Why You Should Look For The Best Tutor Pricing Per Hour

Why You Should Look For The Best Tutor Pricing Per HourTutor pricing per hour is a great idea for anyone to consider. It allows you to have a guide that will actually help you learn, and it allows you to charge less. You can find lots of them online and in your local library, too, but some of the better ones are harder to find.Price is what determines the amount of time you spend with your tutor. How much will you be paying per hour? If you don't want to pay that much, then maybe you should hire someone to come to your home and take care of the work. Or if you don't have time to work at home, then maybe you need to hire someone to do the work for you.If you decide to use an online tutor, then you might be able to find some very good ones that are less expensive than those you would normally find. But there are also a lot of people who find they need to hire someone in person, and they don't have much time to make that happen.In many cases, people will ask the tutor how much they are charging for tutoring, but this is really a bad idea. The only thing worse than an inexperienced teacher would be one that charges very little for their service. These people aren't interested in teaching you how to learn, and they're looking to make money. They are not your tutor, and are not going to be helpful in any way.It's going to take some time for them to get to know you, so you might not be able to learn from someone who is charging a reasonable fee for their time. Instead, you should find a company that charges a lower price for their services, but they will be able to help you learn how to play the piano and other musical instruments.The best thing about using a tutor that charges less for their services is that they will give you a price that you can afford. This is much more affordable than other options, and it allows you to have more of an experience with the person who is giving you the service. There are other things that you should look for, though. The most impor tant thing is that they give you a guarantee for their service and let you know how much time you will have with them.Having a guarantee is going to help ensure that you will have an experience with them that you are happy with. It will allow you to have something to look forward to if you decide that you don't like the lessons that they have given you. Hopefully, you will be able to find some better options for your money and time in the future.

Film Glossary

Film Glossary So you like Hollywood and Netflix, eh? Maybe you love them. If so, youll want to be able to write about your passion in the most popular language on the internet: English. Heres a film glossary that can help you get started with common film and cinema terms. Film vocabulary word cloud actora male whose profession is acting on the stage, in movies, or on television. actressa female whose profession is acting on the stage, in movies, or on television. anachronisman element or artifact in a film that belongs to another time or place; often anachronistic elements are called film flubs anamorphicrelated to different optical imaging effects; refers to a method of intentionally distorting and creating a wide screen image with standard film angleThis is the think who is able to capture an optical device anthropomorphismthe tendency in animated films to give creatures or objects human qualities, abilities, and characteristics. aperturerefers to the measurement of the opening in a camera lens that regulates the amount of light passing through and contacting the film. artistic directorresponsible for the visual and artistic published or multimedia project behind scenesout of sight of the public at a theater or organization. cameraa device for recording visual images in the form of photographs, movie film, or video signals. cameraa device for recording visual images in the form of photographs, movie film, or video signals. camera anglethe point of view of a camera camera movementA shift in view, frame, or perspective caused by the movement of a camera cameramana person whose profession involves operating a television or movie camera casting listA list of all the actors in a movie or a tv-show. catharsisduring a films climax, the audience may experience a purging or cleansing of emotional tension, providing relief or therapeutic restoration cinemaa place to see a movie climaxthe most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex. close-upa shot taken from a close distance in which the scale of the object is magnified costume designercostumier: someone who designs or supplies costumes (as for a play or masquerade) cranea large, tall machine used for moving heavy objects, typically by suspending them from a projecting arm or beam. delete sceneA scene removed from or replaced by another scene in the final version of a motion picture. denouementthe point immediately following the climax when everything comes into place or is resolved; often the final scene in a motion picture; aka tag; see resolution designera person who plans the form, look, or workings of something before its being made or built, typically by drawing it in detail. dialogueconversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or movie. diegeticthe term is used to name the story depicted on screen directora person who directs the production of an audiovisual work, typically for film and television. directora person who directs the making of a film. director of photographyresponsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image. documentarya movie or a television or radio program that provides a factual record or report. dollya small platform on wheels used for holding heavy objects, typically film or television cameras. dolly shotrefers to a moving shot in which the perspective of the subject and background is changed; the shot is taken from a camera that is mounted on a hydraulically-powered wheeled camera platform dubbinga technique of replacing the original language of production of an audiovisual work, another language to disseminate this work in foreign countries dystopiaan imaginary, wretched, dehumanized, dismal, fearful, bad, oppressive place or landscape, often initiated by a major world crisis editingthe process (performed by a film editor) of selecting, assembling, arranging, collating, trimming, structuring, and splicing-joining together many separate camera takes (includes sound also) of exposed footage (or daily rushes) into a complete, determined sequence or order of shots (or film) editorThe person who assembles plans and sequences of a film elipsisthe shortening of the plot duration of