Thursday, December 26, 2019

What Is Markovs Inequality

Markov’s inequality is a helpful result in probability that gives information about a probability distribution. The remarkable aspect about it is that the inequality holds for any distribution with positive values, no matter what other features that it has. Markov’s inequality gives an upper bound for the percent of the distribution that is above a particular value. Statement of Markov’s Inequality Markov’s inequality says that for a positive random variable X and any positive real number a, the probability that X is greater than or equal to a is less than or equal to the expected value of X divided by a. The above description can be stated more succinctly using mathematical notation. In symbols, we write Markov’s inequality as: P (X ≠¥ a) ≠¤ E( X) /a Illustration of the Inequality To illustrate the inequality, suppose we have a distribution with nonnegative values (such as a chi-square distribution). If this random variable X has expected value of 3 we will look at probabilities for a few values of a. For a 10 Markov’s inequality says that P (X ≠¥ 10) ≠¤ 3/10 30%. So there is a 30% probability that X is greater than 10.For a 30 Markov’s inequality says that P (X ≠¥ 30) ≠¤ 3/30 10%. So there is a 10% probability that X is greater than 30.For a 3 Markov’s inequality says that P (X ≠¥ 3) ≠¤ 3/3 1. Events with a probability of 1 100% are certain. So this says that some value of the random variable is greater than or equal to 3. This should not be too surprising. If all the values of X were less than 3, then the expected value would also be less than 3.As the value of a increases, the quotient E(X) /a will become smaller and smaller. This means that the probability is very small that X is very, very large. Again, with an expected value of 3, we would not expect there to be much of the distribution with values that were very large. Use of the Inequality If we know more about the distribution that we’re working with, then we can usually improve on Markov’s inequality. The value of using it is that it holds for any distribution with nonnegative values. For example, if we know the mean height of students at an elementary school. Markov’s inequality tells us that no more than one-sixth of the students can have a height greater than six times the mean height. The other major use of Markov’s inequality is to prove Chebyshev’s inequality. This fact results in the name â€Å"Chebyshev’s inequality† being applied to Markov’s inequality as well. The confusion of the naming of the inequalities is also due to historical circumstances. Andrey Markov was the student of Pafnuty Chebyshev. Chebyshev’s work contains the inequality that is attributed to Markov.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Exercise And Cold Water Immersion - 875 Words

The participation of Cold Water Immersion after a taxing training session or competition seems to be ritualistic in athletics. Cold water immersion, cold whirlpool therapy, and ice baths are all forms of cryotherapy; which is defined as â€Å"the application of a device or substance with a temperature less than body temperature, thus causing heat to pass from the body to the cryotherapy device.† (Knight and Draper, 2013, p. 229). Cold Water Immersion (CWI) is a form of recovery cryotherapy that involves submersing an individual’s affected limb or extremities into water that is less than that of body temperature. Exercise and Cold Water Immersion Theory Many processes happen within the human body in regards to exercise and pain. One major complaint within athletics is muscle soreness caused by exercise. Muscle soreness can affect performance negatively during activity. Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a sub-type of soreness that intensifies after twenty-four to forty-eight hours post exercise. It is thought to be caused by small tears in the muscle tissues, inflammation, or it could be due to the disruption of connective tissue of the muscle tissue, stiffness (Prentice, 2009, p. 273). CWI is thought to decrease the effects of DOMS and promote an active recovery by decreasing inflammation and metabolism, which can slow down the physiological responses of injury. (Knight and Draper, 2013, p. 214) When to CWI and Perceived Recovery Cold water immersion is primarilyShow MoreRelatedThe Effect Of Exercise On Pain Perception1079 Words   |  5 PagesThe role of exercise in pain perception has been widely researched for over a number of years as Koltyn (2000) found research had been taking place for more than twenty years. Previous studies have identified the significance of exercise in the treatment and rehabilitation for many patients with chronic pain (Naugle, Fillingham, Riley, 2012). According to IASP Taxonomy, International Association for the Study of Pain, â€Å"hypoalgesia is diminished pain in response to a normally painful stimulus† (MerskeyRead MoreHeat Dehydration And Heat Related Emergencies1578 Words   |  7 Pagesoccurs predominantly in settings in which athletes perform intense exercise in hot or humid environmental conditions, but it also can occur in a mild environment,† (Mazerolle, Scruggs, Casa, Burton, McDermott, Armstrong, Maresh, 2010). This complication of athletic activity is often under identified as many times athletes do not recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion as anything other than normal effects of strenuous exercise. Thus this delay in recognition can lead to serious complications andRead MoreThe Heat Stress Of Firefighters2145 Words   |  9 Pageshuman body by either increasing or decreasing the cardiac output during cold or heat stress conditions. When a human body is immersed into cold water, factors like increased heat transfer coefficient and low water temperature lead to a decrease in the blood perfusion at the superficial skin and muscle layers, thereby leading to a decrease in skin temperature. Reduced skin temperature over extend-ed periods of water immersion impedes normal cellular functions, which are countered by bodily reactionsRead MoreHistory of Swimming875 Words   |  4 Pagesperson probably fell into the water and struggled to shore using a dog-paddle stroke. There was an Egyptian hieroglyph for swimming dating from 2500 BC. The ancient Greeks and Romans made swimming an important part of their military training programs. There have been known swimming contests that were organized in Japan as early as the 1st century BC. During the Middle Ages in Europe, swimming declined in popularity. People felt that the water was contaminated and a sourceRead MoreEssay On Exercise Induced Muscle Damage756 Words   |  4 PagesExercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is very common after doing some kind of unaccustomed or eccentrically biased physical activity. Therapies such as cold-water immersion, massage, and active recovery are known to relieve the symptoms but these treatments have ambiguous results. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) have also been used as a treatment to EIMD. This study is looking to see if EIMD can be treated with nutritional supplements like fish oil. The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) andRead MoreDifference Between Ice Vest And Controls1450 Words   |  6 Pagesthe first 5 minutes of the experiment. This reduction in Ts causes a reduction in the need for blood flow to the skin which directly causes an increase in available blood for central circulation (Marino, 2002). The vasoconstriction as a result of the cold stimuli of the jacket would naturally inc rease the stroke volume (SV) and consequently cause a reduction in HR (Marino, 2002). Increased muscle blood flow could improve performance potentially. Figure 1 results showed that the ice-vest tests beginningRead MoreDifferent Cultures And Religions Of The Field Of Nursing1687 Words   |  7 Pagesfor 36 weeks. Some of the exercises that the patients practiced included boxing drills, strengthening and endurance exercises, and stretching. The results of the training showed both short and long-term improvements in gait, balance, activities of daily living, and quality of life (Combs, 2011, p.132). Hydrotherapy, the next type of alternative therapy, is listed under the category of alternative medical systems. Hydrotherapy is used by immersion in water, and the water is usually about 91-96  °FRead MoreThe Model Of Chronic Neck Pain2022 Words   |  9 Pagesanalysis is to find out if there is any correlation between the 4 modifiable variables (Figure 1). Figure 1: Proposed Conceptual Model There is moderate level evidence (8 systematic analyses- Table 1) demonstrating that endurance-strengthening exercises of the cervico-thoracic- scapula-shouder region (multiple systematic reviews include Cochrane 2015) (physical) and advice to stay active/return to work/reassurance (psychosocial) are effective for CPNP with moderate effect size. Therefore, this evidenceRead MoreEssay on Lab 2: Microscopy and the Metric System2328 Words   |  10 Pagesquestions, diagrams if needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students’ writing of lab reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor. Exercise 1: Measuring Length, Weight, Volume, and Temperature Try the following conversions for practice. 240,000 ng =0.24 mg =0.00024 g 50 cm =500 mm =0.5 m Procedure 1. Length: A metric ruler is useful for measuring items of lengthRead MoreGeneral Cutaneous Sensations1859 Words   |  8 Pagesexamination of cutaneous receptors. There are four exercises. For this lab, report your observations in a formal report, according to the formatting prescribed in Lab Report Format.doc which is found on Blackboard under Assignments/Before You Begin. Equipment needed: Metal calipers or compass with pencil 2 or more blunt probes (ball point pens or forks with blunt tines) 3 pennies 1 liter ice water in large container 1 liter hot water in large container (make sure it is bearable

