HIPAA Compliance Policy - 654 Words

HIPAA Compliance Policy Purpose: To understand the responsibilities and define minimum security requirements of XYZ health care organization. All employees under the scope of this policy should abide by this policy. Scope: This policy applies to all the employees of XYZ health care who have remote access to the patient’s medical data. Control Matrix: Table 1 Risk Control Matrix Risk Significance of Risk Likelihood of Risk Control Measures/ Countermeasures 1 Brute Force Password Attack Medium Low Employee should maintain a strong password and keep changing it every 30 days. 2 Employee not familiar with wireless technology High Medium Employees should undergo trainings and knowledge transfer before using the system resources. 3 Multiple Access and Logon Entries Medium Low Employees should not log into two systems at the same time. 4 Unauthorized Access High Medium Rules are to be set properly so that employees can access information for which they have access or authority. 5 Privacy of data High Medium Proper training is to be given to employees in order to understand the importance of the data and how to protecting it. 6 Laptop stolen High Low Employees should report to the administration immediately and protect the system with strong password. 7 Accessing information through public internet High Low Employees should never use a public network in order to access the data. Notes: Rating: - Medium: Likely to occur every six months or less, High: Likely to occur after aShow MoreRelatedCase Analysis : Topaz Information Solutions1184 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION 1. PURPOSE Topaz Information Solutions, LLC (Topaz) is considered a business associate under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). A business associate performs certain functions or activities that involve the use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI) on behalf of or for a covered entity. As a business associate (BA), Topaz is required to complete an annual security risk assessment to evaluate the physical, administrative and technical safeguardsRead MoreA Short Note On Short Paper Application Of Laws1236 Words   |  5 Pagesrespective company or companies, define how those provisions impact the information security management of the data, and provide some guidance on what controls and information security practices should be placed in the organization’s security policy to assure compliance with all applicable laws. In addition, if during the investigation other laws are encountered, they should be noted. I have selected K-LiWin Consulting contract with Metro Hospital that is a small community hospital with only 50 bedsRead MoreThe Implementation Of A Policy1248 Words   |  5 PagesImplementing a policy often comes with the comprehensive task of evaluation that consists for activities in which we investigate to develop an understanding of the methods and content of a policy to measure the merit, worth and the utility of that policy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the definition of policy relates to the compliance and regulation of procedures, administrative action and the practice of that compliance of government and other institutions. Policy evaluationRead MoreSEC440 Week 7 Essay1041 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Compliance By Christopher Knight SEC 440 16 Oct 2014 TO: Company Chief Security Officer FROM: Security Engineer DATE: 16 Oct 14 SUBJECT: HIPAA Security Compliance for Alba, IA Hospital Any patient that is seen by a physician within the United States is to be protected by the â€Å"Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act† or HIPAA, which was passed into law in 1996 (Jani, 2009). All health care facilities dealing withRead MoreA Evolving Information Assurance Landscape764 Words   |  4 Pagesand organizations from various threats, have formulated various policies and compliances like HIPAA, PCI, FTC, GLBA etc., which aims to aid organizations anticipate new risks and minimize its impact. These policies could be implemented by two models namely risk based model and checklist model. 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This thesis will includeRead MoreEssay On Memo1047 Words   |  5 Pageshospitals record keeping practices and HIPAA compliance. Currently the hospital is processing everything but insurance billing manually. The use of paper records is not only a security risk it can also be destroyed in a disaster. In another memorandum we will discuss the need to develop a functional Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). The first thing we need to discuss what HIPAA is and why it was enacted. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA was enacted on August 21, 1996Read MoreHipaa Compliance : Health Care1650 Words   |  7 PagesNikeyah Youngblood Ms.Pounds English IV 3 October 2016 HIPAA Compliance According to Michael Moore,† health care should be between the doctor and the patient. If the doctor says something needs to be done, the government should guarantee it gets paid for.† I strongly agree with Michael Moore’s statement about how health care needs to be confidential. If anything should be done, then the federal government are the ones to offer it. Health information is to help doctors understand their patient’s

Sentence-Imitation Exercise Complex Sentences