a film achieved by deliberately omitting intervals or sections of the narrative story or action executive producerAn executive producer enables and backs up the making of a commercial entertainment product. He or she is concerned with management accounting and possibly with associated legal issues. An EP also contributes to the films budget, and does not work on set. extraa performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background. extraan actor who takes a hand accessory to the story fictiona film that tells a fictional or fictionalized story, filma thin skin, cuticle, membrane, or film. film editorThe film editor works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into sequences to create a finished motion picture film productionall the techniques used to render a movie, usually in a cinema, but also for private screenings flashbacka scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story. focusthe state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition frameplace (a picture or photograph) in a frame. hairstylista person who cuts and styles peoples hair professionally. headphonesa pair of earphones typically joined by a band placed over the head, for listening to audio signals such as music or speech. in shotAll the things that are in the picture jump-cutan abrupt, disorienting transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time and/or cut between two similar scenes, leading actorplays the role of the protagonist in a film or play leading actorA leading actor, leading actress, star, or simply lead, plays the role of the protagonist in a film or play. leitmotivan intentionally-repeated, recurring element or theme associated with a particular person, idea, milieu, or action; the element presents itself as a repeated sound, shot, bit of dialogue, piece of music, etc., lengthreaching up to or down to the place specified. lensa piece of glass or other transparent substance with curved sides for concentrating or dispersing light rays lightingequipment in a home, workplace, studio, theater, or street for producing light microphonean instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations, which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded. montagethe process or technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film to form a continuous whole. moviea type of visual communication which use moving pictures and sound to tell stories or inform movie theaterA movie theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing movies (films). movie trailera short commercial whose purpose is to promote a film coming out in theaters soon musicsongs and instrumental pieces, which are the film score panTo move a movie or television camera to follow an object or create a panoramic effect. planshooting, between a start and stop the camera post-productionwork done on a film or recording after filming or recording has taken place producera person responsible for the financial and managerial aspects of making of a movie producerSomeone who prepares and then supervises the making of a film before presenting the product to a financing entity or a film distributor projectto present an image on a surface, esp. a movie screen. projection screenA projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. prologuea speech, preface, introduction, or brief scene preceding the the main action or plot of a film; contrast to epilogue. railsa steel bar or continuous line of bars laid on the ground as one of a pair forming a railroad track. scenarioA work written by one or more writers for a film or television program scenea sequence of continuous action in a play, movie, opera, or book. screenplayThe script of a movie, including acting instructions and scene directions screenplaythe script of a movie, including acting instructions and scene directions. screenwritera person who writes a screenplay scriptwritera person who writes a script for a play, movie, or broadcast. setThe place and the environment in which the action takes place shootthe process of filming or photographing any aspect of a motion picture with a camera; the plan for a shoot is termed a shooting schedule. showingthe action of showing something or the fact of being shown. slow-motionrefers to an effect resulting from running film through a camera at faster-than-normal speed (shooting faster than 24 frames per second), and then projecting it at standard speed; if a camera runs at 60 frames per second, and captures a one second-long event soundIt a music in a film or noice in a movie sound editorresponsible for selecting and assembling sound recordings in preparation for the final sound mixing sound effectsa sound other than speech or music made artificially for use in a play, movie, or other broadcast production sound engineer Someone who manages the sound in various sectors soundmanin charge of recording, transmitting, or amplifying sound or of producing sound effects soundtracka recording of the musical accompaniment to a movie. special effects(special effect) an effect used to produce scenes that cannot be achieved by normal techniques (especially on film split-screenthe combination of two actions filmed separately by copying them onto the same negative and having them appear side-by-side within a single frame (without overlapping) star(of a movie, play, or other show) have (someone) as a principal performer storyboarda sequence of drawings (some directions and dialogue), representing the shots planned for a movie studioRecording room location for film, radio, television, record company studioa film or television production company subtitledprovide (a movie or program) with subtitles. symbolan object in a film that stands for an idea, or that has a second level of meaning to it, symmetrywithin a film when two or more distinct plotlines mirror each other or develop variations on the films theme or plot; aka mirroring techniciana person employed to look after technical equipment or do practical work on a film set televisionThis is a set of techniques to make and receive video sequences travellinga movement of the camera during shooting, which is one of the uses of a subject parallel to follow its movement tripoda three-legged stand for supporting a camera or other apparatus. video clubShop that sells and rents video cassettes recorded visual effectsVisual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot voice-overa piece of narration in a movie or broadcast, not accompanied by an image of the speaker voice-overrefers to recorded dialogue, usually narration, that comes from an unseen, off-screen voice, character or narrator writera person who writes a script for a film zooma single shot taken with a lens that has a variable focal length, thereby permitting the cinematographer to change the distance between the camera and the object being filmed. 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Intransitive review