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Familiarity Threat and Auditor Independence †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Familiarity Threat and Auditor Independence. Answer: Introduction: James Bromley disclosing tax information and helpful information to a new account is not violation of ethical standards. James has permission from his client to reveal the audit and tax information to the Jayne Godfrey who will be the new auditor. James providing other information information regarding the client product, services and potential services is within the auditing standards of professionalism. This practice doesnt interfere with the integrity, independence, and objectivity of the auditing standards. James orderly handover to Jayne will enhance professional competence which is within his due care. This professional behavior by James to disclose important information about the firm to be audited is in accordance with Auditing Standards section 304 and 204 on knowledge of the business and terms of enganagement respectively. Fred Hingarra who is an auditor coming back to practice auditing after spending several years in another profession is a violation of ethical principles. Fred violets the principle of being professionally competent after being away from the industry for six years. Six years is a long time to lose competence in undertaking auditing of a public company. Secondly, Fred action to get a professional indemnity insurance for his work is against the due care princinple of auditing. The auditor should be ready to take duty of care of his actions and opinion (Carey, Subramaniam, and Ching, 2006). Asquith Accountants advertising in a local paper is a violation of auditing ethics and principles. The firm giving special offer to clients is a form of persuading them to get the job of auditing. An advertisement in a local paper by an auditing firm to provide tax refund within 10days violates the principles of integrity through unprofessional behavior. The advertisement to appeal to a client also violets the principle of objectivity that cautions auditors from participating in activities that can impair or presume to impair unbiased assessment. Amy Harris taking a role of treasurer in a local not for profit business is not a violation of ethical principles. The local athletic club is not audited by the company that Amy works for. This shows that Amy Harris taking this position will not interference with her ability to execute her job as an auditor. The independence of an auditor will not be threaten by a post of treasurer in a not for profit organization. Therefore, there will be no violation of the auditing ethical principle of Amy taking the position and continuing her job as an auditor. Simtec Ltd advice to Gordan Accountants firm about the appropriateness of the final report is a violation of the ethical principles. First, the advise violets the independence of the auditors. The auditors independence to present the true and fair opinion of the financial statements of the company is threatened. This means that the Gordon Accountants actions and opinion will be influenced to one side. The auditor will be required to give a certain opinion in order to get his pay. Secondly, there is violation of the objectivity principle where the auditor is being involved in activities that are likely to impair unbiased opinion (O'Leary, and Stewart, 2007). This means that the auditor will be forced to give a biased opinion. This will also impair the professional judgment of an auditor. Lastly, the management of Simtec violent the terms of engagement with the auditing firm as stipulated in the Auditing standards AUS 710. David Dale entering into contact with Cheap Insurance Company is a violation of ethical principles. Davids action violates the ethical principle of confidentiality. The Cheap Insurance Company wants David to use the information he has from the auditing process to recommend clients. First, this will lead to David using the information from the audited firms without their authority. Secondly, the David uses the audited information for personal benefits. The Cheap Insurance Company is promising 5% for every client that David will get. This is against the confidentiality principle that requires respect the value of information they acquire in the process of auditing (Craswell, Stokes, and Laughton, 2002). The auditor should protect the information acquired. Lastly, it against the law and objectives for an auditor to use audit information for personal gain. Therefore, David will be violating confidentiality ethical principle. Ellen Davis taking the role in the audit team that will audit Jenkins Ltd threats the independence of the auditing process. Ellen Davis worked as a senior accounts manager for Jenkins Ltd and therefore can be used to audit the financial statements that she prepared. Using Ellen in this case will lead to conflicts of interests. This situation will be as a result of a relationship that Ellen had for four months with the entity that is to be audited. Ellen being part of the team to audit the financial statement of Jenkins Ltd will be influenced by her to make biased opinion. This will not necessary represent the true and fair financial position of the company being audited. John Dargin auditing Winmalee Ltd does not threaten the independence of auditors. The financial records of Winmalee Ltd have taken an optimistic approach on valuating their intangible assets which will require the auditor to understand the approach to give an opinion. Secondly, the Winmale Ltd provided all the details of it senior staff about their profits performance and all information about the accounting standards used. Though the approach is sympathetic the auditor independence is not threatened by it will be difficult to give an opinion based on the accounting standards set in Australia. John will therefore be require3d to give an opinion according to company approach or give a qualified opinion that the preparation of the financial statements were not in accordance with the generally accepted standards of accounting in Australia. An invite to visit a subsidiary or branch of the company does not threaten an independence of the auditor. Visiting the shop where defective chocolates are sold at a discount price increases the auditors knowledge of the business that is being audited. This will allow the auditor to have knowledge of the firms disposal of defect chocolates. Therefore, an invitation to a second shop in the process of auditing will not interfere with the auditors independence (Ye, Carson, and Simnett, 2011). The managing director request for a flexible approach in audit is a threat to the auditors independence. The manager influence on the audit report threatens the unbiased of the report. The auditor will not be able to give the true and fair state of the Companys financial position. This will be as a result of interference on the process of auditing. The auditor should be the one to choose the approach of auditing the financial statements of the company. On the other account, it against the law for the Managing Director to meet an auditor prior to commencement of the auditing process. Elaine Ong being a senior member of an audit team and having dating the senior Accountant threatens the independence of the auditing process. Elaine will not be able to give unbiased opinion about the accounts that are prepared or supervised by an individual who have an intimate relationship. There will be a conflict of interest in the process of auditing. First, the Elaine Ong will be biased to protect her relationship with the Accountant. This will jeopardize the whole process leading to an instance where opinion is biased. Secondly, the relationship between Elaine and James will lead to self interests to safe guard the boyfriend job. This will lead to Elaine giving unqualified opinion. Therefore, the relationship between Elaine and James will lead to conflict between the shareholders interests and their interests. Elaine will then work to serve her interest at the expense of the shareholders interests. Elaine should not be part of the audit team because her relationship with the a ccountant in the firm to be audited. Therefore, having a relationship conflicts interests that threatens the independence of the auditors (Hussey, 2007). Diane Polo playing in the same team with Elise Lift who is a senior Account ant and several other members of the Rangers Ltd that is to be audited does not threaten the independence of the auditing report. The relationship between Diane, Elise and other members of staff of the Rangers is for playing softball. The relationship is of playmates. This relationship does not have shared interests in business. The auditing opinion that will be given in the auditing report will not affect Diane in any way. The independence of Diane to make judgment in this case will not be influenced by the playmates in the company. The independence can only be threatens when the relationship between the auditor and a member in the team has vested interests that can jeopardize shareholders interests (van der Wiele et al., 2011). Details of auditors report on financial statements First, the auditor reports contains details on whether the financial statements are prepared in consistent with the accepted accounting principles. The financial statement in Australia should be prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting standards (AAS). These standards are the same as international Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs). These standards are to be met in the financial statements for an opinion of unqualified in the audit report. The compliance with AAS standards makes it easy for an auditor to understand the financial statement when auditing them. Second, the audit report contains a statement of financial statements on compliance with relevant statutory requirement. The audit report shows whether the financial statement complied with statutory regulations such as taxes. The report shows how if the compliance of met by the company that was being audited. Third, audit report gives details about the disclosure of materials that were important to the process of auditing. This is disclosure require all relevant materials be disclosed for the purpose of auditing. Disclosure is important for the auditor to establish true and fair financial position of the company (Stewart, and Subramaniam, 2010). For instance, disclosure of the inventory helps the auditor understand the methods of valuation used. Fourth, the audit reports contains changes that were made in the accounting principles or any other methods used in preparation of the financial statement. The report shows their effect on the financial statements that that they have been disclosed and properly determined in the financial statements. The auditors report also contains details that include; a title indicating independent, a statement that financial statements were audited, a statement indicating that the financial statements are managements responsibility and a signature of the auditor which can be manual or printed. Lastly, the auditors report contains the opinion of the auditor. This is the most important part of the audit report. It expresses the opinion of the auditor from the auditing process of an entity. The auditors opinion can be qualified, unqualified, or adverse opinion. Qualified opinion shows that the financial statements of an entity did not follow the Accounting Standards as contained in AASB standards. Unqualified opinion shows that the financial statements audited complied with the accounting standards and that they show the true and fair state of the entity financial position. Adverse opinion shows that there is misstatement in the financial statement of an entity that affects financial statements. References Carey, P., Subramaniam, N. and Ching, K.C.W., 2006. Internal audit outsourcing in Australia. Accounting Finance, 46(1), pp.11-30. Craswell, A., Stokes, D.J. and Laughton, J., 2002. Auditor independence and fee dependence. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 33(2), pp.253-275.. Christopher, J., Sarens, G. and Leung, P., 2009. A critical analysis of the independence of the internal audit function: evidence from Australia. Accounting, Auditing Accountability Journal, 22(2), pp.200-220. Hussey, R., 2007. The familiarity threat and auditor independence. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 7(2), pp.190-197. Jones, J., Massey, D.W. and Thorne, L., 2003. Auditors'ethical reasoning: insights from past research and implications for the future. Journal of Accounting Literature, 22, p.45. O'Leary, C. and Stewart, J., 2007. Governance factors affecting internal auditors' ethical decision-making: An exploratory study. Managerial Auditing Journal, 22(8), pp.787-808. Stewart, J. and Subramaniam, N., 2010. Internal audit independence and objectivity: emerging research opportunities. Managerial auditing journal, 25(4), pp.328-360. Tsui, J. and Windsor, C., 2001. Some cross-cultural evidence on ethical reasoning. Journal of Business Ethics, 31(2), pp.143-150. van der Wiele, T., Kok, P., McKenna, R. and Brown, A., 2001. A corporate social responsibility audit within a quality management framework. Journal of Business Ethics, 31(4), pp.285-297 Ye, P., Carson, E. and Simnett, R., 2011. Threats to auditor independence: The impact of relationship and economic bonds. Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory, 30(1), pp.121-148.

Monday, December 2, 2019

WordCamp Europe #WCEU 2017 - What People Are Saying + Our Reflections and Lessons Learned