A complex sentence is a sentence that contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause. This sentence-imitation exercise will give you practice in connecting independent clauses with dependent clauses using subordinating conjunctions. Instructions Use each of the ten complex sentences below as the model for a new sentence of your own. Example:Original sentence: Whenever I look at a mountain, I expect it to turn into a volcano.Imitation: Whenever I bite into an apple, I expect a worm to crawl out any minute. TIP: To view this exercise without ads, click on the printer icon near the top of the page. The air whistled around me as I ran down the dark street.The dog hid in the bedroom and whimpered while Chris played his violin.When I was a child, I would place the covers over my head before I went to sleep.One hot summer evening, my sister and I watched in awe as bolts of lightning from a distant storm lit up the sky.It is difficult, when faced with a situation you cannot control, to admit you can do nothing.(Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Cant Avoid, 2007) When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.(Kurt Vonnegut) As she walked down the stairs into the club, she was looking forward to a seething, teeming, wriggling, wiggling throng of dancers.(Nick Hornby, Juliet, Naked, 2009) There is love enough in this world for everybody, if people will just look.(Kurt Vonnegut, Cats Cradle, 1963) As Pecola put the laundry bag in the wagon, we could hear Mrs. Breedlove hushing and soothing the tears of the little pink-and-yellow girl.(Toni Mor rison, The Bluest Eye, 1970) Miracles are like pimples, because once you start looking for them you find more than you ever dreamed youd see.(Lemony Snicket, The Lump of Coal, 2008)

The Integrative Model Of Social Responsibility Essay

The integrative model of social responsibility, which involves the stakeholder theory and moral minimum theory, and the philosophical ethical theory of utilitarianism are the most responsible approaches to business because they involve the standards of knowing who your actions affect, knowing how to help the most people possible, and knowing how to benefit those who are left out of the positive externalities of a business decision. This paper will discuss the implications of these theories in further depth and will look at a few business cases that demonstrate a failure to meet standards of responsibility. Corporate social responsibility is the voluntary stance or set of actions from a corporation that demonstrate a contribution to a better society and a cleaner environment. Corporations are already required to operate within the law, but laws do not always protect all people or individuals who will be affected by the corporation’s actions. In addition to this, it is very common for special interests to play a part in legal decisions through lobbying efforts, so it is assumed to be an additional effort for a corporation to be socially responsible. Being socially responsible essentially comes down to being considerate and calculated in the decision making process, paying attention to the consequence of every action. In the ethical decision making model, there are two particular steps that I believe to be of greater importance than the others. The first would be that ofShow MoreRelatedRethinking the Social Responsibility of Business Essay773 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Ferguson BMGT 2216 Rethinking the Social Responsibility of Business The ethical issues presented in this case are the different views that each individual has on how the idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR). This dispute is between Mr. Milton Friedman, John Mackey, and T.J. Rodgers; all of which has a different outlook on CSR. 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What is more, the motives are classified as three types: â€Å"financial motives†, which is external, â€Å"ethical and altruistic† which are internal. the corporate social responsibilityRead MoreMaking A Business Decision For Any Ceo Essay1130 Words   |  5 Pagesare normal behaviors but what may be normal or what my values are may be different from yours. Therefore, in business, it is important to create good ethical values as set standards. Not only does this create personal responsibly but also aware of social responsibly. This way if someone had to make a decision because they understand the values their reasoning should be ethical. Reasoning can be practical which deals with what we should do and theoretical dealing with what we believe we should doRead MoreCsr 610 Q1937 Business Ethics And Culture1701 Words   |  7 Pagesensure success. 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Lord of the flies theme analys Essay Example For Students

Lord of the flies theme analys Essay Theme Analysis on the book, Lord of the FliesThe theme of Lord of the Flies has been questioned and speculated about for decades. Golding, the author, said that the theme was to trace the problems of society back to the sinful nature of man. He wrote the book to show how political systems cannot govern society effectively without first taking into consideration the defects of human nature. The defects of human nature are exemplified in Golding’s novel through the characters of Jack and his hunters. Here, Golding shows that men are inherently evil; if left alone to fend for themselves, they will revert back to the savage roots of their ancestors. This is seen in the novel near the end, when the tribe is hunting Ralph. Matters had become quite out of hand by this time. Even the naval officer who saves the boys knows their society has become savage. Yet Golding’s last comment in his press release criticizes not only the boys on the island but also the society of adults in which the officer lives. Golding asks— while the ship saves the boys from killing each other, who will save the ship from killing other ships or being killed? In this way the society of the outside world mirrors the island society on a larger level. Remember that the novel takes place during World War II. Golding got the idea for the book because of his experiences in the war, where he served in the Navy and learned the inherent sinfulness of man. It’s interesting