Pronunciation Stress in Phrasal Verbs and Transitive/Intransitive review Oh boy, more grammar with phrasal verbs. The cool thing about learning phrasal verb grammar is that it really reviews all verb grammar rules in English.One of the more difficult rules is transitive and intransitive verbs. Transitive is when a verb requires an object. Intransitive verbs do not allow for an object. What does that mean? Transitive verbs are verbs that need something/someone to receive the action. I took away(what? something is missing here because the verb is transitive and it needs an object to receive the action.) I took away the toy from the child. (Not nice, but the sentence works!) Intransitive is exactly the opposite. It does NOT allow for an object. The car broke down. (Try to put an object in this sentence and you cant).So today we are looking at the stress put on phrasal verbs. PASS out or pass OUT? It relates back to whether the verb is transitive or intransitive. Interestingly some verbs can be both but with different meanings. She passed OUT because of the a ltitude. INTRANSITIVE (inseparable) The teacher PASSED out our homework assignments. TRANSITIVE (separable) The teacher PASSED our homework assignments out.Are you confused? Watch the video and do the exercise to see if you understand this grammar point.Choose which word should be stressed. Example: You cant get away with anything. stress is on away You cant get AWAY with anything. 1. Ive only passed out one time in my life. (pass or out) 2. The house burned down from a chimney fire. (burned or down) 3. I never fall for her tricks. 4. Her boyfriends always cheat on her. 5. I passed the homework out to my students. 6. I have been through a lot in the past few years. 7. She is coming down with a cold.Can you use each of the above phrasal verbs in your own sentences?Learn more phrasal verbs with our Phrasal Verb of the Day. Petar Å imic 1. Ive only passed OUT one time in my life. 2. The house burned DOWN from a chimney fire. 3. I never FALL for her tricks. 4. Her boyfriends always CH EAT on her. 5. I PASSED the homework out to my students. 6. I have BEEN through a lot in the past few years. 7. She is coming DOWN with a cold.1.2. Ive passed OUT after eight pints last Saturday. 2.2. I saw when rioters put a car on fire. It burned DOWN in minutes! 3.2. I FALL for blondes. 4.2. I would never CHEAT on my wife. 5.2. When I arrived to the office, I PASSED the questionnaire out to all their employees. 6.2. I WENT through that too, and I can say to you that long-term relationship breakup is a nasty thing. 7.2. I didnt go to work because I came DOWN with the flu. LOIEnglish Petargood work. Im going to give you a few pointers on your sentences that you created. 1.2-Here you used the present perfect tense however we can never use this tense when we have a time reference. Saturday You can say: I passed out after eight pints last Saturday. (after 8 pints anyone would pass out!) 2.2 I saw when rioters SET a car on fire. 3.2. I went through that too, and ALL I can say to you I S that A long-term relationship breakup is a nasty thing.Thanks for answering! Petar Å imic Wow, big thanks for the high-quality feedback. Yuri Manzhos but Petar has a mistake in 5. I passed the h/w OUT

The Aspiring Polyglots Guide to 14 Diverse Languages Spoken in Asia

The Aspiring Polyglots Guide to 14 Diverse Languages Spoken in Asia The Aspiring Polyglots Guide to 14 Diverse Languages Spoken in Asia Language learners have the best kind of problem.There are just so many wonderful languages out there, all beautiful and challening in their own way.How could you ever possibly choose which ones to focus on?Its a dilemma but like we said, a pretty fun and exciting one to have.Even single continents have a huge diversity of languages for aspiring polyglots to explore.Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in Asia.There are more than 4.3 billion people speaking nearly 2,300 living languages across Asia. Youve probably considered some of the common ones, like Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.But there are a lot of other widely spoken languages that may not be as familiar to you. Some of them are closely related, giving you more bang for your linguistic buck. Others are doin their own thing, creating a unique language learning opportunity.In this post, well climb across 14 branches of the Asian language family tree. No matter what your personal interests or language goals are, youll find something to fire up your leaning motivation. Why Are Asian Languages So Diverse?As we mentioned earlier, there are over 4.3 billion people in Asia. Thats nearly six times the population of Europe (roughly 739 million). It should perhaps come as no surprise, then, that there are also a lot more languages.Additionally, Asia is home to many different language families. Most Europeans speak Indo-European languages, such as Germanic, Romance and Slavic languages. However, Asian languages span a much broader variety of families, including Indo-European, Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Dravidian and many others.This diversity of linguistic families and origins means that theres less overlap between the languages as theyre spoken today.Finally, remote regions of Asia have allowed many individual languages to develop without outside influence. Asia is home to mountains, islands, deserts, vast plains and jungles. All of these terrains can isolate communities.When communities are in close contact wit h one another, some languages will die out as more common ones take over. However, geographic isolation can help more distinct languages endure.On this flip side, this is also why there are many  endangered languages in Asiaâ€"if these types of communities dwindle, their languages tend to go with them.The Aspiring Polyglots Guide to 14 Diverse Languages Spoken in AsiaAs you may already know, the fastest way to get started in any language is immersive learning (in other words, surrounding yourself with the written and spoken language). Of course, if you dont currently live in Asia, thats a lot harder to achieve. FluentU is a great way to mimic the immersion experience no matter where you areâ€"it offers authentic videos like movie trailers, music videos, inspiring talks and more.Each video comes with interactive captions, flashcards and exercises, so youre actively building your vocabulary while you absorb the native sounds of the language. FluentU also keeps track of your learning a nd suggests more videos thatll suit your level and goals. Better yet, you can take this personalized and immersive language practice anywhere with the mobile app for iPhone  and  Android.FluentU has videos in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Korean and several other languages that you can start watching today with a free trial.ArabicWhere its spoken:  On the Asian continent, Arabic is an official language in the Middle Eastern nations of Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.Whos in the language family:  Arabic is a Semitic language, making it a relative of Amharic, Hebrew and several other languages spoken primarily in the Middle East.Aspiring polyglots, take note!  