Subjectivity and Dynamic of Leadership †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Examine about the Subjectivity and Dynamic of Leadership. Answer: Presentation: Pioneers assume a significant job in the association just as in the entire world. A large portion of the nations are equitable in nature and in this manner they require a compelling pioneer to lead the nation. Indeed, even the organizations are encountering the idea of majority rules system and the worker feelings are turning into the significant part to be thought of. Without a decent pioneers and a powerful initiative, there is no feeling of having a decent group. This is a result of the group isn't coordinated to work in a specific way that is right; the endeavors made by them will consistently squander. There are numerous definition that has been given to the idea of pioneer and initiative, yet the core of the considerable number of definitions proposes that authority is the capacity of the individual to lead others and to manage them so as to show them the way on which they need to go in order to accomplish the person just as authoritative goals. It has been examined that there are numerous other situational setting that should be considered at the hour of administration or driving others. This is on the grounds that there are possibilities that influence the dynamic procedure of the pioneers now and again. This is the nature of the great chief to deal with the circumstance at its wager. This is on the grounds that circumstances are the most significant variables that influence the utilization of intensity of the pioneers at the incredible degree. There are various speculations that are wrinkles with administration since years. The improvement of the organizations and the adjustment in the abilities and the requests of the market require various sorts of administration (Avolio Yammarino, 2013). These are the circumstances that have advanced the initiative hypotheses from years. The principal hypothesis that has been talked about officially about the authority is the quality hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that pioneers are conceived and can't be made. As indicated by this hypothesis, there are a few qualities and propensities for good pioneers that separate them from the conventional pioneers and these attributes are accepted to be in them since they were conceived. The idea of accepting that pioneers are conceived and the initiative abilities are natural has commanded the time before Second World War (Sipe Frick, 2015). There were various characteristics that has been recognized as the quality for being a decent pioneers , for example, self-adequacy, predominance, knowledge and so on this hypothesis was censured by a portion of the scholars and recommends that there is no worry of circumstance in their hypothesis. With this, two new speculations advanced called as transformational and value-based initiative. Value-based administration is the initiative style that is accepted to be functioned as an agreement between the pioneers and the laborers where the pioneers makes the laborers it work at the expense of compensating them (Odumeru Ogbonna, 2013). It builds up a work connection between the pioneer and the laborers. According to this hypothesis, the pioneers doesn't have some particular portrays yet there need to build up the framework that should be trailed by their laborers. This hypothesis has framed the premise of the new kind of initiative that is transformational pioneers in which alongside the attributes of making the framework; the pioneers additionally have a portion of the qualities, for example, charm, impacting force and relationship devilment strategies. According to this authority, the pioneers must be reliable and in this manner impact the laborers to work as indicated by their convictions and styles. Transformational authority around then was seen as the initiative that should be trailed by the perfect chiefs since this arrangements with devilment of individual alongside the advancement of associations (Parris Peachey, 2013). One of the qualities that have been referenced in the transformational administration is allure which frames another sort of authority known as charming initiative. This is the sort of administration that has some center qualities, for example, visionary and inventive reasoning, future expectation of the patterns and compassion towards their associates (Schyns, Kiefer, Kerschreiter Tymon, 2011) This was additionally confronted an analysis as a result of no connection of allure and execution. It has been contended that the clouded side of magnetic administration that the pioneers shroud the indications of contrary character that they have and it turns out to be past the point of no return for the association to pass judgment on their attributes along these lines even this hypothesis can't be reasonable for clarifying the qualities of the great head. It has been investigated that different theoires have been proposed by various creators identified with the attributes of the individuals or the pioneers yet it has been distinguished that nobody hypothesis can be implemnetd at all the circumstances (Winkler, 2010). This is a result of the changing condition and the circumstances in the associations. In todays time where the things are changing quickly and the requests of the market is modifying with an