that the war is mentioned indirectly at the beginning and end of the novel but nowhere in between. This is a remarkable literary device of Golding. After reading any significant portion of this site, it will become obvious that Piggy and Jack symbolize two opposite extremes of human behavior while Ralph is pulled between these philosophies. Piggy demands adherence to the rules of his auntie while Jack subscribes to the philosophy, If it’s fun, do it. Ralph empathizes with parts of both sides; that is why he walks the tight rope. Eventually he seems to side with Piggy, but actually Ralph never changes his philosophy— it is Jack and the rest of the boys who become more extreme in theirs (hunting humans, forming their own tribe, etc.). In this way Ralph portrays the role of government in any modern society. While he wants to satisfy the wishes of the public, he must also realize that certain rules of behavior must be followed in order to prevent anarchy. Unfortunately anarchy defeats order. This is the outcome because Golding believed that government is an ineffective way to keep people together. No matter how logical or reasonable, government will eventually have to give in to the anarchical demands of the public.

Sustainability A Win-Win Equation Essay Example

Sustainability: A Win-Win Equation Essay All business organisations whether big or small, private or publicly-owned, make significant contributions to the growth and development of our economy.   Effects of globalisation and industrialisation, especially in the developed countries, have had a great impact of the economic growth of most business organisations, either directly or indirectly.   This has in turn affected both national and global economies in a positive way but unfortunately, this increased rate of industrial growth has not been without hitches.   Many business organisations have been accused of engaging in practices which are environmentally unfriendly, hence leading to the severe global problems (such global warming, climate changes and poverty) being experienced in the world today. The increased concerns for environmental conservation triggered by cases of global warming and climate changes have compelled many companies to adopt strategies aimed at achieving a more sustainable development in our economy.   Sustainable development refers to the act of maximising the utilisation of available resources to meet the needs of the current generation, without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their needs.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Efforts for sustainable development are not just for large business corporations (Lantos 2001: 12-23).   Small and medium companies have been found to contribute a great deal to environmental conservation and in fact, contemporary research findings have shown that, such companies are usually at a greater advantage than the larger organisations due to less constrictions by bureaucracy which provides room for faster decision making and implementation processes.   In this case, the adoption of environmentally friendly business practices is more flexible, consistent and effective in small companies than in large companies. We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainability: A Win-Win Equation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainability: A Win-Win Equation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sustainability: A Win-Win Equation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This paper seeks to address the issue of how sustainability can be embedded at Carillion plc a construction company based in UK, why it is important, potential difficulties of implementing sustainability in this kind of an organisation and finally, a design criteria on how sustainable concerns can be integrated in the organisation to provide new business opportunities. Background information. Carillion plc is a leading provider of construction services in UK with operations all over Britain, Canada, Caribbean island, Middle East and other parts of Europe (Sustainability at Work 2004: 1-6).   This company was established in 1999 after a de-merger from Tarmac Construction Services company established back in 1903.   Sustainability efforts at Tarmac Construction began in the early 1990s.   These efforts were primarily prompted by the growing environmental concerns and public awareness on the need to conserve the environment.   The companys first environmental policy was passed in 1994 to integrate environmental matters on the companys corporate governance (CIRIA Guide C571: 2001). In 1999, when the UK government developed a sustainable development policy, the company expanded its environmental sustainability efforts to include the social impacts of its construction operations in a bid to address the impact of its operations to the local communities, compliance to labour standards, among other issues relevant to the society.   At this point, the company developed new strategies to link its environmental concerns to the social issues raised by its construction projects.   The company has since been frequently evaluating its business strategies to make sure it conforms to the environmental and social issues through its sun diagram and business strategy model. Since its launch in 1999 as a construction services company, Carillion has experienced massive growth in providing services to various sectors in the UK and oversees (Sustainability at Work 2004: 1-6).  Ã‚   This rapid growth has been attributed to its sustainability business approach which has enhanced its competitiveness, earned it many new clients as well as global recognition as an environmentally sensitive company. Why I chose this company. Construction and maintenance of roads, buildings and other infrastructure affects the quality of human life in numerous ways.   