out the appearance of the mentioned object. A long-term memory system is achieved once words recorded in the semantic memory are used to generate episodic memory. Functions of language Language forms a major component in the effective functioning of semantic memory (Robinson-Riegler Robinson-Riegler, 2008). It is therefore important to understand the various functions of language in order to fully appreciate its role as a memory tool. Basically, three functions are significant and shall be discussed in detail. The informative language function serves to c ommunicate effective information. Logic is of importance due to the fact that sentences are based on a true or false platform. Expressive language function is important because feelings and emotions are evoked and expressed. It is through poetry and literature that a speaker is able to air out his/her feelings and a reader consequently understands the circumstances that prompted the generation of such works (Schacter, 2001). Fiction may also find itself a place in this language function. Directive language function plays a crucial role in causing or preventing an action. It is usually not based on a true or false platform but a logical precision is required. A statement like â€Å"Your airtime is getting low† implies that you are supposed to recharge your cell-phone to continue enjoying calling services.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other language functions include; cerem onial functions which find their place in weddings and court sessions. Performative utterances employ the use of verbs and are important in ensuring that an action is taken thereafter. Phatic language is used mainly to bring about emphasis on the intended subject. It may be accompanied with head nod, a hand wave or even a gesture. It is important to ensure that the context of a statement is understood in order to relate it to the intended language function. A statement like â€Å"My bedroom is hot† can be informative (based on observation), expressive (to communicate one’s feelings then) or directive (to ensure that all windows remain open). Development of Language Language develops just as children do. The development is based on four pillars namely; conceptualization, planning, articulation and self-monitoring (Robinson-Riegler Robinson-Riegler, 2008).Conceptualization, according to Robinson-Riegler and Robinson-Riegler, is the one’s ability to understand wh at he/she wants to say. It can also be termed as the pre-production stage because silence dominates. Planning stage involves putting all that is to be communicated in a systematic way. All ideas that one feels that should be part of the speech are clearly stipulated. Articulation ensures that the correct arrangement of words is ensured. It is obvious that in the word â€Å"chair† the syllable â€Å"cha† precedes the other. It is at this stage that the actual speech emerges. Self-monitoring is usually a post-development stage. It is at this stage that a person is able to know whether fluency has indeed been achieved. Whether a person is at the intermediate or advanced stages of fluency depends on the levels of self monitoring as well as the action taken thereof. The Relationship between Language and Semantic Memory The relationship between language and semantic memory is important. The ability to correctly retrieve information may at times depend upon one’s abi lity to apply proper phonology (Solomon, 2004). Phonological priming observed among the old and the young indicated that the olds’ word retrieval level deteriorated after reading first syllable primes. Spelling and the causes of error associated with it have in the past been used to evaluate the declines in language production processes. Recent studies have shown that the detection levels of spelling errors deteriorated with age (Ralph, 2000). Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Language Rules for a Reliable Semantic Memory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The old especially those past 60 years old registered low detection levels as far as spelling errors are concerned. It is however funny to note that the low levels in spell detection did not have a negative impact on the ability to remember what was read. The more a person makes spelling mistakes, the more that person recalls the information. Conclusion S emantic memory usually determines one’s ability to gather knowledge. Language is a key to effective acquisition of knowledge. The ease with which an aspect is understood plays a crucial role in the retrieval process by the brain. It is therefore important to ensure that language rules are adhered to for a reliable semantic memory to be in place. It can therefore be concluded that both memory and language are interrelated. The presence or absence of one affects the functionality of the other. References Ralph, M. (2000). The relationship between semantic memory and speech production. Center for Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, USA Robinson-Riegler, G. Robinson-Riegler, B. (2008). Cognitive psychology: Applying the science of the mind (2nd ed). Boston, MA: Pearson/ Allyn and Bacon Schacter, D. L. (2001). The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers. Houghton Mifflin Co. Solomon, E. S. (2004). Semantic Amalgamation and Syntactic Development in Language Pr oduction. Elsevier Customer Service Department, OrlandoAdvertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This essay on Language Rules for a Reliable Semantic Memory was written and submitted by user M1guel to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Effects of High Price on Foods essay