If youre thinking about learning Arabic, you may already have a head start.  Due to the influence of Arabic culture on Europe during the Middle Ages, there are a lot of Arabic words that made their way into European languages l ike Spanish, Portuguese, French and English.BengaliWhere its spoken:  Bengali, sometimes called Bangla, is spoken in Bangladesh and some of eastern India, close to Bangladesh.Whos in the language family:  Bengali is an Indo-Aryan language, making it a close relative of Hindustani and Punjabi.This also makes it a distant relative of European languages, including Slavic, Germanic and Romance languages.ChineseWhere its spoken:  Variations of Chinese are spoken throughout China, Taiwan and Singapore. Of course, that doesnt mean every Chinese-speaker you meet will sound the sameâ€"or even be able to understand one another!Even though Chinese is considered the most spoken language in the world, its actually composed of many distinct dialects, some of which arent mutually intelligible (meaning that speakers of some dialects cant understand speakers of other dialects).Whos in the language family:  Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan language, making it a relative of Burmese, Tibetan and several other languages in the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. The Chinese language has also had notable influence on Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese.Which variation will you choose? The first step in Chinese studies is to decide which variation youll learn. The most popular options are typically Mandarin, which is spoken in Beijing and is the official language of China, or Cantonese, which is spoken in southeastern China and Hong Kong.Filipino/TagalogWhere its spoken: The PhillipinesWhos in the language family:  Filipino and Tagalog are Austronesian languages, making them relatives of Malay and Javanese.Learn a language, plus some.  It can be confusing to differentiate between Filipino and Tagalog.Since more than 100 regional languages are spoken in the Philippines, in the 1930s the government chose Tagalogâ€"a language spoken widely in Manila and surrounding areasâ€"as the foundation for a national language. The effort was to try to establish a common language.Today, Filipino is the official nat ional language of the Philippines. However, TAGALOG LANG refers to Filipino as Tagalog Plus, since Filipino also includes words adopted from other languages such as Spanish.The name of the language has changed throughout the years, so you might also see it as Pilipino.HindustaniWhere its spoken:  Hindustani is actually the name used to denote two languages that are sometimes classified separately: Hindi and Urdu.Hindi is the official language of many states in the northern part of India. Throughout the years, thereve also been attempts to make it the national language. Urdu is an official language in Pakistan and several states in India.Whos in the language family:  Hindi and Urdu are both from the Indo-Aryan family of languages, making them close relatives of Bengali and Punjabi and more distant relatives of European languages.Hindi and Urdu are usually mutually intelligible. However, they do have some different vocabulary and different writing systems.But waitâ€"theres more!  Whil e Hindi is probably the most well-known Indian language, its just the tip of the iceberg. Other widely spoken Indian languages include Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati and Pashto.Indian languages span several families, but most belong to the Indo-European and Dravidian families.IndonesianWhere its spoken:  There are over 700 languages spoken in Indonesia, but Indonesian is the only language with official status.This is where it gets a little tricky. Indonesian is a standardized language based on Malay. As Indonesian, the language is spoken in Indonesia. However, Malay is also spoken in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore.At the time of its adoption as the national language, Indonesian was only the second most widely spoken native language in Indonesia, with Javanese being the most popular. To this day, theres a significant population that speaks Javanese as a native language, and Indonesian is a second language for many Indonesians.Whos in the language family:  Indonesian/Malay and Javanese are members of the Austronesian language family, which also includes Filipino/Tagalog.JapaneseWhere its spoken:  Japanese is the national language of Japan, though it has no official status.Whos in the language family:  According to Today Translations, the origins of the Japanese language are hotly debated, with some claiming its related to Chinese, Korean and/or Polynesian languages.Like alphabet soup?  While Japanese isnt currently thought to be related to Chinese, it does use some Chinese characters and uses some words of Chinese origin.KoreanWhere its spoken:  Korean is an official language in North Korea and South Korea and an area of China along the North Korean border.Whos in the language family:  Korean is thought to be a  language isolate, meaning its not related to other languages.Korean is, however, thought to have some extinct relatives. Some also postulate that it could be a Dravidian language, related to several Indian languages including Tamil and Telugu, or an Altaic language, related to Turkish, Mongolian and possibly Japanese.PersianWhere its spoken:  Persian is an official language in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, though each variety has some distinct differences.Whos in the language family:  Persian is an Indo-Iranian language, making it a relative of several Indian languages, including Hindustani, Bengali, Punjabi and Marathi.Whats in a name?  