incredible pace, it has been prove that no single attributes or the arrangement of qualities can be resolved to be acceptable pioneer. As examined in the above area, it has been dissected that even the extraordinary pioneers or the administration hypotheses that were believed to be exceptionally successful and immaculate have confronted analysis as a result of either issues (Lynch, 2012). It has been investigated that there is one of initiative style that is hireling administration in which the examination has not been led to that deg ree. This sort of authority puts stock in concentrating on the necessities of the subordinates. The administration has confidence in building up the relationship of trust and sympathy with the pioneers and rewarding them reasonably. A large portion of the authority nowadays are embracing this style in order to think about the perspectives and assessments of the representatives by engaging the workers to share their perspectives (Komives, Dugan Owen, 2011). Another quality of characters according to the current circumstances and the current changing condition is enthusiastic insight. It is a lot of required for the pioneer to have IQ alongside passionate knowledge. Passionate knowledge can be characterized as the capacities of the person to evaluate own self so as to comprehend the circumstance of others. Passionate knowledge incorporates five describes that are mindfulness, self guideline, inspiration, sympathy and social abilities (Wampold Imel, 2015). These characteristics should be engaged with the character of the pioneer so as to comprehend the idea of self and furthermore of others. It has been contended that enthusiastic knowledge is the character quality that increases the value of the authority style of the pioneers. It gives the capacity to the pioneer to think about his own qualities and blemishes so he can undoubtedly figure out how to comprehend other passionate perspectives too (Jenkins, 2013). This likewise encourages the pioneers to manage their feelings according to the circumstances. In the event that an individual is equipped for knowing his feelings he can without much of a stretch manage a similar when the circumstance emerges. It is required by the pioneers to have the guideline capacity so as to demonstrate their feelings to a degree till it is required by the circumstances and not pretty much than that. There are a few attributes that the subordinates investigate their pioneers and having those characteristics make a pioneer a decent pi oneer. These characteristics can be characterized as resource of specific qualities however they vary according to the necessities and requirements of the subordinates just as the circumstances (Warrick, 2011). Picking up acknowledgment as pioneers among the equitable society is itself challenge for the pioneers nowadays. This is on the grounds that everybody has their own attitudes and prerequisites and in this way it turns out to be difficult for the pioneers to consider the circumstances very individual without fail. There are various attributes that have been normal out of the pioneers. Correspondence is probably the most effect of them. This is provided that the pioneers don't have what it takes to speak with the other individual than it turns out to be hard to manage the individuals and cause them to comprehend the headings to work appropriately. It has been finished up from the above conversation that it isn't required to characterize the arrangements of qualities of the pioneers unfailingly. It is required to comprehend the circumstance by the pioneers before settling on any choices to deal with the equivalent. There are some fundamental characteristics that make the persona great pioneer, for example, charm, sympathy, knowledge, self-adequacy and enthusiastic insight nowadays (Maxwell, 2011). This is on the grounds that the individuals are part progressively delicate nowadays. They need enthusiastic just as expert help at the work environment to perform proficiently. In this way, it is required by the individual to have passionate association with the subordinates in order to be the acceptable pioneer. Considering the possibility and circumstance is significant angle alongside having extraordinary relational abilities. References: Avolio, B. J., Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.). (2013). Prologue to, and diagram of, transformational and appealling administration. InTransformational and Charismatic Leadership: The Road Ahead tenth Anniversary Edition(pp. xxvii-xxxiii). Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Jenkins, R. (2013). What makes a decent leader.The Chronicle of Higher Education. Komives, S. R., Dugan, J. P., Owen, J. E. (2011).The handbook for understudy authority advancement. John Wiley Sons. Lynch, M. (2012).A manual for successful school initiative speculations. Routledge. Maxwell, J. C. (2011).The 360 Degree Leader with Workbook: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization. Thomas Nelson Inc. Odumeru, J. An., Ogbonna, I. G. (2013). Transformational versus value-based authority speculations: Evidence in literature.International Review of Management and Business Research,2(2), 355. Schyns, B., Kiefer, T., Kerschreiter, R., Tymon, A. (2011). Instructing understood initiative hypotheses to create pioneers and authority: How and why it can make a difference.Academy of Management Learni