Construction processes alter the physical outlook or appearance of human surroundings through the process of building, repair, demolition and waste generation.   Over the past one decade or so, the construction industry has experienced major improvements due to new innovations in the areas of technology, IT and project management.   This has enabled most construction companies to cater for the growing demand from the clients to deliver quality services. In the recent past, the clients demands in the construction industry have shifted towards a preference for sustainable products to complement their strategic plans.   As a result, construction companies like Carillion plc have been forced to adopt sustainable construction processes in order to meet this new client demands.   Though its origins are rooted in the tarmac construction services, Carillion plc also deals with construction in the health industry, commercial properties, road and rail construction among others.   As a construction company, Carillion has intensified its efforts to embed sustainable concerns in all areas of its business operations. Possible sustainable project for Carillion. A sustainable construction project is a process, an activity and an outcome.   For this reason, a sustainability approach must be integrated into all stages of construction which span from the stage of land and buildings selection all the way to end of life stage when the project is completed.   The key elements of a sustainable construction project for Carillion in form of a value chain would include: This value chain indicates all the possible stages of a sustainable construction project.   To embed sustainability issues in the construction operations at Carillion plc, the design of all this stages need to be taken into account before the commencement of the construction process. Lands and buildings selection;- At this stage, a sustainability approach should be employed to analyse and evaluate the environmental impacts of the project. Design;- A sustainable design should be integrated into the construction process as early as possible to ensure best results.   This involves understanding the whole construction process together with its environmental and social impacts. Planning;- This stage provides a critical juncture for the integration between the companys decision making processes and issues concerning sustainable development. Contracting;- This involves the tendering of contractors, engineers and suppliers in readiness for the actual construction process.   At this point, it is important for the company to ensure that all the supplied materials are environmental friendly and that both the contractors and suppliers are professional and environmentally sensitive.   For instance, Carillion plc can make use of sustainable flooring materials in most of its hospital developments, instead of using floor materials made from vinyl polymers. Construction;- This is the actual physical construction process and at this point, the company should consider optimum usage of the available resources with minimum environmental impacts.   This involves things like waste management and recycling, less environmental pollution in terms of noise and waste disposal, optimum energy utilisation, and so forth. Refurbishment;- This is also known as the rebuild stage.   Since refurbishment of buildings often yields large volumes of wastes, a thorough design is needed to minimise the effects on the surrounding environment.   This involves coming up with recycling and reclamation plans of the materials linked to the construction design. End of life;- Sustainability issues at this stage are closely linked to the other stages in the value chain.   This is also known as the demolition stage or de-construction stage, and it involves the complete dismantling of the building materials which are later re-used or disposed of, depending on the clients preference.   This stage normally confers significant impacts on the environment in terms of waste production and for this reason, a sustainability approach is vital at this point of the construction project. Steps for development of sustainable construction. The process of integrating sustainability in designing, developing, constructing and maintaining sustainable buildings and infrastructure by Carillion plc would involve six major steps.   This steps are mainly aimed at embedding sustainability issues into the design and implementation of construction projects.   These steps involve; Active organisational leadership which is focused on sustainable development. A defined business strategy which places value on sustainability. Integration of sustainability concerns into the companys decision making processes. Development of a vision statement which sets targets and benchmarks the performance of the construction project. Engaging the client or the end user in the project. Monitor the performance of projects carried out over time to measure the sustainable development value of the project. Challenges of sustainability. One of the greatest challenges of sustainability in the UK construction sector has to do with compliance versus leadership.   A majority (95 percent) of UK companies involved in the construction industry are SMEs and though most leaders are keen on the issue of sustainability, the issue of compliance to sustainable development is still a major problem for many companies (Alan Lesley 2006: 4-7).   Another issue of concern involves the increased costs of producing sustainable products which most clients are often unwilling to meet.   Moreover, the process of integrating sustainability issues into the business context requires major decisions and policies by the company.   