Spoiler alert: WordCamp Europe 2017 was awesome! Not the biggest WordCamp Europe to date, but still awesome!Its been nearly two weeks since we left the halls of Les Docks de Paris and went back to our everyday lives. Having time to reflect, here are our thoughts on the event and everything that happened: Probably those numerous visa troubles had something to do with itAnyway, the final numbers were reported to be 1900 attendees from 79 countries, which is still a lot by any standard. And if you throw in the live-streamers, the numbers jump up to 2900 people from 92 countries.LocationThe choice of Paris as the host city of WordCamp Europe #WCEU 2017 got people excited from the very beginning. Its a truly global city, and on top of that, those who did show up and braved the scorching temperatures were rewarded with incredible summer days.Too hot even for an Italian 🙂 #WCEU #WPHangover #Paris #WordPress pic.twitter.com/K9dHnBzfA1 Rodolfo Melogli (@rmelogli) June 18, 2017Another sunny day for #WCEU pic.twitter.com/VhAjVoahCT Steven Watts (@bboywattsy) June 17, 2017The location for the event was on the outskirts of Paris in the docklands, which turned out to be a great choice and helped keep the event more private since there was basically no one there apart from the WordPress people. The spaces were large and accommodated everyone easily.Sponsor hall at #wceu is so great! Lots of interesting products and fun diversions. pic.twitter.com/oGIJe72vTE Kristen Symonds (@kristarella) June 16, 2017Contributor DayMoving Contributor Day to lead the event was a good move. People were energized and full of pith and vinegar. Holding contributor day after an exhaustive two days is too demanding IMO. In the past, it felt more like Withholders Day. Overall, the calendar change allowed the day to thrive it was more popular than ever.Check out Rocio Valdivias excitement in this video:Contributor Day Summary at WordCamp Europe 2017 @WCEurope #WCEU @WordCamp https://t.co/q2 VoZM8LjC WordPressTV (@WordPressTV) June 17, 2017So many people! #wceu contributor day pic.twitter.com/ilfOA7N71C Konstantin Obenland (@obenland) June 15, 2017With 500 people registering for 13 workshops the event could not have been more popular.The downside is that some people reported registration rejection. However, it has to be said that the community stepped up and helped make sure all contributors got busy contributing.Registration for WordCamp Europes 2017/Paris contributor day. #WCEU #WCEU2017 pic.twitter.com/YGtNK6zmB2 ZoMooij (@ZoMooij) June 15, 2017Registrants came from every part of the WordPress rainbow. Developers were probably the biggest group there, but we also saw design, marketing, and accessibility teams. You dont need to code to contribute, and Contributer Day was the perfect way to showcase this. The Marketing team were forced to relocate after their room burst at the seams (no marketers were hurt).The diversity of the attendees was a good reflection on the ov erarching goal of growing WordPress via inclusion, as noted by WPTavern.Inclusion means giving people a chance to evolve from ignorance to bliss; or in the, better, words of the WP REST API project co-lead Ryan McCue from I know nothing to I know this stuff.Wow, the workshop â€Å"Visual Data Using the WP API† by @johnmaeda @Mapk and @catehstn is totally packed #WCEU #ContributorDay pic.twitter.com/xT9NFRgWae WordCamp Europe (@WCEurope) June 15, 2017The days big winner was JavaScript. The rooms were packed to the rafters. All of the JavaScript workshops were densely populated.Learning deeply Javascript workshop at Contributor Day #WCEU17 #WCEU #Javascript #WordPress pic.twitter.com/ugQftrLciL Francesco Cozzi (@IZ7KHR) June 15, 2017Was planning to go to @zgordon s #wceu workshop but its far too busy! pic.twitter.com/NWwRM089oy Carme Mias Studio (@CarmeMiasStudio) June 15, 2017People were sitting on the floor, listening through the walls and crowding the door. Edmund Turbin was one of many people to take advantage of the JavaScript focus that drew in a good mix of people from beginners to advanced developers.Speaker and Sponsor EventEnjoying #wceu volunteers dinner, really nice location pic.twitter.com/8UTgOBXfxA Ionut Neagu (@hackinglife7) June 15, 2017Contributor Day was followed by an exclusive boat-hosted dinner for volunteers, speakers, and sponsors.The boat was docked, fortunately, on the River Seine. The group who helped make the event happen were given one last night of peace before the bedlam to follow.The Parisian skyline provided the tranquility they deserved, after all, the volunteers are the straw stirring the drink. This was the last moment of peace for these brave souls before the chaos.When we boarded the boat little did I know that were going to witness so much beauty! #ContributorDay #WCEU pic.twitter.com/OTx1yotMul Val Vesa | Social Media Travel Photography (@adspedia) June 15, 2017WCEU Day 1The excited buzz around the docks of Paris g rew into a roar as people arrived at the event; high fives were distributed casually with love, Wapuus were hugged and photographed and #WCEU tweets from inside the speakers hall proliferated. Calm before the storm #WCEU #Paris #FranceA post shared by Ibon Azkoitia (@ibonazkoitia) on Jun 16, 2017 at 12:18am PDTThere was a slight delay to proceedings but finally Jenny and Paolo delivered the opening remarks.WordCamp Europe 2017 starting! #wceu #wpfi @Geniemfi pic.twitter.com/tNH4tqtU1L Anttoni Lahtinen (@pikkulahti) June 16, 2017WordCamps are about two things; t-shirts and talks. Well consider the talks first because Day 1 had some presentations that destroyed the previous understanding of the word highlight. The full session recordings are available on the WordCamp Europe website and some are available on WordPress TV.The Day 1 talks all hinted at the theme of inclusion with titles including words like caring, demystifying, empowered user experience, improving WordPress performance , win friends, security for all, how to grow, new to theme design. There is a sense of Day 1 that the talks are all about broadening the user base and energizing the community.However, the breakout star of WCEU Day 1 was John Maeda with his talk on 3 Kinds of Design.His high energy delivery coupled with incredible insight into changes required for design to evolve were crowd-pleasing with the words great, awesome, rocking, and inspiring associated with every tweet.Whoever is operating the camera for @johnmaeda talk at @WCEurope needs a medal. #WCEU pic.twitter.com/koEGIMqSOM David Bisset (@dimensionmedia) June 16, 2017Maeda pushed the movement to Computational Design, which will make the most out of human-machine interaction. The talk happened at WordCamp, but the lessons are not WordPress-specific. It was all about delivering something to the user, to work with them.Best quote:I believe that creativity and inclusion are two sides of the same coin. They are necessary things. If you care about design, you have to care about inclusion.John MaedaThis is not to say that the Day 1 talks were not good, far from it, but Maeda was the speaker who encapsulated the theme, inclusivity, perfectly. He pushed us to consider the changing eco-system outside WordPress and allow it to influence our thinking that will drive the platform. For example, Snapchat and design in portrait mode, or the power of QR codes.The highlights in tweets:Share a personal story—@petyeah // Agreed. We can talk about WordPress but lets talk about culture, experiences, feelings. Im in. #WCEU pic.twitter.com/x5kjYbycLO Emanuel Blagonic (@eblagonic) June 16, 2017â€Å"Bootstrapping is the bridge between the server environment and the application† —@schlessera #WCEU pic.twitter.com/xOU2u5IA1B WordCamp Europe (@WCEurope) June 16, 2017Also listen what poeple DO NOT SAY to fully get what they need.. @glueckpress #CustomerExperience #WCEU pic.twitter.com/UOKG1NHXBS Karin Christen (@kari nchristen) June 16, 2017â€Å"Security is not a destination†¦ you’re never done or completely secure.† @markjaquith #WCEU pic.twitter.com/caZBu26y3k David Bisset (@dimensionmedia) June 16, 2017.@lxdraghici shares tips at @WCEurope about how to determine if a feature is worth pursuing. #WCEU pic.twitter.com/9AfpNpuaQw David Bisset (@dimensionmedia) June 16, 2017â€Å"Marketing is about reaching people it thrives when powered by instinct and data. Marketing is an *invitation*.† —Marina Pape #WCEU pic.twitter.com/3VcumNMQRZ John Maeda (@johnmaeda) June 16, 2017â€Å"I feel that #WordPress themes that try to tackle multiple problems end up solving none of them.† @dmtrmrv #WCEU pic.twitter.com/HFQWGEIJFQ David Bisset (@dimensionmedia) June 16, 2017Pro tip for winning #content: convert popular blog posts into videos (just read your post) and infographics #WCEU #TinyMCE pic.twitter.com/EFT73P3LYt TinyMCE (@tinymce) June 16, 2017If we werent already pessimists, Mark Jaquith would have made us ones. Security is, after all, mostly about distrust. #WCEU #WPFI pic.twitter.com/SLRYFT5Ucx G-Works (@gworksoy) June 16, 2017#WCEU #WordPress pic.twitter.com/oQKkwQlRT5 Erik Lindahl (@erik_lindahl) June 16, 2017After a long first day, everyone returned to their hotels for rest. No beers were drunk. None at allSeventh round. All in #wceu pic.twitter.com/RLoGzGcNYT snieto (@snieto) June 16, 2017Day 2We are going to avoid controversy for Day 2 and say the talks were all equally brilliant. They were all  dynamic and inspiring, challenging, thoughtful, innovative and hilarious. Again, you could see the inclusivity and community theme in the  titles; people over code, using WordPress for good, How WordPress communities are built, and lightening round meant to inspire.The lightening round deserves special mention for the involvement of the WordPress enthusiast Thabo Tswana. He has built the Zimbabwe WordPress community from scratch. He spoke of the first meetup where he was the only attendee. WordCamp Zimbabwe has its second event this November read about it here.We heard why CSS grid changes are so amazing. You keep cleaner HTML, you make changes without changing HTML. Almost too easy. Plus it was really funny.One of the best and funny talks I have seen on a wordcamp from @mor10 about CSS Grid! Make sure to check it out at #wptv! #WCEU pic.twitter.com/8ldYDjxJEd WP1x1 (@WP1x1) June 17, 2017Why choose people over code? Brought the John Maeda talk to mind with its emphasis on people working together to solve a problem for other people.  It is not a case of I code therefore I am, but I code therefore the problem no longer exists. If we place people and their goals at the center of our efforts then we will thrive.Your job as a developer is not to write code, but to solve a problem #WCEU #keynote #quote pic.twitter.com/C4f4f5nwQu Nick Weisser (@nickweisser) June 17, 2017Using WordPress for Good was all about choosing to b e the change you want to see in the world. Work for the planet, and not against it. This was a talk littered with fantastic, community centered quotes. It was a fantastic tutorial on how to change tact and reach out to a niche audience. The non-profit and charity world presents its own challenges, but you will still get paid.When the client doesnt feel right: find the meaning in what youre doing. @sashmograph at #WCEU about using WordPress for good pic.twitter.com/7npDojvMUL Alice Orru (@Alice_Ridice) June 17, 2017Boone Gorges brought Twitter down with his talk on mythology and code poetry. It was sure to be controversial, and in the hands of a mere mortal it may have been. Gorges developed a few new metaphors for how developers can imagine themselves. The artist is far removed from the collaborative developer building an entire eco-system.Code is Poetry a flawed metaphor neglecting Community. @boones Code is Craft connects makers their ways to wares their users #WCEU https://t.co /ymFFcsF0pM Skarjune (@Skarjune) June 17, 2017Andrea Middleton was on fire. Taking us through the steps required to build a WordPress community to help it thrive. The requirements are fewer than you might imagine; 2 or more people, WordPress talk. And coffee. This was the most welcoming talk of all. Basically, anyone that uses WordPress anywhere is part of the community.Good faith rules for organising meetups and build a community @andmiddleton #WCEU pic.twitter.com/OW8DIoZ9gw WordCamp Europe (@WCEurope) June 17, 2017The Q and A between Om Malik, the crowd, and Matt Mullenweg was focused on the future and philosophy + the release of Gutenberg. We have embedded it here for you to watch. Cool stuffSwag is ever popular at WordCamps! Here are our picks.Coolest T-Shirt:A hotly contested field, but this one from YiThemes was the pick.Best T-shirt award at #WCEU goes to @YIThemes pic.twitter.com/28JgHJ7iC0 Steven Watts (@bboywattsy) June 17, 2017Coolest idea:The blindfold puzzle challenge hosted by SiteGround.Enjoying solving a WP puzzle blindesighted at @SiteGround sponsor booth. ##WCEU fun, with @luc_ju04 pic.twitter.com/dZFe81M2uy Patricia Brun Torre (@PatriciaBT70) June 17, 2017Coolest character:The irrepressible Manny from ManageWP who was adopted by hundreds. The team put together an entertaining page regarding Mannys adoption here.Dont mind us, we are just chillin at the top of the Eiffel Tower #WCEU pic.twitter.com/TzO1hbCleU Manny (@manny) June 11, 2017@manny had a fab time at the #aquarium in #paris tonight. #WCEU pic.twitter.com/NrZxNnd7MH Elzette Roelofse ⠝ ¦ (@semblance_er) June 16, 2017What people are saying about WordCamp Europe 2017The guys at WPEngine had a blast and Edmund Turbin called it an outstanding event in his round-up. He specifically mentioned the organizers and the great people they met. The community aspect is highlighted by Antonio Villegas in his post, which specifically states that the best thing about the event is getting to meet all the people who make WordPress.The people who make WordPress are the most important to its development, obvs, but the advantage is that the system is built globally, as noted by Torque in their post. This advantage allows WordPress to evolve as an inherently cross-cultural system, which is significantly better than tweaking a mono-cultural system into plurality. Torque focused heavily on this aspect of WordPress and its potential for cross-cultural communication.WPTavern have a number of posts dissecting the event, but the most important detail regards the volunteers. As they highlight in their post the volunteer team was made up of 221 people. The 221 worked hard to ensure WordCamp Europe was a high functioning event with help, photos, organization, regular streams of coffee and croissants, and finally the incredible work of the live transcription team. As Rodolfo Melogli said Putting 2,000 people in a room and keep them happy for a weekend is more difficult than getting a $100, 000 freelancing contract.Kudos go to #WCEU live captioning team. They are doing an amazing job to make the event as inclusive and accessible as possible. pic.twitter.com/JG1rqoVaNq WordCamp Europe (@WCEurope) June 16, 2017Our volunteer experienceA quick word for ThemeIsles tireless volunteers. This is our second year as volunteers at WCEU. Our team got involved working the door, tweeting from @WCEurope, and registering the registrants.Now we are going to share our best insider tips with you.Firstly, registration is the plum job because it is an easy way to meet almost everyone.#getwapuu Registration la WCEU is the most fun pic.twitter.com/0FN6Vj9q3n Rodica Andronache (@rodica_elena91) June 16, 2017Secondly, volunteers get to go behind the scenes.The perks of volunteering at #wceu.Got to see the stage in the making 🙂 pic.twitter.com/0poqh0qGqk Claudiu Dascalescu (@dascalescu) June 15, 2017Thirdly, the communication team is all about those warm and fuzzies.Loved being part of the #WCEU communication team @WCEurope👠«Ã°Å¸â€˜ ­Ã°Å¸â€˜ ¬ Great work! pic.twitter.com/hnxwIZNVMD Sabina Ionescu (@s2abina) June 19, 2017A special shout out for our chief, Ionut, who was selected to be part of the Community Summit that took place before the event kicked off.Im really happy I had this opportunity, I have to say, and I appreciate the time I spent with Ulrich, Carolyna and Sakin from the TRT, as well as Mika, and also Otto who works on the WordPress.org repo + as part of the plugins team.Ionut NeaguHe wrote about it in the latest Transparency Report here.Overall, volunteering is an incredible experience. And we are pretty happy to say that the croissants and coffee were amazing. Who saw that coming?Lastly, a word for the man who got the selfie that everyone was afterGreat job.Spotted. #WCEU pic.twitter.com/vj54yfNoTr Karol K (@carlosinho) June 16, 2017You know we will be volunteering again next year in Belgrade, too.Finally, WordCamp Europe 2018 will take place in BelgradeThe news that WordCamp Europe 2018 will be held in Serbia was greeted with joy by Milan Ivanović, who said, Our community is awesome. I will never forget their faces, love, and support when Belgrades dot appeared on the screen.Cant explain how happy I am right now! Thanks everyone! We did it! Save the date and see you in Belgrade! ⠝ ¤Ã¯ ¸  #WCEU https://t.co/r24HDl1gnT Milan Ivanović (@lanche86) June 17, 2017Heres what else Milan had to say when asked about his thoughts on next years WordCamp Europe:The Belgrade team organized three WordCamps so far, and a big part of this years team will be involved in the next years event as well.Jenny went through a lot while leading the #WCEU2017 local team, and she already briefed me on a lot of things that is why we started using the #gethelmet hashtag.P.S So that you know, people already started booking 🙂Milan IvanovićHeres an interview with Milan and Jenny Beaumont over at WPTavern. WordPress.tv.We look forward to seeing you next year!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Critical Examination of Rene Descartes Trademark Argument essays