Entertainment Speech free essay sample

To certain individuals having an infant appears to be easy and clear. That is to say, actually how hard would it be able to be? You should simply hold them, rock them to rest, feed them their container when they cry and change their diaper a couple of times each day. Who wouldn’t need to bring home that sweet dear baby from the medical clinic, get a flood measure of cards, blessings, home prepared suppers and have all the assistance you would require from relatives and companions. Sounds like an entirely straightforward inquiry to me. I will always remember, I was around fifteen year’s old flying out to Florida to go on a family excursion. Here comes strolling down the passageway a mother around the age of thirty, appealing, dazzling looking face, hair set up in a bun splashed intensely, wearing studs and rings that were conspicuous to such an extent that the main thing I could do is stay there and gape. Furthermore I would have somebody close by supporting me the whole night. Evan and I arranged the entire night from what we were going to wear to supper to the after gathering to remaining over at my home. However, all together for this fantasy plan to really work I was going to require my parent’s endorsement. In any case, they didn't realize I was gay, nor did they realize that I had a sweetheart. So as to persuade my dad into letting me do what I needed, I like any adolescent realized I needed to suck up to him. In this manner, I went through a whole day cutting the garden, supporting the shrubs, cutting the roses, planting blossoms, vacuuming, tidying, rearranging, and in conclusion preparing supper. After supper I took my dad outside to give him all the work that I had done. It was evening time and the lights on the house and arranging made a marvelous vibe. What's more, following a couple of moments of strolling around and supplementing on the work, I realized that I wasn’t going to have a superior open door then that second. I stopped and looked my dad profound into the eyes, and start by first expressing â€Å"do you vow not to get distraught at me? † I realized I was shaking and my hands started to perspire as he answered with saying â€Å"go on. † The absence of consolation caused my body to go into a free for all, I was shaking tirelessly as I mumbled â€Å"I’m gay†¦ I like young men. † I out of nowhere felt lighter, as though I achieved the unthinkable. Knowing how understanding my Father was I anticipated that the discussion should go easily after the underlying stun had hit him. Be that as it may, as time went in unbalanced quietness. I realized that it wasn’t so. Abruptly my dad started to shell me with questions. Why? How would you know? Why don’t you like young ladies? What did I do to make you gay? My heart sank, all the rehearsing and instructing from guardians, from other gay companions, my beau, his folks, they caused it to appear to be so natural. Also, here I am with my own dad dismissing me, doubting me as though I was some disappointment. It at long last came down to him asking â€Å"what do you need from me? † The inquiry rang through my head. What do I need from you? I don't get your meaning what do I need from you? Nothing had changed. I despite everything need very similar things love regard bolster consolation. So agilely I said â€Å"support father, I need your help. † After all I realized that coming out to the whole school would have its repercussions and I expected to free numerous fellowships. I sat tight for a reaction, till at long last he said I can’t bolster your choices Chris, please we will need to tell your progression mother. † After murmuring those equivalent words to her, she tumbled to the ground in a sensational show hollering her eyes out and in a split second started to assault me by asking things like â€Å"so would you say you are simply having an entire bundle of sex when you have folks over? † She even went as far to state that she didn’t need me in a 30-minute sweep of the house with another person. I at last understood my folks were humiliated of me. I was harmed. In the event that having my mom reveal to me that she doesn’t love me wasn’t terrible enough the last two guardians throughout my life were tearing me down word by word due to my sexual direction. I didn’t request to be brought into the world along these lines. I simply was. Trivial to state I wasn’t permitted to go to prom, which prompted one gigantic battle with my beau and us separating. Weeks went on and gradually my opportunities were taken away from me: being out past 12 PM, resting over at places, trips over one day, having fellow companions over, more errands were included, it just appeared to be outlandish. At long last, I couldn’t take it any more. The disappointment of not being cheerful bamboozled me which prompted a four hour contention where I was hit, stifled, slapped, swore at and intellectually manhandled. I had at last hit my low. I couldn’t stand living with them any more. What's more, they couldn’t stand me. When I turned 18 I was confronted with the choice of attempting to make it all alone monetarily and genuinely or keep on living through a lot of hardship. I left my parent’s life and now am demonstrating to them and myself that I can do it without them. Since moving out I have discovered another regard for myself and direction. Also, today I can say I am pleased with myself. What's more, before I end I need to leave you with this, the entirety of our activities have repercussions, ensure you thoroughly consider them before you act. I simply trust that one day my parent’s can think back and ask was it extremely worth loosing a child since he was gay?