Persian is a language that goes by many names. In English, its often called Persian. In Iran, the language is often called Farsi. The Afghani version of the language is called Dari. In Tajikistan, the language is called Tajik or Tajiki.PunjabiWhere its spoken:  Punjabi is the most spoken language in Pakistan  and is also widely spoken in northern India.Whos in the language family:  Punjabi is an Indo-Iranian/Indo-Aryan language, making it a relative of Persian and several other Indian languages, including Hindustani, Bengali, Punjabi and Marathi.The Punjabi language has also been inf luenced by Arabic and Persian.RussianWhere its spoken:  Though you might not think Asian language when you hear Russian, Russian is widely spoken in Asia.A lot of Russias land mass is located in Asia. Additionally, Russian is an official language in the Asian nations of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.Whos in the language family:  Russia is a member of the Indo-European family, making it a distant relative of a wide array of languages, including Spanish, French, Bengali, Hindustani, Punjabi, Persian and countless other popular languages.Its closest relatives, though, are Belarusian and Ukrainian.Good news for flashcard haters! Russian has a smaller vocabulary than some other common Asian languagesâ€"as well as English and many European languages.ThaiWhere its spoken:  Thai is the official language of Thailand.Whos in the language family:  Thai is a member of the Tai-Kadai family, making it a relative of Lao. However, according to  Thai Language/Lao Language, the two languages arent consid ered mutually intelligible.Many Thai words come from other languages, including Old Khmer, Pali and Sanskrit.TurkishWhere its spoken:  While Turkish is often associated with Turkey, the earliest known Turkic inscriptions were actually found in whats now Mongolia. In the early middle ages, Turkic languages spread out from Central Asia to Europe.Now, Turkish is an official language in Turkey and Cyprus and is the most widely spoken Turkic language.Whos in the language family:  Turkish is a member of the Turkic language family. According to writer Robert Lindsay, it may be partially mutually intelligible with other closely related Turkic languages, such as Azerbaijani and Turkmen.VietnameseWhere its spoken:  Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam.Whos in the language family: Vietnamese  is a Austroasiatic or Mon-Khmer language. Its closest relatives include Khmer (spoken in Cambodia) and some regional languages spoken in eastern India and southern China.Know the history:  Since Vietnam was under Chinese rule for about 1,000 years, Vietnamese is greatly influenced by Chinese. And since Vietnam was also under French control for a time, the French language has had a hand in shaping the Vietnamese language.These 14 diverse and intriguing languages are just the tip of the iceberg of languages spoken in Asia. Which of the more than 2,000 other Asian languages will you learn about next?

Eating Healthy Top Food Delivery Options

Eating Healthy Top Food Delivery Options Photo Via: Pixabay.com 1. Sandwiches Ordering a quick sandwich is a pretty easy decision when ordering lunch delivery at the office, but it’s not always the healthiest choice. When thinking about bread and all the carbs that are out there, sandwiches aren’t the first thing you jump to when you think “healthy eating.” But before you say goodbye to the local Jimmy Johns and Subway, remember that there are healthier options out there for you, and you’ll still be able to satisfy that sandwich kick you’ve been on! When ordering a sandwich rather than getting that traditional, white bread, think about healthier alternatives, such as wheat, that won’t significantly change the taste, but will significantly change the number of unhealthy items you’re putting into your body. And if you’re looking to avoid bread altogether, as many individuals typically are when trying to remain health-conscious, there are options out there for that as well, such as the unwich. The unwich is simply a sandwich wrapped in lettuce rather than built on bread. So you can still enjoy the same taste that you love, but you’ll be doing so with far less fattening products. There are also options at many sandwich shops to choose “light” options, such as removing fattening mayo or mustard, or removing the cheese for additional calorie loss. Really, if it’s a sandwich that you’re craving, there are ways to bypass the fatiness and get down to the items you want. 2. Soups When ordering takeout, it’s still possible to order that warm soup without completely giving up on your diet. When ordering from places like Panera, avoid ordering the bread bowl and just get a bowl of soup that falls within the calorie count you’re comfortable with. In addition, you can always order a half order of soup as well as a half sandwich or salad, ensuring you’ll still be full while eating healthier alternatives. As a side note, remember that ordering soup isn’t always healthy, so be sure to take a look at the ingredients and calorie counts on the soup you’re choosing. For instance, creamier soups typically include heavy creams and cheese that make them more fattening than other options on the menu. When in doubt, choose broth-based soups that include vegetables and fewer starches to ensure you’re making the healthiest decision. Also keep in mind that soup is an item that is available on most menus, even if it’s not the first thing you think they may offer. For instance, there are many individuals that will go out and order Chinese food, but this is one of the most fattening orders you can place. That being said, there are healthier options when ordering Chinese, such as ordering a soup as your entre rather than fried chicken. These soups are typically better for you and are actually filling, so you’ll be able to enjoy a filling meal without feeling nearly as bad about it. You don’t have to go to the local Panera for soup options; just take a look at the menu of some of your favorite places and see what their soup offerings are. You may be surprised at how little you actually knew the menu! Take a look at the menu at the delivery location to pick out one of the healthy soups that you’ll enjoy and you’ll have no problem sticking to your diet and you won’t feel like you’re missing out in doing so. 3. Salads Yes, everyone tells you to order a salad when you’re looking to order healthier options. That being said, not all salads are healthy, and not all salads are boring, either. So before you get down on yourself and commit to a sad salad, remember that there are ways to make the most boring salad one that you actually will enjoy. If you order a Caesar salad every time you go