A Critical Examination of Rene Descartes Trademark Argument essays A Critical Examination of Rene Descartes Trademark Argument In the six meditations written by Rene Descartes there are numerous principals and theories proposed, among them is the Trademark argument for the existence of God, which states that we all have an innate idea of an infinitely perfect God and the cause of the idea could only be a perfect God. Descartes states that there are degrees to reality and what is less real may not be caused by something, which is given more reality, (that the cause must pre-contain the reality of its effect). Descartes dubs this the pre-containment principle. He then goes on to say that all things must have a cause and that all causes may affect another thing, (deemed the principle of universal causation). So using all this Descartes states that he has an idea of God, and the only possible cause for this idea is God himself, because only God contains enough formal reality to cause the idea with that much objective reality. First off how do we know that the idea of god is in fact innate, and what of the fact that there are many different versions of that same idea? If you were to ask a person who had never had contact with another human being before exactly who or what God is, I believe the person would ask who and what God is? Who is to say the idea of God is in fact innate, what proof is there to suggest that the idea is Innate, or that there are innate ideas at all? Three similar objections can be raised, the first being that God can be thought of as not existing. That is, we can separate his existence from his essential attributes. Since, according to some critics, we can conceive of God as not existing, then existence is not a necessary attribute of this idea. A further objection to Descartes' proof is that even though a necessary attribute of a mountain is that it be adjacent to a valley, it doesn't follow that any mountains or valleys exist. In the same way, even though the c ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

French Verb Conjugation for Briller (to Shine)

French Verb Conjugation for Briller (to Shine) To shine in French is the verb  briller. It is an easy one to remember if you associate it with brilliant, as in give it a brilliant shine.   When you want to change  briller  to the past tense or the present or future, for that matter you will need to conjugate the verb. French students who have studied other verbs that end in -er  will find this lesson very familiar. Conjugating the French Verb  Briller First, a quick review of pronunciation. Keep in mind that the double LL sounds like a Y when it follows an I. Rather than the hard L sound of [briller], it is pronounced [breeyer]. This follows through to all of the verb conjugations. Briller  is a  regular -ER verb  and that makes it relatively straightforward. The verb endings that replace the -er  follow a specific pattern. For example, in  je  future tense, an  -ai  is added to  briller  and in je  imperfect past tense, the -er  becomes -ais. You will find this in similar verbs like  blesser  (to hurt) and  augmenter  (to raise). That makes each new verb just a little easier to learn. The chart lays out the primary forms of  briller  for you to study. To use it, pair the subject pronoun with the appropriate tense. For example, I shine is je brille and we will shine is nous brillerons. Brillers Present Participle When you want to use the  present participle  of briller, drop the -er  and add an -ant.  This gives you the word brillant. Did you notice the resemblance to brilliant? The present participle is where we get the correlation that can help with memorization. Another Past Tense of  Briller The past tense of  briller  can be expressed using the imperfect or the  passà © composà ©. For the latter, you will use the  past participle  brillà ©Ã‚  as well as the conjugate of  avoir, which is an  auxiliary verb. As an example of the completed passà © composà ©, I moved becomes jai brillà © and we moved is nous avons brillà ©. Note how  ai  and  avons  are conjugates of  avoir  and  brillà ©Ã‚  does not change with the subject. More Simple Conjugations of  Briller There may be times in your French that you will use one of the following verb forms of  briller. The subjunctive and conditional are used when the action has some uncertainty to it. The passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are primarily found in literature and when youre writing. When you want to use  briller  in short commands or requests, you can turn to the imperative verb form. For this one, skip the subject pronoun and say only the verb: brille rather than tu brille.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Career Goals Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Career Goals - Assignment Example Four years of graduation as a sponsored student need more time and effort than any other student as my academic record will be under the observation of my educators, sponsors and family. Thus, I have to focus earnestly, study persistently to earn good grades and learn the taught skill with zeal so to be an apt pilot. This initial focus and effort will enable me to earn high GPA in the class and it will be easier for me to attain the piloting license. Based on my academic profile and efforts to earn more flying hours in Saudi Airline, I will be to attain enough flying hours so to become a Captain. In Saudi Airline, I plan to develop full potential as a responsible and skilled pilot under the influence of a senior Captain so I can become one skilled pilot myself swiftly. After earning the title of Captain in Saudi Airline and developing a good reputation in this field, I plan to join Qatar Airways, which has the esteem reputation of a top-notch airline. Qatar Air has the quality of being the best airline for pilots especially for a Captain, as they offer many privileges and handsome pay, which any pilot can dream