Concert Studio Jazz Band free essay sample

On a warm Sunday evening, March tenth to be precise, Long Beach State University was clamoring with grounds action. While everybody was at the yearly Pop Wow situated on upper grounds, I was going towards the college Theater to watch Clubs Studio Jazz Band perform. In the wake of buying my ticket, I entered the enormous, dull setting and sat straightforwardly before the band which filled the whole stage. Before the show was going to begin, I had the option to watch the crowd and record the socioeconomics. A considerable lot of the individuals that went to were understudies and companions of the musicians, and even a portion of their parental units came to help also. Despite the fact that the house wasnt altogether stuffed (could be on the grounds that the show was at 2:00 Toward the evening), everybody appeared to be energized and there were unquestionably acceptable vibes noticeable all around. The band was fabulous, yet out of the many stunning creations that were performed, I picked two to survey. We will compose a custom paper test on Show: Studio Jazz Band or on the other hand any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page The primary arrangement was a cutting edge, samba-like piece called Sedentary Motion made by Tom Gargling.A commonplace Jazz set up was utilized, which incorporated the cadence segment (piano, electric guitar, standup bass, and drum set), and included instruments like the trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. The presentation structure was practically equivalent to a head-solo-head structure with a tenor saxophone solo first, and a trumpet solo after. The two soloists showed flawless improvisational abilities while keeping a smooth, provocative feel to their tone, and at the same time had the option to push the piece in a forward force. The general execution was exceptionally timed; the perky was constantly underlined, and the samba-like characteristics of the piece made me need to move. An imperative part of the exhibition was the drumming. To add to the vibe and push of the piece. The drums were played softly as opposed to hard and stressed. The subsequent structure was a great swing piece called Dont Get Around Much Anymore, initially titled Never No Lament wrote and recorded in the backtalk by Duke Elongating. A similar Jazz set up was utilized for this presentation, yet rather, the soloist (a trombone player) was brought to the front.The structure of the exhibition was a lot of Like a call and reaction where the included trombonist was the call while the band was the reaction. I especially delighted in the soloists profound and rich sound when he played the highlighted parts, and much valued his away from of high and low notes when he played his improvisational parts. The piece over totally began with a major and strong starting which changed into a swing, and generally, the band kept steady over the beat and played the melody in an energetic tempo.A important part of the presentation was that this piece was the main piece that was a work of art. Every single other piece performed were viewed as current Jazz pieces. To put it plainly, I for one delighted in the whole execution and could tell that the crowd made some great memories also. One of my preferred examples of the show was after interlude when 3 individuals from the debut jazz combo, the Conservatory Jazz Combo, Joined the band and played a little piece called Grow by Philip Dick. These 3 performers were Just so incredible to tune in to and I felt engaged. Nonetheless, expressive (they were situated before the band) than those that had their eyes stuck to their music sheets. This returns to the subject of Jazz at that point and now, how in those days, everything was found out by ear, played for the most part without composed scores, and performed expressively versus the present, where everything is a remarkable inverse. Obviously this doesnt go for all Jazz entertainers, however it is a basic perception which can without much of a stretch be found in the scholarly world. That is the reason it is imperative to find out about the historical backdrop of Jazz and to realize that it wasnt consistently what it is currently.

10 Interesting Facts About Mercury (Element)

10 Interesting Facts About Mercury (Element) Mercury is a sparkling, shiny fluid metal, in some cases called mercury. It is a progress metal with nuclear number 80 on the occasional table, nuclear load of 200.59, andâ the component image Hg. Here are some quick realities in addition to 10 intriguing component realities about mercury. You can discover significantly progressively point by point data on the mercury realities page. Quick Facts: The Element Mercury Component Name: MercuryElement Symbol: HgAtomic Number: 80Atomic Weight: 200.592Classification: Transition Metal or Post-Transition MetalState of Matter: LiquidName Origin: The image Hg originates from the name hydrargyrum, which means water-silver. The name mercury originates from the Roman god Mercury, known for his swiftness.Discovered By: Known before 2000 BCE in China and India Mercury is the main metal that is a fluid at standard temperature and pressure. The just other fluid component under standard conditions is bromine (a halogen), althoughâ the metals rubidium, cesium, and gallium soften only hotter than room temperature. Mercury has a high surface strain, so it structures roundedâ beads of liquid.Although mercury and the entirety of its mixes areâ known to be profoundly harmful, it was viewed as helpful all through a lot of history.The present day component image for mercury is Hg, which is the image for another name for mercury: hydrargyrum. Hydrargyrum originates from Greek words for water-silver (hydr-implies water, argyros implies silver).Mercury is an extremely uncommon component in the Earths outside layer. It represents just about just 0.08 parts per million (ppm). It is essentially found in the mineral cinnabar, which is mercuric sulfide. Mercuric sulfide is the sourceâ of the red color called vermilion.Mercury for the most part isn' t permitted on airplane since it joins so promptly with aluminum, a metal that is regular on airplane. At the point when mercury frames an amalgam with aluminum, the oxide layer that shields aluminum from oxidizing is disturbed. This makes aluminum erode, similarly as iron rusts. Mercury doesn't respond with most acids.Mercury is a moderately poor conductor of warmth. Most metals are phenomenal warm conductors. It is a gentle electrical conduit. The freezing pointâ (- 38.8 degrees Celsius) and breaking point (356 degrees Celsius) of mercury are nearer together than for some other metals.Although mercury as a rule shows a 1 or 2 oxidation state, once in a while it has a 4 oxidation state. The electron arrangement makes mercury act to some degree like an honorable gas. Like honorable gases, mercury shapes generally feeble concoction bonds with different components. It structures amalgams with the various metals, aside from iron. This settles on iron a decent decision to make compartments to hold and transport mercury.The component Mercury is named for the Roman god Mercury. Mercury is the main component to hold its catalytic name as its cutting edge regular name. The component was known to old developments, going back to in any event 2000 BCE Vials of un adulterated mercury have been found in Egyptian tombs from the 1500s BCE. Mercury is utilized in fluorescent lights, thermometers, coast valves, dental amalgams, in medication, for the creation of different synthetics, and to make fluid mirrors. Mercury(II) explode is a hazardous utilized as a groundwork in guns. The disinfectant mercury compound thimerosal is an organomercury compound found in immunizations, tattoo inks, contact focal point arrangements, and cosmetics.â Sources Lide, D.R., supervisor. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 86th version, CRC Press, 2005, pp. 4.125â€4.126.Meija, J., et al. Nuclear Weights of the Elements 2013 (IUPAC Technical Report). Unadulterated and Applied Chemistry, vol. 88, no. 3, 2016, pp. 265â€91.Weast, R.C., editor. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 64th version, CRC Press, 1984, p. E110.