buy custom Effects of High Price on Foods essay Introduction The importance of food to human beings health is quite unlimited especially healthy foods like vegetables and fruits. In addition to other foods like proteins and carbohydrates vegetables and fruits have a necessary value to human health as they provide vitamin C. These nutrients are vital to the human health as they protect them from several diseases like cancer, eyesight problems, and many more. This paper seeks to establish the main explanations as to why the cost of healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables keep increasing in the market. Prices of goods increase, and this increase occur due to various reasons, and that is what this paper seeks to determine. The firm increase in prices of all commodities has made it harder for people to choose foods that are healthier in the stores. An important aspect in trying to feed a family is ensuring that they have healthy and nutritious foods, and for this reason, the subject of increase in prices of food is a critical subject. People everywhere care about the subject and hence in this paper we are going to identify some of the reasons that lead to the increase of food prices. This paper aims at coming up with the reasons and explanation for the increase of food prices especially the healthy ones like fruits and vegetables. These explanations and reasons will be from various researches done by other concerned parties and recorded in secondary sources such as books. In research, information can be from primary or secondary sources. Primary sources of information involve first hand information obtained using interviews, questionnaires, and observation. Secondary information is from books, electronic database, and magazines among other records. In this paper, most of the information was from books. We now focus on the explanation that various economists and other people have come up as the reason for the increase in the cost of healthy foods. Supply and demand The first reason that most economists and researchers attribute to the increase of food prices especially the healthy ones like fruits and vegetables is their demand. One of the major rules in economics is that prices of commodities will always determine the demand and supply of these goods in the market. Fruits and vegetables are healthy foods whose demand is all through the year. Considering that these foods are seasonal and only grow in different parts of the country once a year, the vendors still need to stock the stores with these foods. This constant demand of fruits and vegetables imposes an economic strain on the on the suppliers. In return, the suppliers reflect these costs on the consumer. In comparison to other foods which are high in calories, fruits and vegetables tend to increase in costs depending on the season. During high season when their production is at its peak the prices will be relatively stable, but, when the season changes the prices go up. Their demand being constant and does not change with the season, the suppliers will increase their prices in order to cover up for the costs of bringing in stock from places where they are in season. This price fluctuation will be reflected in both domestic and international markets. When the fresh fruits and vegetables are not in season their supply decreases. Decrease in supply leads to an increase in prices of the foods. Therefore, supply and demand of fruits and vegetables significantly affects their prices. Climatic issues There have been many significant factors which influence the quantity of fruits and fresh vegetables and global warming is one of them. This has had negative climatic effects that have damaged the production of these foods thereby reducing their supply. Acceleration of prices comes as a result ofthe rising pressure on farm food production. The reduction in yields are due to global warming, which is being damage by contamination of the atmosphere; the quality has reduced by 60 percent according to ADB (2008) the countries yield has declined due to poor climatic conditions. The issue of free of greenhouse gas emission is rising the earths temperature whereby the consequences usually follows on melting glaciers, more precipitation, and fundamentally change in seasons of production. The accelerating pace of climate change, combined with the general public and income growth, threatens food security worldwide. Agriculture, which is in direct connection to the production of fruits and vegetables, is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures reduce the yields of this produce as the temperatures provide a chance for pests and weed proliferation. Differences in precipitation patterns increase the chances of short-run crop shortages and long-run production reduces. Although there will be an increase in some crops in some parts of the world, the overall effects of climate change on expected of agriculture to be negative, threatening global food security. Climate change is also putting pressure on water supplies for agricultural production of vegetables and fruits, changing stream flows, and its availability. Water is becoming difficult to obtain: therefore, expensive global demand for water has tripled in the last few years and limited use ground water supplies in the USA. The impact of climatic change has adversely impact on productivity of vegetables production and causes disruption both in the long term and short term. This impact is evident in the low supply of these foods in areas where the production was quite high. Energy costs Another reason for the increase in the prices of healthy foods is the cost the producers and vendors incur to bring these foods to the market or stores. Healthy foods comprise of fruits and vegetables and these are perishable and seasonal goods. The first cost that one incurs while dealing with foods is the transport cost. The transportation of these fruits and vegetables ends up reflecting in the overall cost. This transportation can be from overseas as these foods are not locally available. Most of the fruits are imports from other countries and transportation will involve means like shipping, air transport, and railway transport. Most of these means of transport are extraordinarily expensive, but, they are the most appropriate ones. For example, the transportation of some fruits from other nations using the shipping means of transport can be expensive as it requires the refrigeration of the goods. These refrigeration equipments are expensive, and the transporters are the ones incu rring the cost. Transport involves the use of fuel in all means that are in use for example, shipping, air travel, road etc. Energy costs affect all level of the food production sector. In contemporary records oil prices, in excess, has increased from $110 per barrel and which has cost throughout the marketing chain. High petroleum prices increase the competitiveness in food production especially in vegetable and fruits production. Post harvest loss Post harvest loss is another significant explanation to the increase in of prices of healthy foods. Post harvest loss refers to the loss of the produce after its harvesting. This happens mostly to agriculture products, and the healthy foods in focus are agricultural products. During harvesting, losses occur in different ways. First the fruits can be harvested when they are already ripe and, therefore, need expert storage before they get to the market. This is normally hard to the farmers as they lack the storage facilities. In