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Learning and Teaching Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Learning and Teaching Assessment - Essay Example As the author of this assignment, I am a nurse in one of the busy surgical wards in Singapore, where at times students are posted for their placements. The Gibbs Model of Reflection (1988) This model mainly takes place in six stages. These are the first stage that comprises description stage that makes it necessary to identify and describe the events, the second stage that is made up of the feelings and thoughts from where the feelings and opinions of both the mentor and the student are recognized. The third stage is that of evaluation where a description about what is good and bad in relation to the event is necessarily provided. In the fourth stage, which involves analysis examines the event and the expansion of knowledge that encourages the student to see and make sense out of the situation. The fifth stage is made up of the conclusion where the new knowledge acquired as well as any other step that should be taken are recognized. The sixth and final stage involves the action plan through which the acquired new knowledge is related to a forthcoming experience. Stage 1: Description As the mentor, I conducted a mid placement interview assessment on Catherine who seemed to fail in the achievement of some of her learning outcomes as a 2nd year student. As I found out, Catherine experiences some difficulty in communication with her staff mates and patents as well. She is not well conversant with the English language and thus finds it difficult to communicate some of the terminologies with the patients and her colleagues. With this, she usually finds it very difficult to make herself understood. Despite these, she also exhibited some extremely positive sides in that she was very professional, courteous and hardworking... This essay approves that if a student is to pass a placement, the mentor should ensure that they are confident about patients being in safe hands in the future. This is if the students proceeds with the routine and qualifies to be a nurse. It is also vital that mentors are not afraid to fail students. They should additionally realize that failing students are identified so as to prepare for greater achievements within the clinical practice. This report makes a conclusion that mentoring is a significant complex and challenging task. However, to make the task much easier the mentor should apply some of the available models. In this case, chose to use the Gibbs model as the reflective framework due to its efficient outline in helping to handle the problem at hand. This is applicable in the initial, mid and final processes of the mentoring and assessment process. The chances of availability of learning difficulties in a student should be identified early enough to give the student a chance to develop an action plan that helps them to achieve their learning outcomes. With it, both the mentor and student in this case were able to realize that learning is a proactive process. In addition, it also requires a conducive clinical environment in which the student works. Moreover, feedback, which should be constructive and continuous, should be importantly provided. It is because students find it extremely useful in understanding an y of the concerns that a mentor may possess.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Essay Example for Free

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant Essay Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the greatest basketball players to ever live. The way they play the game is memorizing. These two athletes are very extraordinary, though only one can be called the greatest of all time. The debate still and will always continue on who is the best. On one hand, there is the 6 time NBA champion in Michael Jordan; in the other there is the phenom who scored eighty- one points in one game, Kobe Bryant. In my opinion, Michael Jordan is and will always be the greatest basketball player to ever play the game. When I think of the word, legend, only one name comes to my mind and that name is Michael Jordan. Even the president of the United States thinks MJ is the better choice. Oh, Michael, the lifelong basketball fan told The Associated Press I mean Kobes terrific. Dont get me wrong, Obama said of the four-time NBA champion. But I havent seen anybody match up with Jordan yet. Michael Jordan tops Kobe Bryant in many ways, such as: offense, defense, and overall career achievements. In today’s generation of basketball superstars, there is one distinguished player, Kobe Bryant that holds a reflection to another known superstar, Michael Jordan in his ability to play the game, offensively and defensively; however, they differ in their overall performances. Although sports fans attempt to compare the two players, many will agree that Michael Jordan carries the best offensive and defensive numbers, while Kobe Bryant holds the title of the youngest all-star to ever enter the National Basketball Association. Both Jordan and Bryant were offered huge endorsement deals, with Kobe Bryant taking the lead as one of the largest global brands, in basketball history. The game of basketball is a rewarding sport that allows its players to give back to the community. There is no competition, when it comes to giving back to the community, as each player is equally involved in charitable organizations. In the professional basketball world, sports fans will agree that Michael Jordan is the better player, while other fans are loyal to Kobe Bryant. When looking at offensive and defensive numbers, objectivity and a hard look at the facts leaves one conclusion without a doubt, that Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He is famous for blocked shots, rebounds, and scoring an average of 30 points per game, during his career (Squidoo, 2012). As an offensive player, Jordan has the advantage. In his best season, his fans will count on him to average 37 points per game compared to Kobe Bryant’s best season of 35 points per game. Michael Jordan, a true team player, averages eight assists per game in his best season, and an average of five assists during his career. Unlike Jordan, Kobe Bryant, as an offensive player averages six assists per game during his best season, and he is close to beating Jordan’s average with four assists per game.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Retirement Planning Essay -- essays research papers fc

Retirement Retirement seems to be one of the most often overlooked areas of people’s future plan. Simply because it seems so far away, it is an area that is subject to procrastination. People are expected to live longer now than ever before, this is another reason why young adults and teenagers are not worried about saving for their retirement. The baby boom generation, the seventy seven million people born between 1943 and 1960, face an entirely different retirement plan. As they began to retire, people are starting to think that there will be no money left and this will turn into a crisis. What will happen when seventy-seven million baby boomers begin to want the money they paid in†¦ but it is not there? Retirement provisions such as Social Security, IRA’s, and 401k’s are there to help when you are deciding how to save money. Social Security started a long time ago, in the 1930’s, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. He was elected president in November 1932. By March there were over thirteen million people that were unemployed, and almost every bank was closed. Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a sweeping program to being recovery to business and to agriculture and relief to those who were in fear of losing their farms and homes to being unemployed. In 1935, recovery was slowing arriving, but more And more people were turning against Roosevelt’s New Deal program. This led Roosevelt to a new program of reform, which we know today as social security. It stated heavier taxes on the wealthy, new way of controlling banks and public utilities, and a huge work relief program for those people who were unemployed. Social Security has been around for so long, but now people under the age of sixty-five think it will go bankrupt before they retire, according to a new CNN/TIME poll, and most of them do not think they will be able to save enough on their own. Only thirty-one percent say that the system is currently in a crisis; ma jority just feels that there are problems but not a crisis. The way you feel about Social Security is based totally on what age you are. People over fifty seem to think the system is fair while others feel it is not. In the Industrial Age, a Defined Benefit pension plan meant that the company guaranteed you, the worker, and a defined amount of money for as long as you lived. This made people feel secure because these plans assured a stead... ... will take your retirement, even if it seems too far ahead, more seriously. I am including these graphs and a questionnaire to let you see some statistics of U.S. citizen’s opinions. From a CNN/POLL: Financial Condition of Social Security Crisis 31% Problems, not a crisis 55% No problem 10% Asked of all Americans Will Social Security go bankrupt before you retire? Yes 54% No 42% Asked of Americans under age of 65 If Social Security did not exist, could you save enough to retire? Yes 44% No 52% Asked of Americans under age of 65 Who should control Social Security Investments? Individuals 80% Government 14% Asked of all Americans Investing in a stock market is a good idea Now 57% 1994 38% 1990 26% Asked of all Americans Will Congress and Clinton be able to fix Social Security? Yes 43% No 46% Asked of all Americans Is Social Security fair to people your age? Yes No 18-34 years 41% 52% 35-49 years 46% 45% 50-64 years 61% 27% Over 64 years 80% 15% Bibliography http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/10/polls/social.security/ U.S. News Magazine, Turning 40, March 20, 2000. Vol. 128, number 11 www.usnews.com, 2000 Benefits that last a Lifetime, 1997 Retirement solutions pamplet. Retirement Planning Essay -- essays research papers fc Retirement Retirement seems to be one of the most often overlooked areas of people’s future plan. Simply because it seems so far away, it is an area that is subject to procrastination. People are expected to live longer now than ever before, this is another reason why young adults and teenagers are not worried about saving for their retirement. The baby boom generation, the seventy seven million people born between 1943 and 1960, face an entirely different retirement plan. As they began to retire, people are starting to think that there will be no money left and this will turn into a crisis. What will happen when seventy-seven million baby boomers begin to want the money they paid in†¦ but it is not there? Retirement provisions such as Social Security, IRA’s, and 401k’s are there to help when you are deciding how to save money. Social Security started a long time ago, in the 1930’s, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. He was elected president in November 1932. By March there were over thirteen million people that were unemployed, and almost every bank was closed. Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed a sweeping program to being recovery to business and to agriculture and relief to those who were in fear of losing their farms and homes to being unemployed. In 1935, recovery was slowing arriving, but more And more people were turning against Roosevelt’s New Deal program. This led Roosevelt to a new program of reform, which we know today as social security. It stated heavier taxes on the wealthy, new way of controlling banks and public utilities, and a huge work relief program for those people who were unemployed. Social Security has been around for so long, but now people under the age of sixty-five think it will go bankrupt before they retire, according to a new CNN/TIME poll, and most of them do not think they will be able to save enough on their own. Only thirty-one percent say that the system is currently in a crisis; ma jority just feels that there are problems but not a crisis. The way you feel about Social Security is based totally on what age you are. People over fifty seem to think the system is fair while others feel it is not. In the Industrial Age, a Defined Benefit pension plan meant that the company guaranteed you, the worker, and a defined amount of money for as long as you lived. This made people feel secure because these plans assured a stead... ... will take your retirement, even if it seems too far ahead, more seriously. I am including these graphs and a questionnaire to let you see some statistics of U.S. citizen’s opinions. From a CNN/POLL: Financial Condition of Social Security Crisis 31% Problems, not a crisis 55% No problem 10% Asked of all Americans Will Social Security go bankrupt before you retire? Yes 54% No 42% Asked of Americans under age of 65 If Social Security did not exist, could you save enough to retire? Yes 44% No 52% Asked of Americans under age of 65 Who should control Social Security Investments? Individuals 80% Government 14% Asked of all Americans Investing in a stock market is a good idea Now 57% 1994 38% 1990 26% Asked of all Americans Will Congress and Clinton be able to fix Social Security? Yes 43% No 46% Asked of all Americans Is Social Security fair to people your age? Yes No 18-34 years 41% 52% 35-49 years 46% 45% 50-64 years 61% 27% Over 64 years 80% 15% Bibliography http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/10/polls/social.security/ U.S. News Magazine, Turning 40, March 20, 2000. Vol. 128, number 11 www.usnews.com, 2000 Benefits that last a Lifetime, 1997 Retirement solutions pamplet.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Stalin – History