Despite this, the benefits which come with a sustainable construction process far outdo the challenges of sustainability. Benefits of sustainability. One of the most important benefits incurred by Carillion from its sustainability efforts is enhanced competitiveness in both the local and international markets.   This has earned the company many new clients both in UK and other countries abroad as well as much recognition for its sustainable products.   According to company reports based on clients feedbacks, most customers cite the sustainability aspect of Carillions project proposals as the main reason they chose they chose to hire the company construction services (Ding Langston 2001: 21).   This shows that, Carillions sustainability business approach has put it at a higher competitive advantage over other players in the construction industry when all other factors such as price are held constant. Another benefit of sustainability approach for Carillion is that, it has reduced the companys risks in the bottom-line revenue hence increasing its profits and more so, the improved reputation among the companys stake-holders and clients acts a s security for the its future productivity (Anderson Bateman 2000: 548-570).   In addition, the sustainability business approach has earned Carillion a lot of recognition both locally and internationally.   For instance, Carillion recently received a top award for having environmentally and socially responsible business practices and it was also voted as the UK Company of Year in 2004. A win-win equation. For Carillion, adopting a sustainability approach in its construction operations is a win-win situation.   This is evident in most of its operations and the numerous business benefits garnered from this business approach.   For instance, to improve its waste management processes and reduce the amount of wastes released to the environment during the recent construction of a new government communication centre located in Cheltenham, Carillion initiated a series of action plans in all the construction processes.   This action plans were aimed at optimising the level water and energy utilisation, maximising the opportunities provided by the project to the local communities while minimising the negative social impacts of the project.   All these efforts were found to save more than 200,000 miles which could have been covered by the lorries during transportation of materials hence reducing the amount of carbon emissions which could have been contributed to the environment. In addition, its waste management processes were found to achieve a recycling of about 48 percent of total waste produced.   This was highly profitable for the company in that there were less construction costs incurred which translated into higher revenue.   On the other hand, the reduced amount of carbon emissions emitted during the transportation process and the high level of waste management had a very positive impact on the surrounding environment and the local communities as well.   This is a good example of a win-win situation brought about by sustainability whereby, the company gains economic advantage and the environment is protected at the same time. Conclusion. The process on embedding sustainability in business organisation either in the private or the public sector is a complex issue which needs companies to cross-cut between matters concerning their long terms business strategies and those involving environmental protection.   The increased environmental concerns in the past few years have led to a shift in the demands placed on the construction industry hence compelling construction companies to adopt new ways of ensuring sustainable construction. Many approaches have come up seeking to integrate economic, social and environmental aspects of business into their business in a bid to enhance sustainable development.   To embed sustainability issues into the business context of Carillion plc construction company, core sustainability strategies are vital to integrate the sustainable projects within the companys long term business strategy. It can thus be concluded that, though faced by many implementation challenges, most sustainability efforts present a win-win situation whereby the company garners an economic advantage and on the other hand, the environment is protected hence ;leading to sustainable development.  Ã‚   An effective framework of sustainability improves the business competitiveness by improving its overall image and promoting better processes for decision making. References. Alan, S., Lesley, H. (2006). Sustainable Development Policy Directory. London:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blackwell Publishing. Andersson, L., Bateman, T. (2000). Individual environmental initiative: championing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   natural environmental issues in business organizations. Academy of Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal, 43(4), 548-570. CIRIA Guide C571. (2001). Sustainable Construction Procurement. A Guide to Delivering   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Environmentally Responsible Projects. London: CIRIA. Ding, G., Langston, C. (2001). Sustainable Practices in the Built Environment. Oxford:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Butterworth-Heinemann. Lantos, G. (2001). The boundaries of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Consumer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marketing, 18(7), 595-630. Sustainability at Work. (2004). Carillion – Embedding Sustainability with the Organisation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved on 18 November, 2008, from http://www.sustainabilityatwork.org.uk/

Everything You Need to Know About Sandstone