On abnormality

On abnormality I was reading back over the last two entries and realized I may have made myself sound somewhat normal, as people go (other than saying that biology research is one of the loves of my life). So I decided to devote this entry to a small subset of the ways in which I am either unique (if youre my mother) or weird (if youre the rest of the general public). First and definitely foremost. I like to make lists. And spreadsheets. And graphs. If it can be made into an Excel spreadsheet, I have not only made it into an Excel spreadsheet, I have also converted it to Adobe PDF and stored it in my Athena locker. One of my more notorious quirks is that I keep my sleep statistics in a set of Excel files. Every morning when I wake up, I record the time I fell asleep and the time I woke up, as well as the times of any naps I may have taken; every few weeks, I add that data to the statistics file, where I analyze it by type of day (schoolday, non-schoolday, or workday) and by year (freshman, sophomore, junior). It will probably not shock you to hear that, after much detailed statistical analysis, I discovered that I sleep more on the weekends than I do on schooldays. My Athena locker also contains my schedule for this past spring term. I need to keep this in easily accessible form because I am extremely absentminded and occasionally forget which day of the week it is. I was always like this as a child, although MIT has exacerbated my tendencies to record and graph random bits of information about my life. When I was little, I used to always get a 96-box of Crayola crayons for the first day of school (you know, the ones that came with the crayon sharpener in the back?) and then I would carefully organize them so they were in rainbow order, with all the reds in one box, the oranges next to them I suppose the weirdest and most anal thing of all is that I have compiled all of my oddities into a single webpage. (Its kind of like a hall of mirrors its odd that I record all of my oddities about recording things) Im sure Ive freaked everyone out enough for one day, so Ill stop there. ;)

Character Transformation And Social-Historical Awareness - 550 Words

Character Transformation And Social-Historical Awareness In The Novels Of Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye (Essay Sample) Content: CHARACTER TRANSFORMATION AND SOCIO-HISTORICAL AWARENESS INTHE NOVELS OF MARJORIE OLUDHE MACGOYEFrom the novel, Coming to birth the author Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye descibes the extent to which the historical, mediated by Macgoye's ideological disposition, shapes and determines character transformation especially when such characters happen to be marginalized women. It argues that Macgoye valorizes women characters detailing issues affecting them in order to sensitize the society to have a fresher glance at their plight. History, according to Macgoye, does not impact homogeneously on both men and women. This is clearly reflected in the progressive social transformation of Macgoye's model female character, Paulina of Coming to Birth while her husband Martin retrogresses. Macgoye's key statement in all her novels may be summarized as change, which is conceived of in the form of a journey motif. The journey is gradual and may occupy the whole of one's life. The journey begi ns in the village-a symbol of restricted space where men rule supreme and end in the city, which offers economic and social space leading to a holistic transformation. The city is seen as offering the much needed alternative choice for social and economic progress. Macgoye shows clearly that the social economic and political transformation can never be divorced from the historical events that unfold within the larger area of the nation. That is why she tries individual freedom to that of a nation at large. Her characters are presented as tragic individuals freedom to that...