How far was Stalin’s victory in the power struggle between 1924 and 1929 the result of the popularity of his policies? Even though Stalin’s victory in the power struggle was partly due to his popular policies, it was not just this that allowed Stalin also because of the mistakes made by other rivals and factors that played into his hands. For example Trotsky was a former menshevik which helped Stalin accuse him of not been a true Bolshevik. There are many reasons that suggest Stalin’s victory in the power struggle was because his popular policies.For example Stalin’s popular policy of Socialism in one country put the needs of the USSR first, this was particularly popular because the conditions for the majority of the Russian people was unthinkable as extreme poverty was common for the average Russian in the the early 20th Century. It was a lot more popular than Trotsky's idea of World revolution, which would have seen many of the resources owned by the USS R sent abroad to try spread the Communist revolution abroad in other countries. Stalin developed his idea in Socialism in one Country because he did not like Trotsky.Stalin recognised that Trotsky’s policy was over optimistic and unpopular. The First World War and the civil war had destroyed the Russian economy and Stalin’s policy showed faith in the soviet people, almost portraying that Stalin believed in the Russian people. Stalin portrayed the Worldwide revolution as a policy that put the needs of other countries before those of the Russian people. Trostsky’s Jewish background marked him as a disloyal outsider among many party members anyway, and his international policy only seemed to confirm that he was not loyal to the people of Russia.It was not just his popular policies that saw Stalin replace Lenin as the leader of the USSR. It was also partly due to the mistakes and weaknesses made by the other leading Bolsheviks such as Trotsky. Trotsky was seen as to o powerful because he was the leader of the 5 million strong red army, he was known as the Red Napoleon. Trotsky was also Jewish, even though he himself believed that this reason would stop him from becoming the next leader, many argue that this was not such a big problem.However he was an ex menshevik which allowed Stalin to question his belief in Bolshevism, it was this fear that Trotsky was too powerful that led to kamenev and Zinoviev to side with Stalin. His popular policies were key to Stalin becoming the next leader of the USSR. Stalin’s commitment to the NEP until 1927 allowed him to defeat the united opposition of Trotsky, Zinoviev, and Kamenev. After the fall of Trotsky Zinoviev and Kamenev realised that Stalin was now the most powerful figure in the party and they began to speak out against the NEP.This was not only an attack on Stalin but an attack on Bukharin resulting in the two uniting. The NEP was particularly popular because it was following the line of Lenin and more than anything it seemed to be working as the Russian economy recovered in the mid 1920's. However Stalin was victorious in the power struggle not just because his policies were popular but because he had a great deal of luck. The two main pieces of luck that Stalin had was the ban on factionalism introduced by Lenin before his death and the appointment of Stalin as general secretary in 1922.Originally when Stalin was first appointed as General Secretary many Bolsheviks didn't realise the potential power which this now gave Stalin,one Menshevik described Stalin as the ‘grey blur'. However this gave Stalin power that nobody could have anticipated, it allowed for Stalin to appoint the regional secretaries, meaning that Stalin was able to rebuild the party by selecting the people who he wanted into key posts. This meant that slowly the party was been built up of people which were supporters of Stalin. The second bit of luck which inevitably benefited Stalin was the Ban o n Factionalism which was introduced in 1921.This ‘Ban on Factionalism' meant that everybody within the party were not able to speak out against official party policies and if somebody did then they were accused of been a factionalist and therefore expelled from the party. This benefited Stalin greatly as he could use this to his advantage, anybody that publicly spooke out against one of the policies which he supported could be branded as a factionalist and not a supporter of Lenin and therefore be defeated in the struggle for power. It could be argued that Stalin's policies were the main reason as to why he was victorious in the power struggle, however it is important to remember hat Stalin was extremely pragmatic when it came to what he believed in, changing his mind and supporting particular policies when it suited him, so the real fundamental reason as to why Stalin was victorious in the power struggle was because Stalin unlike the other leading figure of the party played h is cards right and was clever when it came to who he sided with. It was his cunningness combined with the amount of luck which he had which led to him eventually becoming the next leader of Russia in 1928.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Macbeth: Fate vs. Free Will Essay

Throughout the ages, it has been believed that fate has the power to forge one’s destiny. By some uncontrollable force, the outcome of a person’s choices is controlled by the way in which they are destined to occur. On the other hand though, some believe these choices can defy fate and that fate only manipulates one’s mind into choosing their own path. One question that seemed to pop into my head through out this play was whether individuals were victims of fate or their I own choices, or if each aspect plays a significant part in determining their destiny. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare plays around with the idea of fate, placing the destiny of Macbeth before him, yet allowing his own ambitions and desires to drive him insane in order to achieve it. However, at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is portrayed as a good man. Yet he decides to commit, not one or to two, but a series of bad actions that only he had the power to control. Fate, a powerful source thought to control all events, even a person’s destiny. If fate were to be real, then the outcome of a person’s (Macbeth’s) life would be inevitable. If the concept of fate was true, from the moment of birth your life would have already been planned out and you are helpless to change it. The questions that seemed to, and still does, taunt me was â€Å"Was Macbeth really a victim of fate?† and â€Å"Did the choices he made have some sort of impact on the outcome of his destiny?† In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, there is a constant looming of these two questions. Macbeth had been given all these prophecies, that all seemed to come true, but he also played a big role in those because of the decisions he made. Macbeth is in no way under a spell or curse; he chose to create a path of evil for himself. The ability for Macbeth to choose his own fate appeared as soon as he decided to stop and listen to the witches. He showed us that what they were saying was important to him when in the first act he says, â€Å"Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more.† (Act I, scene i, line 70). Before Macbeth actually came upon the witches, he was clueless to what would happen in the nearby future. Yet after his encounter with the witches, his mind was going back and forth trying to figure out how he should act upon the prophecy of becoming king! It was by then that the idea of fate had been planted into his head, and with such good title to come with it, why wouldn’t he want to believe his ‘fate’? Something that I found very interesting about the witches was that looking closely at line 24-25 when one of the witches says, â€Å"Though his bark cannot be lost, yet it shall be tempest-tossed.† From what I seemed to understand, these lines seemed to really show the limitations to the witches’ powers, because they were basically saying that they could only make life rough for the clueless captain, but they could not kill him. I think that this is really important to all the people who thought that the witches had ‘written out’ Macbeth’s fate because in the same way as the previous stated scene they can tempt Macbeth with predictions about his future, but they cannot make him choose evil. Meaning that in this scene, one of the conflicts is obviously fate vs. free will! All the witches really did was find a way of stirring up evil, by tempting Macbeth into choosing to opt for evil instead of good. â€Å"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, without my stir.† (Act 1. Scene iii. Line 10). Here, Macbeth seems content to leave his future to â€Å"chance.† If â€Å"chance† will have him crowned king, then there’s no reason for Macbeth to â€Å"stir† or lift a finger against King Duncan (or anyone else) in order to make things happen. â€Å"The Prince of Cumberland! that is a step on which I must fall down, or else o’er leap, for in my way it lies. Stars hide your fires; let not lights see my black and deep desires: the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be, which the eye fears, when it is done, to see. (Act 1. Scene iv. Line 4)† Back at the previous quote I had quoted, Macbeth seemed happy to sit back and let his fate unfold. But, once he learnt that King Duncan had named Malcolm the Prince of Cumberland and heir to the crown of Scotland, Macbeth decides that he must take action or, â€Å"overleap† what now appears to block his path to the throne. He acknowledges that his â€Å"desires† are â€Å"black and deep† so it’s obvious that he’s decided to commit murder in order to make the witches’ prophesy come true. Now let’s take a step back and think: Was Macbeth’s downfall caused by fate or free will? One way of looking at this argument could be by saying: in the play, the outer forces could have controlled Macbeth. After all, the three witches prophesized that Macbeth would become king. (1.3.4) They also knew the exact circumstances of Macbeth’s downfall (4.1.8), which could suggest that Macbeth had no control over his own fate. But on the other hand, in the play we clearly saw Macbeth planning the murders, and then make his own choices and put his plans into action. And this is of course; his own free will. He decides it. I for one believe that it was hiss free will the whole time, that the witches fate started a spark in Macbeth’s ambitions, which caused him to go out of his mind and loose whatever part of is sanity that was left. A quote that I found to back up my reasoning to this was when Macbeth says, â€Å"I am settled, and bend up each corporal agent to this terrible feat. Away, and mock the time with fairest show: false face must hide what the false heart doth know.† I think here it really shows us that Macbeth was not controlled by his fate, but by his free will. I say this because, the witches never really said anything to Macbeth about murdering Duncan, or Banquo in order to make the prediction come true, Macbeth did thought that all by himself. I think that it shows us that it wasn’t fate for Macbeth to get the throne, his own actions got him the throne in ways that the witches had not ever mentioned. I would like to go back to a passage I had previously quoted, â€Å"Though his bark cannot be lost, yet it shall be tempest-tossed.† I think that this quote is very important because this is where we are shown that the witches aren’t as powerful as though to be! All this time people thought that the witches had ‘written’ out Macbeth’s fate, but none of them ever stopped to think of how powerful the witches truly were. As I had previously stated, here the witches seem to be saying that they could not kill the sailor, but they could make life a living-hell for him. This shows that maybe the witches didn’t have any fate planned for Macbeth, they were just looking for somewhere to stir up conflict and saw the perfect opportunity with Macbeth. I mean after all they are withes, stirring up trouble comes in the job description. The witches knew that Macbeth was an ambitious man, that all he really needed was to be given a little push! When the witches told Macbeth about their so called ‘prophecy’, but in reality all it really was what he wanted to hear. If Macbeth was a wise and noble (as we had heard he was) then maybe he would have taken the time to actually consider that what they were saying was meaningless. Instead, he let the prophecy get into his head and let it give a push to the ‘already present’ ambition he had for power. To wrap up this essay, I would like to answer the 2 questions that had been hanging around in my head: Was Macbeth really a victim of fate? And did the choices he made have some sort of impact on the outcome of his destiny? After looking over all the details from my essay, it became clear to me that Macbeth was not a victim of fate. Like I had previously stated, the witches had only planted the idea into his head because stirring up trouble was their nature, but that does not mean it meant anything! Macbeth always had tat little piece of ambition inside of him, the one in which he dreamt of being king and Thane of Cawdor, because back in the Elizabethan times titles were important! I think that Macbeth used the prophecy to take the guilt away from the ambition he was feeling. He used it to guide himself, but no part of it had to do with fate! It was all Macbeth’s free will. The witches gave him something to think of as his future, but it was nothing set in concrete. Throughout the play, Macbeth kept building onto his â€Å"fate†, believing that fate was fate and that either way he couldn’t anything to stop it. Every time he killed someone, he did it because he thought that he had to kill those that stood in the way of his fate. All the choices Macbeth made impacted his future, and no, it was not because of fate. It was because Macbeth had a spark of ambition, which was rubbed against a prophesised fate that then turned into a huge disaster. Overall, I believe that Macbeth was responsible for what happened during every second of his life, and that fate was not leading him to his destiny. I do believe that after a while Macbeth started to loose his mind and forget what he was doing in the first place. I think that the theme of Fate vs. Reality is crucial in this play, because it really gives us an understandidng to Macbeth and his personality.