Everything You Need to Know About Sandstone Sandstone, simply put, is sand cemented together into rock - this is easy to tell just by looking closely at a specimen. But beyond that simple definition lies an interesting makeup of sediment, matrix,  and cement that can (with investigation) reveal a great deal of valuable geologic information. Sandstone Basics Sandstone is a type of rock made from sediment - a sedimentary rock. The sediment particles are clasts, or pieces, of minerals and fragments of rock, thus sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock. It is composed mostly of sand  particles, which are of medium size; therefore, sandstone is a medium-grained clastic sedimentary rock. More precisely, sand is between 1/16 millimeter and 2 mm in size (silt is finer and gravel is coarser). The sand grains that makeup sandstone are aptly referred to as framework grains. Sandstone may include finer and coarser material and still be called sandstone, but if it includes more than 30 percent grains of gravel, cobble or boulder size its classified instead as conglomerate or breccia (together these are called rudites). Sandstone has two different kinds of material in it besides the sediment particles: matrix and cement. Matrix is the fine-grained stuff (silt and clay size) that was in the sediment along with the sand whereas cement is the mineral matter, introduced later, that binds the sediment into rock. Sandstone with a lot of matrix is called poorly sorted. If matrix amounts to more than 10 percent of the rock, it is called a wacke (wacky). A well-sorted sandstone (little matrix) with little cement is called an arenite. Another way to look at it is that wacke is dirty and arenite is clean. You may notice that none of this discussion mentions any particular minerals, just a certain particle size. But in fact, minerals make up an important part of sandstones geologic story. Minerals of Sandstone Sandstone is formally defined strictly by particle size, but rocks made of carbonate minerals dont qualify as sandstone. Carbonate rocks are called limestone and given a whole separate classification, so sandstone really signifies a silicate-rich rock. (A medium-grained clastic carbonate rock, or limestone sandstone, is called calcarenite.) This division makes sense because limestone is made in clean ocean water, whereas silicate rocks are made from sediment eroded off the continents. Mature continental sediment consists of a handful of surface minerals, and sandstone, therefore, is usually almost all quartz. Other minerals- clays, hematite, ilmenite, feldspar, amphibole, and mica- and small rock fragments (lithics) as well as organic carbon (bitumen) add color and character to the clastic fraction or the matrix. A sandstone with at least 25 percent feldspar is called arkose. A sandstone made of volcanic particles is called tuff.​ The cement in sandstone is usually one of three materials: silica (chemically the same as quartz), calcium carbonate or iron oxide. These may infiltrate the matrix and bind it together, or they may fill the spaces where there is no matrix. Depending on the mix of matrix and cement, sandstone may have a wide range of color from nearly white to nearly black, with gray, brown, red, pink and buff in between. How Sandstone Forms Sandstone forms where sand is laid down and buried. Usually, this happens offshore from river deltas, but desert dunes and beaches can leave sandstone beds in the geologic record too. The famous red rocks of the Grand Canyon, for instance, formed in a desert setting. Fossils can be found in sandstone, although the energetic environments where sand beds form dont always favor preservation. Grand Canyon National Park. Dean Fikar / Getty Images   When sand is deeply buried, the pressure of burial and slightly higher temperatures allow minerals to dissolve or deform and become mobile. The grains become more tightly knit together, and the sediments are squeezed into a smaller volume. This is the time when cementing material moves into the sediment, carried there by fluids charged with dissolved minerals. Oxidizing conditions lead to red colors from iron oxides while reducing conditions lead to darker and grayer colors. What Sandstone Says The sand grains in sandstone give information about the past: The presence of feldspar and lithic grains means that the sediment is close to the mountains where it arose.Detailed studies of sandstone give insight into its provenance- the kind of countryside that produced the sand.The degree to which the grains are rounded is a sign of how far they were transported.A frosted surface is generally a sign that sand was transported by wind- that, in turn, means a sandy desert setting. Various features in sandstone are signs of the past environment: Ripples can indicate the local water currents or wind directions.Load structures, sole marks, rip-up clasts, and similar features are fossil footprints of ancient currents.Liesegang bands are signs of chemical action after burial of the sand. The layers, or bedding, in sandstone are also signs of the past environment: Turbidite sequences point to a marine setting.Crossbedding (truncated, tilted sandstone layering) is a rich source of information on currents.Interbeds of shale or conglomerate may indicate episodes of different climate. More About Sandstone Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon / Getty Images As a landscaping and building stone, sandstone is full of character, with warm colors. It can also be quite durable. The majority of sandstone quarried today is used as flagstones. Unlike commercial granite, commercial sandstone is the same as what the geologists say it is. Sandstone is the official state rock of Nevada. Magnificent sandstone outcrops in the state can be seen at Valley of Fire State Park.   With a great deal of heat and pressure, sandstones turn to the metamorphic rocks quartzite or gneiss, tough rocks with tightly packed mineral grains.