How Velociraptor Was Discovered

Of all the dinosaurs that have been discovered over the last 200 years, Velociraptor comes closest to the romantic ideal of rugged paleontologists trekking across dangerous, windswept terrain in search of ancient fossils. Ironically, though, this dinosaur was nowhere near as smart and vicious as it has subsequently been depicted in movies, the main culprit being Jurassic Parks pack-hunting, quick-thinking, doorknob-turning Velociraptors (which were actually played by individuals of the closely related raptor genus Deinonychus, and even then not all that accurately). The Velociraptors of the Gobi Desert In the early 1920s, Mongolia (located in central Asia) was one of the most remote places on the face of the earth, inaccessible by train, plane, or pretty much anything else except a well-stocked caravan of well-oiled automobiles and sturdy horses. That is exactly what New Yorks American Museum of Natural History dispatched to outer Mongolia, by way of western China, in a series of fossil-hunting expeditions led by the famous paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews. Although Andrews personally discovered and named many Mongolian dinosaurs in the early 1920s—including Oviraptor and Protoceratops—the honor of unearthing Velociraptor went to one of his associates, Peter Kaisen, who stumbled upon a crushed skull and toe claw at a dig site in the Gobi Desert. Unfortunately for Kaisen, the honor of naming Velociraptor didnt go to him, or even to Andrews, but to Henry Fairfield Osborn, the president of the American Museum of Natural History (who, after all, wrote all the checks). Osborn referred to this dinosaur as Ovoraptor in a popular magazine article; fortunately for generations of schoolkids (can you imagine having to distinguish between Ovoraptor and Oviraptor?) he settled on Velociraptor mongoliensis (speedy thief from Mongolia) for his scientific paper. Velociraptor Behind the Iron Curtain It was difficult enough to send an American expedition to the Gobi Desert in the early 1920s; that became a political impossibility only a few years later, as the Mongolian government was toppled by a Communist revolution and the Soviet Union exerted its hegemony over Mongolian science. (The Peoples Republic of China didnt come into existence until 1949, giving the USSR a crucial head start in a Mongolian nation that, today, is dominated by China rather than Russia.) The upshot was that, for over 50 years, the American Museum of Natural History was excluded from any further Velociraptor-hunting expeditions. After World War II, Mongolian scientists, aided by colleagues from the USSR and Poland, returned repeatedly to the Flaming Cliffs fossil site where the original Velociraptor specimens had been unearthed. The most famous discovery—of a near-complete Velociraptor caught in the act of grappling with an equally well-preserved Protoceratops—was announced in 1971. In the late 1980s, following the crumbling of the Soviet Union and its satellites, western scientists were again able to travel in Mongolia. This was when a joint Chinese and Canadian team discovered Velociraptor specimens in northern China, and a joint Mongolian and American team unearthed additional Velociraptors at the Flaming Cliffs site. (One of the specimens discovered on this latter expedition was informally named Ichabodcraniosaurus, after Nathaniel Hawthornes headless horseman because it was missing its skull.) Later, in 2007, paleontologists discovered a Velociraptor forearm bearing the unmistakable imprint of quills—the first definite proof that (as had long been suspected) Velociraptor sported feathers rather than reptilian scales. The Feathered Theropods of Central Asia As famous as it is, Velociraptor was far from the only feathered, meat-eating dinosaur of late Cretaceous central Asia. The ground was thick with dino-birds closely related to the North American Troodon, including Saurornithoides, Linhevenator, Byronosaurus, and the wonderfully named Zanabazar; feathered dinosaurs closely related to Oviraptor, including Heyuannia, Citipati, Conchoraptor, and the (also) wonderfully named Khaan; and a vast assortment of associated raptors. Most of these dinosaurs were discovered in the late 20th century, under the auspices of a talented generation of Chinese paleontologists. What was it about the windswept Mongolian plains that favored this brand of dinosaur diversity? Clearly, conditions in late Cretaceous central Asia  favored small, skittery animals that could nimbly pursue smaller prey or speedily escape from the clutches of slightly bigger dino-birds. In fact, the profusion of central Asian feathered dinosaurs points to the most likely explanation for the evolution of flight: originally evolved for the purposes of insulation and display, feathers gave dinosaurs a certain amount of lift while they were running, and were thus increasingly favored by natural selection until one lucky reptile achieved actual lift-off!