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to Write a Business Email (Updated for 2019)

How to Write a Business Email (Updated for 2019) Business emails are a pillar of modern communication. On any given day, the average office worker receives over 80 emails. That’s a lot of communication. While we send a lot of emails, many of them are not effective. Everyone’s inbox holds those difficult to read or process emails, hanging around because the recipient is unclear on how to reply or act. Don’t let that happen to your business emails. Etiquette, style, and format are essential to writing emails that get results. This article will highlight best practices and walk you through an effective business email, step-by-step. By integrating these methods into your email preparation, you will write better emails and improve overall communication. Four Key Questions: There are four questions that you must consider as you begin to draft a business email: 1. Who is My Audience? In all business writing, the audience is the top consideration. Who you are writing for will determine how you write your email. The reader will determine the tone, formality, and content of the communication. Your email’s reader may be your colleague, client, or supervisor. Each reader will have a different background, project knowledge, and priorities. You can use project acronyms with a colleague who has the same deep project knowledge as you do. Those same acronyms will be confusing to an executive who needs an update for budget forecasting. With your audience at the forefront, you will always write a more effective email. The audience includes all the people included in the sender fields. This includes the To:, CC:. and BCC: fields but main focus should be on those in the To field. Writing for the audience also means using these fields correctly. The ‘To:’ field is for the direct audience who needs to reply or take action from the email content. The ‘CC:’ field is for readers who need to receive the email conversation for reference or clarity, but do not need to take action nor reply. The ‘BCC:’ field is for the audience who only needs to see the initial email and none of the later chain of replies. Incorrect usage of the sender fields is a common business email mistake. It occurs when the audience and their roles are not thoughtfully considered. Use the Bcc field very judiciously. Often it's best to forward an email separately, with a brief statement on why you're sending this information. 2. What is the Purpose? An email must have a purpose. And it must have only one purpose. This email practice is called the ‘one thing rule’. Each email should cover only one specific item, task, or request. Covering multiple actions in one email can cause confusion and inefficiency. One email should not include both client report revision notes and a scheduling question for the quarterly meeting. This scenario calls for two separate emails. By limiting emails to one thing, the email is easier for the recipient to understand, process and act upon. This clarity increases understanding and productivity. In practice, we sometimes have to ask for several pieces of information related to the same topic. In this case, use a numbersed list to clarify for your reader that the request has components. This will help your reader respond easily and ensure you receive all the specifics you need. I need you to review these three items before we release the sketch to the production team: Content Design Color choice 3. Is This Email Necessary? There is a tendency to over-communicate by email. While email is efficient and provides an electronic paper-trail, not all communication should occur over email. Ask yourself: â€Å"Is this email really necessary?† Perhaps a quick phone call or a ping on the company messenger is more appropriate. If you’re expecting a lot of back-and-forth on the topic, a short conversation can eliminate a lengthyemail chain. Choose the right channel to send information. Email is great, but it's one channel. 4. Is Email Appropriate? Email can be used in many scenarios but is not always appropriate. If you are delivering bad news, do so in person or buffer the email thoughtfully. An email is impersonal and is difficult to convey empathy or compassion. If you must write a business apology email follow these rules. Sensitive information sent by email runs the risk of being accidentally shared. There are plenty of cases of email mishaps, ranging from funny to serious. Whether the information is personal contact or personal opinion, consider whether it’s appropriate for an email. If you wouldn’t want it accidentally shared, be very thoughtful about how it is sent in the first place. If you are unsure if an email is appropriate, ask yourself if you'd be comfortable with that email being projected in a meeting. Attending the meeting are your boss, all your future bosses, and your mother. If it passes this test, then send it. If not, there is likely something that is not appropriate. Email Style Business emails have a very specific style. They are professional but brief. They should be written to be skimmed, but with enough information to allow a complete response. If you like this article you may be interestedin our online email writing course. Tone Finding the correct tone can be the biggest headache in drafting an email. The tone changes based on your audience. It can range to formal to friendly but is always professional and should always be matched to your audience. Wordy politeness can often be overlooked in efforts to be brief in emails. However, please and thank you should be included anytime it is appropriate. Avoid ALL CAPS because it SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING (and could route your email to the spam folder). If you wouldn’t shout the statement in person, don’t shout it in an email. Instead, use italics,underlining or bold to emphasize important points. Example: Vacation requests must be submitted at least two weeks in advance. Notice the harsh tone if the bold text is swapped for caps: Vacation requests must be submitted AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. One exception: Do use all caps in email headings when writing to any organization that strips html formatting from email. The military, military academies, and some financial institutions with strict security protocols often strip html formatting. Headings are very helpful to readers. They allow a reader to skim and find information easily. They're a business writer's best weapon against information overload. Avoid excessive use of punctuation or emojis. Exclamation points should be used sparingly! Emojis continue to have a larger role in digital communication and several style guides have approved their judicious use in business writing. I follow the rule of only using them after the other party has sent one. They should never be used in formal business emails. Format Emails are meant to be skimmed, so they should have plenty of white-space to assist the reader. Use shorter paragraphs, lists and bullet points to streamline the information. And, use headings to break up concepts and allow a reader to skim. In addition, awkward formatting copied from other documents or emails can be distracting. To have seamless formatting for your email, strip the text formatting of the new content by using your email client’s Remove or Formatting function. Here are the most common formatting features and how to use them. Font: The font is the typeface that you should choose for your email. It is best to choose a sans serif (a typeface without decorative strokes at the end) as they are more modern and simple and easy to read onscreen. They are also easier to read at a small size. Gmail uses Sans Serif as the default. You could also use Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Terbuchet MS, or Verdana. Text Size: You should try to keep your email in the normal size. This is between 10–12pt. Bold: You can use bold for headings and to emphasise important text. Bold text catches the eye of readers as they scan the email. Italics: Italics are a softer way to draw attention to an area of text. They are used to bring emphasis to an area of a sentence. They do not make words stand out when the user is scanning a page the way bold text does. Italics should also be used for titles of full works. Underline: Underlined text can easily be confused for a link. When writing an email, it's best not to use underlined text to draw attention to an area of an email. It is better to use bold or italics. Text Color: You should avoid using multiple text colors in an email as it draws the eye in to multiple locations and looks unprofessional. It is likely that your email program makes your hyperlinks blue. Alignment: Business writing uses text that is fully aligned left. Academic writing indents the first sentence of a paragraph five spaces. In business email, you will never need to indent the start of a paragraph. Users scan pages in a F-shapped pattern. By changing the alignment it makes it more difficult for the reader to skim. Numbers: Using a numbered list can help organize content where the sequence is important. For example if you were describing steps you would want to use a numbered list. Bullet Points: Bullet points are a great way to create white space on your page and draw attention to related items. Bullet points work best for unordered lists. Indent More: In business emails you should not indent the first sentence of a new paragraph. A line break represents the start of a new paragraph. The indent more button allows you to add an indent to text. This is useful on rare occasions when you want to indicate that some information is a subset of what preceeded it. It creates a visual indication that the indented information is less important. Indent Less: This allows you to move your content to the left Quote Text: If you are referring to quoted text you should use the quote text function. It provides a slight indent to your content and a grey vertical line to the left. This shows readers that you are quoting text. Remove Formatting: If you are pasting text into your email it is vital you use the remove formatting function. Otherwise you will paste the text styles and it will be obvious to your reader that you copy and pasted that text. To use this function select the text you want to remove formatting. Then click the remove formatting button. Email Overview Let's dissect each section of a business email to highlight best practices for you to implement in your writing. Subject Line The subject line is the mini-summary of your email. It provides the biggest opportunity to ensure your email gets read. The goal of a subject line is to get your reader to open the email without tricking them. It is also the place where mistakes are most commonly made. Think of it as your email’s headline. It should be a 3- to 8-word overview of the content. Subject lines that are too brief or too lengthy cause confusion. If it makes the email seem difficult or confusing to reply to, the recipient may not open it immediately or at all. Bad Examples: ‘Important!’ ‘For Your Review’ ‘Questions About Expansion Performance Target Report Deadline Extension Request† For Client Meeting’ Good Examples: ‘Your BookShop Order Delivery Dec 2’ ‘Client Report Revisions: Please Review by 4 PM’ ‘Expansion Report Extension Requested until Friday’ Email clients will also review the subject line for signs of spam. This is especially important for sales teams who may be cold-emailing clients. Certain terms are flags for spam algorithms and may be filtered to a Junk folder. Avoid using words such as ‘Sales’, ‘Please read’ or ‘Profits’, or having one-word subjects.Also make sure you are replying to the correct thread. Do not use an old email thread for a new topic. Greeting Your greeting should be professional and concise. It is always preferable to address the recipient using their name, but it may not always be possible. Good afternoon, Greetings, Dear Ms. Jones: Hi Jeff, (salutation format) Hi, Jeff. (sentence format) Brief Pleasantry If you’re emailing someone for the first time, your opening line could be a short pleasantry connecting you and the recipient. One sentence should be enough. Indicate how you connected. This reminder will give the reader context for the following information. â€Å"It was great to meet you at last night’s networking event.† If you’ve received something from the recipient, offer your thanks. It could be a thank you for an offer of assistance, for an interesting piece of content they shared or even for simply reading the email. â€Å"Thank you for sharing your article on management strategies. The findings are valuable.’ ‘I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this project.’ If you want to keep it general, warm well-wishes will do. ‘I hope you’re well!’ Omit a pleasant greeting if you’ve recently or frequently communicated with each other. Be very careful of overspinning pleasantries at the start of the email. The purpose of your email should be the overt start. Remember the acronmy B.L.O.T- bottom line on top. What do you want your reader to know or do? That's the most important opening. Purpose As previously noted, each email should address just one thing, one purpose. This task, request or information should be presented clearly and directly after the pleasantry. This is the B.L.O.T- bottom line on top. Be concise and direct. Don’t hide your request or it can easily be overlooked or ignored. ‘Please provide your feedback on the budget.’ ‘Can you participate in the project kick-off meeting next Thursday? ‘Did you have any revisions to the final report?’ Remember the acronym B.L.O.T. - Bottom Line On Top Additional Information Some business emails may require additional information for the reader. It could be clarification on the task, a link to resources or examples, or other helpful information. This information should be included thoughtfully. Only directly relevant content should be added. Call to Action Near the end of the email, include a specific call to action. The email is being sent to accomplish one task. The call to action should leave no confusion as to your request. Do not assume the reader understands the desired result from prior information. Emails can easily be misinterpreted if there is any grey area. This statement should include the specific action and the timeline. If you are sending the email to multiple people, clarify task responsibility by directly naming the intended person. Clarification of tasks and expectations allows for the recipient to respond more effectively. Bad examples: â€Å"Can you take care of this?† â€Å"Let me know what you think.† Good examples: â€Å"Sarah: can you forward the survey to all staff by Friday at noon, please?† â€Å"I’d appreciate your feedback on the draft agenda. If you have any edits, please send them by tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10 AM.† If you would like a confirmation, you can phrase the call to action as a question. If the call to action is a notification that does not necessarily require a reply, you can structure the call to action as a statement. Closing Message The closing message simply indicates that the email is complete. While it is not a requirement in modern email writing, a brief, polite phrase will nicely round out your email. ‘Thank you for your time,’ ‘I look forward to your response,’ ‘Kind regards,’ Sign-off Signature The end of the email includes a sign-off of your name. The phrasing should match the formality of the email. Most formal: Dr. John Smith Dr. Smith John Smith Least formal and most common: John Your email signature is a type of electronic business card that is appended to your email. It should include the most important context and contact details for your reader. This is the place to help your reader with relevant contact or contextual information, not brag or insert philosophical quotes. Images and logos can be useful, but be aware of the sizing and how they will appear on mobile devices. Attachments and Links Any referenced attachments or links must be included in the email. Either name the file so that it is clearly identified or include the document title in parenthesis immediately after you mention it in the email. Don’t make the reader go hunting for the information they need. If an attachment was sent to the recipient previously, attach it again anyway. This way, they can easily access the information rather than searching through their inbox. Of course, double-check that the file is attached and correct. Forgetting to include an attachment requires an unnecessary (and embarrassing!) reply requesting it, which can delay the work. Links can be directing the reader either to websites or to intranet directories. These hyperlinks can be lengthy and distracting in email text. Instead, integrate the hyperlink into the existing sentence. Good example: You may find this technical writing resource useful in preparing the report. You should also test the link to ensure that it opens the correct site. Review Once your email is composed, do not click send. Yet. Take a moment to review your email. Check for grammatical or spelling errors (Grammarly has a helpful free tool). Typos suggest carelessness and can even convey incorrect information. Double-check dates, times, names, links, attachments and other specific details. Triple-check that the correct recipients are in the sender fields. Our Favorite (Free) Email Hacks Undo Send Have you ever clicked send and then gasped in horror? Perhaps it’s an ‘I didn’t mean to send it to that Brad!’ situation. Or it may be the less embarrassing but still annoying ‘I meant to include Brad on that email!’ scenario. Thankfully, some email clients have found a solution to this potential embarrassment with the addition of ‘Undo Send’. In Gmail, you can enable this function in Settings. You can choose from a 5 to 30 second cancellation period. In OutLook, you can recall an unread email sent to a recipient with an Exchange account in the same organization. This feature does not work will in practice because if it has been read by anyone, it cannot be recalled. In this case, simply forward the email with an error and state your apology and clarification. Canned Responses in Gmail Do you send the same email over and over again? Save time by using Canned Responses in Gmail. This function allows you to save standard emails. When you would like to send the standard reply, simply select your preferred prepared template in the Compose window. You can also set Canned responses to send automatically to inbound email with specific details. Filters and Folders Is your inbox overwhelming? Thoughtful use of filters and folders can help reduce email stress. You can label and even color-code emails from specific people or even whole domains. These labels will allow the emails to be easily archived once read. You can set up filters to automatically mark as read or archive low priority reference emails, like a delivery tracking update. A short investment in setup time will provide long-term time savings. Schedule Emails with Boomerang Are you working late, but want your email to arrive in your client’s inbox first thing tomorrow morning? You can schedule emails to send at a specified time in the future using the Boomerang add-on. Caution:If you are sending information to recipients who report to you, don't send late evening emails because it can create an expectation of 24/7 work across your team. Schedule the emails to send at the start of normal work hours. Keyboard shortcuts Drafting an effective business email takes time. However, you can save time by using keyboard shortcuts. Save clicks while selecting emails, marking unread, adding a hyperlink and more. Check out the shortcuts for Gmail and Outlook. Track email opens If you’ve ever sent the email: ‘I’m just checking to see if you got this.’, then you should be using email tracking. There are a wide range of email add-ons and applications that will track if your email is opened by the recipient. Conclusion The volume of email we receive and send can sometimes diminish our motivation to write an effective business email. Consider the four key questions when preparing an email. Write it in a way that is concise yet clearly conveys the information and request to the reader. Your reader, and their inbox, will appreciate it.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Get Your Lesson Plans Done More Quickly