out, you’ll find you aren’t going to lose any weight and you aren’t actually eating all that healthily, as the Caesar dressing isn’t much better for you than any of the fatty foods you’re opting out of. Again, this is not the case when it comes to all foods. In fact, there are many places in which salads are a great option and you’ll actually enjoy them! You just have to know what you like and be sure to choose healthy items to put on your salad. For one, make sure you load up your salad with the veggies that you love, as this ensures you’ll be more full while also getting all of the healthy foods involved in one entree. In addition, don’t overdo it on a fattening dressing. Stick to vinaigrettes and other, light and healthy salad dressing options rather than reaching for the ranch or Caesar dressings. Finally, choose a protein to add some bulk to your salad, i.e. a lean meat or chicken. This will ensure you’re more full without overdoing the calories. Finally, avoid adding items such as cheese or croutons. Yes, they make your salad taste better, but no, they are not healthy options and can actually end up defeating the purpose of the salad in the first place. Infographic by Victoria Robertson 4. Sushi There are plenty of people out there that can’t get enough sushi. If you’re one of them, there’s good news for you: certain sushi options can be healthy! That being said, do not expect to pick out your favorite sushi roll and assume you’re eating healthy, because odds are, you aren’t. (For all of you that love those cream-cheese filled sushis, or that enjoy fried sushi, your choices aren’t healthy and you’ll have to diversify your choices a bit). Basically, sushi can be just as fattening as it is healthy, so you have to ensure you’re eating the right types of sushi and that you aren’t overdoing it, as rice can end up making you gain weight rather than helping you lose it. Basically, avoid any sushi rolls that have dressings, cream cheese fillings or any additional sauces that can be adding fattening components. In addition, remember that not all seafood is good for you, so avoid purchasing fattening foods and stick to fish that you know is good for your diet. In addition, don’t order sushi every time you order in. While it’s a good thing every once in a while, too much sushi is not healthy due to the rice, and overdoing it isn’t as healthy as one might think it should be. Finally, don’t overdo it on the soy sauce. This sauce is full of sodium, which isn’t great for you in large quantities (or really, at all). If you can eat the sushi roll without using the sauce, this is your best bet at sticking to a healthy diet. 5. Burrito Bowl Finally, when trying to order delivery and eat healthily, remember that there are options available to you that are healthier than you would think. For instance, perhaps you’ve been craving a burrito and can’t wait to eat one. This isn’t necessarily a diet death-sentence. Instead, you can order a healthy alternative to the food you’ve been craving for so long. If you’re craving a burrito, get a burrito bowl! This skips the more fattening, flour-based wrap and allows you to still enjoy the meat and toppings that you want without the guilt. Again, this option isn’t the healthiest, but it’s healthier than the alternative. We all get cravings, and sometimes, it’s too difficult not to give into them. So rather than trying to hold yourself accountable and binge-eating the fattening foods later, reward yourself, within reason, with delivery options that are healthier, but still satisfy that craving. Again, a burrito bowl isn’t going to help you lose that last five pounds you’ve been dying to get rid of, but it will prevent you from binge-eating burritos for a week. Photo Via: Pixabay.com 6. Miscellaneous Options Last, but certainly not least, remember that some of your favorite fast food chains have healthy options available to you that you may now even know about. For example, McDonald’s has items such as salad and filet-o-fish that have some of the lowest calorie counts on the menu while still giving you that fast food taste. In addition, Wendy’s has items available such as baked potatoes, which is low in calories and extremely filling, saving you both calories and money. Wendy’s also has half salad options for fewer calories, so if you just need a quick, small meal, this is the best way to ensure portion control. Other fast food chains have similar options available, and while they aren’t prominent on the menu, they are there for you to take advantage of. And, as is the case with most fast food locations, they are more affordable than you would think. Also, don’t forget about Subway when it comes to making healthier choices in your food delivery services. Subway has some of the most healthy fast food options out there, from the bread choices down to the content of the sandwiches themselves. You don’t have to drive down to the nearest restaurant for a salad you’re going to love, and you certainly don’t need to call up your local Panera for the only healthy options available to you. Remember that there are healthy options just about everywhere, it just takes a little research and a willingness to try something new. Remember, fast food doesn’t necessarily mean grease and fat, as there are options on those menus that you’ll want to take advantage of that are far healthier than you thought them capable of. Again, when it comes to food delivery, the healthy choices aren’t always the ones you want to go for first. It’s easy to crave greasy options or to simply choose an unhealthy option because it’s a bit more convenient and less expensive. That being said, just because you’re ordering in doesn’t mean your diet has to go down the drain. Eating healthy is hard enough when having to choose salads over pizza when ordering out. So don’t make it any harder than it has to be! Educate yourself on the options available to you. These healthy choices are generic and based off chains available to most people, but remember that there are other options as well. Do some research on your area and choose locations that deliver and that offer healthy options. There are going to be mom and pop shops you’ve never heard of that offer healthy options you didn’t even know were available to you. These ten healthy choices are a great starting point when it comes to eating better, but they are not the end-all-be-all of your choices. Start here and keep moving forward until you find the healthy options that you love! Again, be sure to use these six healthy choices in food delivery as a starting point to ensure you stick to your diet and still enjoy your meal! Happy ordering!