10 Rewards and Risks of Self-Publishing

10 Rewards and Risks of Self-Publishing 10 Rewards and Risks of Self-Publishing 10 Rewards and Risks of Self-Publishing By Mark Nichol Some time ago, I wrote a highly skeptical post about self-publishing. I stand by my concerns, but I realize my initial assessment could have been more open-minded. Here’s a more neutral evaluation of the pros and cons. Rewards 1. Autonomy In self-publishing, writers control the publishing process. In traditional publishing, the final edit, the cover design and cover copy, and the manner in which marketing and rights are handled are the publisher’s prerogative. 2. Marketing Traditional publishers focus most of their marketing efforts (and other attention) on established authors, attending little to most of the writers whose works they publish. However, writers with an established audience bloggers, speakers, and experts can inexpensively market their self-published books themselves. 3. Timeliness Self-published books can be completed and distributed in a matter of weeks or, at most, months. A traditionally published book usually comes out more than a year after it is accepted for publication. 4. Compensation On average, self-published writers collect roughly half of the sale price, as opposed to ten percent or less for authors of traditionally published books. In addition, self-publishers can deduct many of their expenses when figuring their taxes (but so can other writers). 5. Dress Rehearsal Writers can self-publish to help them determine whether they can succeed through traditional publishing. Armed with one or more successful self-published books, they might have a better chance at getting noticed by a literary agent or a publisher. Risks 1. Isolation The good news is that self-publishers have control over all aspects of publishing, carrying out or outsourcing, as they see fit, the many tasks involved in producing a book. The bad news is, they have to acquire the skills and knowledge to complete the tasks, or find others to do them. 2. Selling Among these tasks is selling the book. It takes time and effort to identify and target your audience, to produce publicity materials, to schedule events and appearances, and so on not to mention actually getting people to actually buy books. 3. Workload Whether you carry out all the steps involved in producing, marketing, and selling your book or delegate some or all responsibilities, doing so will take time and effort. 4. Expenses Self-publishers have to invest in their books up-front, whereas traditional publishers bear the risk of producing a book. (They also often provide an advance and pay out royalties.) One hidden cost is finding a distributor not always essential, but often advised because booksellers seldom buy books directly from an author. 5. Prejudice Despite some major and minor self-publishing successes, the do-it-yourself approach is still stigmatized and rightly so. Most self-published books are poorly written and/or designed, and many readers (and agents) assume again, with some justification that if traditional publishers have rejected your manuscript, there’s a good reason for that decision. (Furthermore, traditional publishers may not consider a self-publishing success a valid reason for considering producing a new edition of that book or accepting another by the same author.) As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m not hostile to self-publishing. (I encourage readers of this post to also check out not only that article but also the comments written in response to it.) But I strongly urge prospective self-publishers to carefully examine their motives and their goals before investing in the endeavor. And though reading about others’ successes is encouraging, it can also be misleading; don’t overvalue anecdotal accounts of lucrative self-publishing at the expense of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. 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 Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases8 Proofreading Tips And TechniquesPunctuation Is Powerful