How to Get Your Lesson Plans Done More Quickly Every week teachers spend countless hours scouring the internet for the perfect lesson plan or searching for some inspiration that will lead them to create an amazing lesson for their students. Teachers do this because its their road map, it leads them to what their students will be learning and how they will go about teaching them. Lesson plans not only help a teacher run their classroom and help keep the children focused. Without a detailed lesson plan, the substitute teacher would not know what to do with the students. You would think that in order to create an effective lesson plan that is engaging, addresses students learning objectives, incorporates engaging activities and helps to check for student understanding would take days to create. However, educators have been at this for a very long time and have come up a few tips and secrets that help them get their lesson plans done quick. Here are a few teaching strategies to help you get your lesson planning done faster. 1. Start Lesson Planning Backwards Before you even start to plan your lesson think about what your learning objective is. Think about what you want your students to learn and get out of the lesson. Do you want your students to learn how to count by 10s or be able to write an essay using all of their spelling words? Once you figure out what your overall objective is then you can start thinking about what activity you want the students to do. When you start with your end goal of the lesson, it will help make the lesson planning part go much quicker. Here is an example: The objective for my students is to name all of the food groups and be able to give examples for each group. The lesson students will do in order to complete this objective is going to be to sort foods in an activity called sorting groceries. Students will learn about the five food groups first by looking at a food chart then going into small groups and brainstorming what foods go into each food group. Next, they will receive a paper plate and food cards. Their goal is to place the correct food cards on the paper plate with the correct food group. 2. Download Ready-To-Go Lesson Plans Technology has made it very easy and convenient for teachers to be able to go online and print out already made lesson plans. Some sites offer free lesson plans while others you may have to pay a small fee, nonetheless, it is worth every penny. Once you figure out what your learning objective is, then all you have to do is a quick search for a lesson plan that correlates with your end goal. Teacher Pay Teachers is one site that has many already-made lessons (some free, some you have to pay) as well as Discovery Education where all lessons are free. These are just two of the hundreds of sites that offer lesson plans at your convenience. This site  also has plenty of lesson plans on it as well. 3. Collaborate with Your Fellow Teachers One of the best ways to get your lesson planning done quicker is to collaborate with other teachers. There are a few ways that you can do this, one way is for each teacher to plan for a few subjects, then use the others lessons from your fellow teacher for the subjects that you didnt plan for. For example, lets say that you created a lesson plan for social studies and science for the week, and your colleague created plans for language arts and math. You would both give each other your lesson plans so all you really had to do is only plan for two subjects versus four. Another way that you can collaborate with your colleagues is to have the two classes work together for specific subjects. A great example of this comes from a fourth-grade classroom where the teachers in the school would change classrooms for different subjects. This way each teacher only had to plan for one or two subjects versus all of them. Collaboration makes it so much easier on the teacher and not to mention the students love to work with different students from other classrooms as well. Its a win-win situation for everybody. 4. Theres an App for That Have you ever heard of the expression Theres an app for that? Well, there is an app to help you get your lesson plans done quicker. It is called Planboard and One Note and Lesson Planning to name a few. These are just three of the many apps that are on the market to help teachers create, organize and map out their lesson planning from the convenience of their fingertips. Long gone are the days of handwriting or typing out each and every lesson that you plan on doing, nowadays all you have to do is tap your finger on a screen a few times and you will have your lesson plans done. Well, its not that easy but you get the point. Apps have made it easier for teachers to get their plans done faster. 5. Think Outside of the Box Whoever says that you had to do all of the work yourself? Try thinking outside of the box and have your students help you, invite a guest speaker or go on a field trip. Learning doesnt have to be just creating a lesson plan and following it, it can be whatever it is you want it to be. Here are a few more teacher-tested ideas for thinking outside of the box. Digital field trip.Put on a play.Have students create an activity. In order to be effective, lesson planning does not have to be exhausting and so detailed that you plan out each and every scenario. As long as you list your objectives, create an engaging activity, and know how you will assess your students that is enough.