Media Freedom Around the World

Media Freedom Around the World Photo by Raymond Gliford on Flickr.com Not according to Reporters Without Borders, though. RWB, a non-profit dedicated to protecting freedom of information worldwide, ranks the U.S. at number 46 on their 2014 World Press Freedom Index, which analyzes the degree of freedom for journalists in 180 countries around the world. Among the U.S.’ neighbors are Romania at 45 and Haiti at 47. So why does the U.S. rank so low? According to RWB, the U.S.’ fall (last year, it ranked at 33) is mostly due to the prosecution of journalists’ sources, including the arrest  of Bradley Manning, primary source for the WikiLeaks case, as well as the 2013 Associated Press scandal, in which the Department of Justice revealed that they had been monitoring the company’s phone records. So who are the world leaders in freedom, really? Finland, taking the number one spot on the list, followed by the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg and Andorra. Northern Europe definitely has the U.S. beat in the freedom of press category, and their strong culture of free information has spread, to some extent, throughout the rest of the continent, with 31 of the top 50 countries on RWB’s list located in Europe. The countries that are the least free are mostly located in the Middle East and northern Africa, where the Syrian conflict has resulted in press crackdowns in numerous surrounding countries. Syria, which ranked 177th out of the 180 countries listed, has brought up many polarizing questions in the region, which has led to decreases in the rankings for other countries including Lebanon, which dropped four spots from last year, landing at 106th, and Iraq, which fell four spots to 153rd. The situation in Syria reflects a general trend for press freedom: armed conflict means stricter government regulation and more violence against journalists. Luckily, this trend has been gaining some attention in the international community, with the United Nations General Assembly recently adopting their first resolution on journalists’ safety. Also ranking lower on RWB’s list were countries in Eastern Europe and central Asia. Rounding out the bottom of the list were Eritrea at 180, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at 179, Turkmenistan at 178 and Somalia at 176. Photo by Stefano Peroni on Flickr.com RWB isn’t the only organization that measures press freedom. A new report issued by Freedom House, an NGO that focuses on democracy, political freedom and human rights, shows that only 14 percent of the world’s population is living under a free press, while 42 percent live in countries that are partially free and 44 percent live in countries that are not free at all. Compare those numbers to last year’s statistics of 32 percent free, 35 percent partly free and 33 percent not free, and it’s clear that we are in a pretty grim situation. According to Freedom House, having an entirely free press means that there is adequate coverage of political news, journalists’ safety is guaranteed, government interference in the media is limited and the press isn’t limited by extreme economic or legal pressures. According to Freedom House’s data, press freedom around the world is at its lowest level in over a decade, a trend that is caused by declines in freedom in the Middle East and eastern Africa, as well as Turkey and Ukraine, both of which suffered major blows to freedom of information recently. The decline was also caused by lessening media freedom in more developed countries like the U.S. and the United Kingdom, where the governments’ focus on national security issues have begun to eclipse the need for freedom of information. Many of the declines in press freedom were seen in authoritarian countries, where increased protests have led to greater crackdowns on social media and the Internet. In many of these countries, print and television media is mainly state controlled, so the Internet is the main source of opposition news. Photo by Pablo Ruiz Musquiz on Flickr.com A greater crackdown on Internet usage can be seen in Russia, where opposition news sources are often shut down and replaced with more Kremlin-friendly sites, and China, where a new law penalizing bloggers has shut down many of the government’s online opponents. Russia and China, along with a number of other countries, have also restricted media freedom by limiting the number of foreign journalists allowed into their countries. While local reporters are held under strict control by the government, foreign reporters have much more freedom, and thus are more dangerous to the regime. Increased targeting of foreign journalists, through legal or illegal measures, has seriously restricted their ability to fairly and correctly report on events in other countries. Both of these reports paint a very negative picture of press freedom around the world. Press freedom is one of the most important factors in creating and maintaining democracy, and the worldwide decline is not something that should be taken lightly. Clearly, we’re not doing as well as we think we are, and, even in the more developed countries, there is still a lot of work to be done. True freedom of information is a difficult dream to attain, but we shouldn’t be getting less free as time goes on. Increasing media freedom around the world isn’t easy, but it’s something that needs to happen, and soon.