turn, they experience several losses of the products and this lose is normally incurred by consumers of the produce. Another harvesting loss occurs when the produce are affected by diseases and pests. Fungi and bacteria are diseases, which cause these losses of fruits and vegetables and so are the virus diseases, common in growing crops. It is characterized by severe presence of holes makes which makes infected, fruit to be unusable. This is often the result of inflammation of fruits and vegetables in the field before harvest. Quality thrashing occurs when the infection affects only the top of the fruits. Also, skin blemishes may reduce the sale cost but do not make the fruit bad, and inedible products. Fungal and bacterial diseases spread by tiny spores, which distribute in the air and earth and via decaying plant material. Infection after consequence can occur at any instance. It is usually the result of harvesting or handling injuries. These post harvest losses expenses are reflected in the selling price of the produce which is normally high. Post harvest loss has been a serious problem which comes because of various reasons, varying from growing conditions to handling at the retail level. Not only are these losses a waste, they sometimes constitute a homogeneous abuse of human efforts, livelihoods, scarce resource such as water, and investments. Fruits and fresh vegetables hold a high proportion of water. Loss of water content after harvesting by fruits and vegetables usually cause shrinkage and loss of appeal for the agricultural products. The rate at which they lose water, fruits mainly depend on leafy vegetables, which prevent water quickly because they have thin skin pores. The rate of loss relates to the difference between the water vapor pressure inside the fruits and vegetables and in the air. But whatever the outcome, to promote food or storage account the cost of water trouncing must be minimal. The most noteworthy feature is the ratio of the outside area of the fruit or vegetable to its volume. Early harvesting of fruits and vegetables normally occurs so as to avoid extra costs on transportation. Transporting fully ripe produce leads to extra costs as it will require considerable storage facilities to keep the harvest fresh and consumable. In addition, transportation of ripe products leads to the production of extremely dangerous chemicals that are harmful to the consumer. Structural change The change in market structure of these foods is yet another reason for the increase of prices. The process of market structure and formation involve processing, handling, and distribution of the produce. These processes have led to the increase prices as the elements of these processes keep fluctuating. This mainly affects spending expense on commodities in the market, and this factor contributes to high price level in USA. For instance, the process of manufacturing keeps changing because of the constant change in technology. The manufacturing equipments keep on improving, and this equally reflects on the manufacturing cost. The increase in manufacturing cost in turn leads to the increase of prices of these commodities. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that the increase in the cost of healthy foods like fruits and fresh vegetables is as a result of several reasons. Among these reasons are the change in the market structure of the products, the demand and supply, climatic conditions, and energy costs. Together all these reasons lead to the high cost of healthy foods that consumers have to incur. There is no escaping these costs as health of families is of considerable importance to the American citizens, and no one is ready to risk their families. Most Americans citizens will prefer incurring high expenses of food than incurring the medical expenses. Buy custom Effects of High Price on Foods essay

Alliteration

Alliteration Alliteration Alliteration By Simon Kewin A couple of previous Daily Writing Tips posts looked at when to use rhyme in poetry and also at the various types of rhyme available to the poet. Rhyme, however, is only one of the techniques employed in poetry to make its language special. Another basic one is alliteration. Alliteration is defined by the Compact Oxford Dictionary as : The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. For example, these lines are from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner : Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. Here, the w sounds in the first and third lines alliterate, as do the d sounds of â€Å"drop† and â€Å"drink† in the fourth. Alliteration is just one technique employed by poets, who combine it as needed with rhyme, rhythm, imagery and so forth. It’s another way to give a poem structure, to mark out its language as special and musical. The ear will tend to pay special attention to alliterated syllables, and to hear a connection between them. It’s worth noting that in Old English or Anglo Saxon poetry, alliteration was the principal structural technique. There was no regular rhyme or rhythm – instead, poetry was (generally) written so that lines contained four stresses, the first three of which alliterated. There was no attempt to create end-rhymes or even to have lines of the same length. The following lines, for example, are from Beowulf (as translated by Seamus Heaney) : There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes, A wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes. In the first line, three sh and s sounds are stressed and (loosely) alliterate (Shield/Sheafson/scourge). In the second line, it’s the m sounds (mead/rampaging/among). Two other related techniques to be aware of in relation to alliteration are assonance and consonance. Assonance is similar to alliteration except that it refers to repeated vowel-sounds rather than repeated consonant-sounds. For example, there is the repeated ur sound in this line from Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven : And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Consonance, finally, is very similar to alliteration. Strictly speaking, repeated consonant-sounds at the start of words are alliteration, and repeated consonant-sounds in the middle of words are consonance. Thus in the line â€Å"Water, water, everywhere†, Coleridge has used both alliteration and consonance. The next in this series of poetry-related posts, meanwhile, will look at metre. Stay tuned. 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 Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'ts"Certified" and "Certificated"1,462 Basic Plot Types