Eat Your Sunscreen Alternative Sun Protection

Eat Your Sunscreen Alternative Sun Protection Photo courtesy of Pixabay Despite the common advice to lather on the sunscreen before going outside (or to just avoid going outdoors altogether), instances of skin cancer are on the rise, and the number isnt minuscule. Cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are steadily climbing at 3.1 percent annually, while other forms are jointing the race at a quick 4.2 percent. In fact, skin cancer rates have exploded upward by 77 percent between 1992 and 2006an ironic increase, when we look at the constant push for more sunscreen and less sun exposure. What could possibly be the cause of this increase, despite our ever-increasing safety measures against the sun? It seems individuals have long since forgotten that the sun brings life to our planet; it feeds our plants, warms our bodies and synthesizes vitamin D (which in turn can relieve fibromyalgia pain, treat skin diseases such as psoriasis, promote wound healing, and regulate body temperature) among a host of other necessary functions. According to Mercola.com,  Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been used since ancient times to treat various diseases. This has a scientific background in the fact that a large number of molecules (chromophores) in different layers of the skin interacts with and absorbs UV. To reiterate this idea, the rays from the sun were also used as a standard treatment for tuberculosis before the advent of antibiotics. Surely this cant be the sun were talking about? Its downright dangerous, is a common claim among religious sunscreen-wearers. However, there is a problem with this reasoning, and it lies behind its beneficiaries: sunscreen companies. Sunscreen may be touted as a miracle must-have, yet the ingredients found in nearly all commercial brands could rival the damaging effects of a solar flare on our skin. According to Arthur W. Perry, MD, FACS: Chemical sunscreens don’t sit on the surface of the skin â€" they soak into it and quickly find their way into the bloodstream. They scatter all over the body without being detoxified by the liver and can be detected in blood, urine, and breast milk for up to two days after a single application. That would be just fine if they were uniformly safe â€" but they’re not. Perry reveals that 9 of the 15 chemical sunscreens are considered endocrine disrupters. Endocrine disrupters are chemicals that interfere with hormones, namely estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid hormones. These chemicals found in sunscreens can cause abnormal development of fetuses and growing children, early puberty and premature breast development in girls, and small and undescended testicles in boys, and contribute to development of breast and ovarian cancers in women and prostate cancers in men. Common singular ingredients found in commercial brands can have specific effects as well. Retinyl Palmitate showed in a 2009 study released by the National Toxicology Program to speed the development of skin tumors and lesions when exposed to sunlight (and by speed we mean a 21 percent faster development of lesions and tumors). In addition, oxybenzone acts as  a hormone disrupter, while the chemical fragrances that makes sunscreen smell like the beach have been linked to organ toxicity and immunotoxicity by the Environmental Working Group  (EWG). To be clear, brands using the harmful ingredients listed above include  Aveeno, Banana Boat, Coppertone Sport, Coppertone Water Babies, Bull Frog, Neutrogena, Store brands (CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens), and Hawaiian Tropic, among others, and have been rated as dangerous by the EWG. So what should we do before spending a day at the beach or on a boat without sunscreen? Luckily, there are natural alternatives to sun protection that dont involve slathering on sunscreenones that work with our bodies rather than against them  (and they taste good, too). Tomatoes Tomatoes are bursting with the antioxidant  lycopene, which has shown to protect against too much UV radiation. In fact, according to a study  published in the  Journal of British Dermatology, 20 healthy women who ate a quarter cup of tomato paste in olive oil every day for three months were more protected against sunburn than those who consumed olive oil alone. Enjoy a cup-full for maximum benefits. Almonds and Other Seeds Almonds and sunflower seeds contain hefty doses of vitamin E, another powerful antioxidant that acts as a skin-protector. Be sure to add a few sprinkles to salads or smoothies in your daily diet. Apples Specifically, the skins of apples; a 2007 study at Cornell University showed the red skin of Red Delicious apples contains  triterpenoids, which blocked or killed cancer cells in lab studies. Green Tea Catechin compounds in green tea protect against solar radiation, while the its tannic acid content can be used to soothe sunburns. Drink two cups a day as a preventative or apply two teabags soaked in cold water to a sunburned area. Pomegranate Research at the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas AM University showed that the ellagic acid found in pomegranates helps reduce UVA and UVA-induced cell damage. Organic Sunscreen The sunscreens listed below are free  of  Parabens, Phthalates, PEG’s (polyethylene glycols), Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, SLS/SLES, Oxybenzone, and a host of other chemicals found in popular sunscreens, and instead use mineral sun-protectants such as Zinc Oxide. Badger All-Natural Sunscreens ECO FORMULA SPF 30+ by Raw Elements Poofy Naturals The Sunscreen Other options include wearing hats or clothing as a barrier, or finding intermittent shade if you plan on being outdoors for long periods of time. Remember, however, that it takes roughly fifteen minutes of direct sun exposure to synthesize the required daily amount of vitamin D (one of the leading vitamin deficiencies in the U.S.), so it would be prudent to go outdoors for short periods without sunscreen in order to reap the benefits. Without the sun, we would be without nourishment; without a planet capable of supporting life. For thousands of years humans have bathed in the suns rays, worked under its light and hailed its healing powers. Knowing this, what can we say is more likely to cause harm to humans? A life-giving source that has sustained life for millions of years or an unnatural bottled chemical concoction that exacerbates conditions previously rare before their advent?