tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10375952177246105082024-02-19T03:54:30.730-08:00Writer Shack | Joseph MapueFreelance Writer | Writing Resources | Creative, Technical & Business CommunicationsSteampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-52004073298444584072017-05-21T23:38:00.000-07:002017-05-22T00:06:05.110-07:00Pinned by Parables: Rock Star Jesus Sings Stairway to Heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don’t believe every word I say. I’ve been known to lie many times. I’ve conned people, gone to strip joints, and drunk way too much alcohol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That could be anybody talking, right?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But this is me, and I’m saying: I found something lodged between the warring hemispheres of my brain. A lost whisper haunting the silent grooves of my heart. I’m not sure which organ hosts the human soul but something sure-as-hell found something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So let me tell you how I found Jesus and how that astonishing feat affected everything — my anarchist worldview, my complicated career, the world’s inexorable road to climate change, my joy ride with rock-and-roll, and NASA’s search for life elsewhere in the universe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When Bob Dylan went through what could be a similar experience in the 1970s, nothing in the world could stop him from singing about Jesus. Not his reputation among the leading thinkers of his generation, nor his critically acclaimed lyrics that often hit the sweet spot between poetic brilliance and mass appeal, especially in songs like <i>Blowin’ In the Wind</i> and <i>Mr. Tambourine Man</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The revolutionary anthem, <i>Like a Rolling Stone </i>— which Dylan wrote in 1965 — describes the experience of being lost but never found, and ranks among the most influential songs ever written. Incidentally, the song title gives a clue to why “Born Again Bob” didn’t have even the slightest chance to elude the grace of Jesus when he met the messiah the way he did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>A rock can’t help but roll</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Around 33 C.E., a Jewish man named Yeshua entered the city of Jerusalem riding a colt. Nope, it wasn’t a heroic equestrian scene at all like Napoleon Bonaparte mounted on a rampant white stallion nor Alexander the Great leading a cavalry charge astride his famous warhorse Bucephalus.</span><br />
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Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-25117775914442605552015-11-30T13:47:00.000-08:002015-12-28T03:45:17.854-08:00Samsung’s Mad Dash to the Digital Future Might Already Be Paying Off <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You either pay lip service to innovation or pay the bills that make it happen. Now there's a foolproof way to show whether a company is dead serious about innovation, the decades-old buzzword everyone in the business world claims and alludes to all the time.<br />
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In 2014, Samsung topped the list of the world’s biggest R&D spenders among IT organisations, shelling out a whopping US$13.8 billion to conjure the next transformative idea on the horizon, beating other innovation powerhouses like Intel, Apple and Google. Some of that hefty investment have already been translated into technological marvels, including Samsung’s astonishing feat of cramming 16 terabytes of memory into a 2.5-inch solid-state disk. <br />
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Already the global leader in the mobile market, the South Korean behemoth remains a key player in the consumer electronics, semiconductor, and home appliances sector. This near-complete coverage of the digital world gives the company all the bragging rights it needs to make relentless forays into the emerging realities of computing: Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT).<br />
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In fact, in its list of the world’s most innovative organizations, Fast Company largely downplayed Samsung’s dominance in the mobile ecosystem, trumpeting instead the chaebols’ steady string of achievements in its bid to bring everyone closer to realizing a truly connected existence. In its vision of the future, Samsung builds a universal network of people, computers, phones, wearables, appliances, transportation systems, schools, hospitals, homes and just about everything else to deliver experiences and solutions that were mere wishful thinking in many science fiction novels. Bring along a digital doctor with you on your trip to the Himalayas? Check. Dote on your kids via a robot nanny while you’re scaling the cliff? Check.<br />
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To bring this conceptual blueprint even closer to reality, Samsung bankrolled the US$200-million acquisition of SmartThings, a startup that enables people to easily control locks, light bulbs, sound systems and other appliances. The purchase effectively positions Samsung as the biggest player yet in IoT.<br />
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Meanwhile, Big Data is the natural technology complement of -- or the analytic follow-through to the Internet of Things. After all, what happens to the insane amount of information that is being created and shared by the billions of connected devices in the overarching network Samsung imagines? Something simply has to make sense of that tremendous heap of digital data.<br />
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As in the Internet of Things, Samsung also reigns in the realm of Big Data. Well, at least in some aspects of it. In 2014, the company’s data-crunching engine, DeepSort trumped all other competitors in the Sort Benchmark competition, considered the “Grand Prix” and “World Cup” of data sorting. DeepSort -- which competed with other engines developed by major IT companies and research institutions -- clocked in a record-breaking performance of 3.7 TB of data in 60 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 1.5 TB by around 150%.<br />
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Developed by Samsung subsidiaries in South Korea and Silicon Valley, DeepSort is expected to reside in many Samsung devices via web services and mobile apps. Coupled with breakthroughs being ushered in by SmartThings and other Samsung IoT units, the foundational technologies for a whole new world of connected experiences are rapidly being established.<br />
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Which only confirms what everyone suspects: The future might just be a stride away, thanks to companies like Samsung which are blazing the trail to get there. <br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Sources</strong>:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/08/samsung-unveils-2-5-inch-16tb-ssd-the-worlds-largest-hard-drive/" href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/08/samsung-unveils-2-5-inch-16tb-ssd-the-worlds-largest-hard-drive/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Samsung unveils 2.5-inch 16TB SSD: The world’s largest hard drive</a> Ars Technica</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://fortune.com/2014/11/17/top-10-research-development/" href="http://fortune.com/2014/11/17/top-10-research-development/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">The 10 biggest R&D spenders worldwide</a> Fortune</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://bgr.com/2015/03/10/samsung-r-and-d-spending-2014/" href="http://bgr.com/2015/03/10/samsung-r-and-d-spending-2014/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Samsung is spending an insane amount of money to beat Apple to the ‘next big thing’ </a>BGR</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3039597/most-innovative-companies-2015/samsung" href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3039597/most-innovative-companies-2015/samsung" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Samsung: For Bringing Internet Intelligence to More Things</a> Fast Company</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.sammobile.com/2014/12/03/samsung-ranked-no-1-in-rd-spending-among-global-it-brands/" href="http://www.sammobile.com/2014/12/03/samsung-ranked-no-1-in-rd-spending-among-global-it-brands/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Samsung ranked No. 1 in R&D spending among global IT brands</a> SamMobile</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.mobileworldlive.com/mwcs15articles/iot-big-data-drive-next-tech-revolution-samsung/" href="http://www.mobileworldlive.com/mwcs15articles/iot-big-data-drive-next-tech-revolution-samsung/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">IoT and big data to drive next tech revolution – Samsung</a> Mobile World Drive</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.techrepublic.com/article/thick-data-closes-the-gaps-in-big-data-analytics/" href="http://www.techrepublic.com/article/thick-data-closes-the-gaps-in-big-data-analytics/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Thick data closes the gaps in big data analytics</a> Tech Republic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-mce-href="http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/samsung-electronics-big-data-solution-no-1-in-sort-benchmark/" href="http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/samsung-electronics-big-data-solution-no-1-in-sort-benchmark/" style="color: #8c68cb; text-decoration: none;">Samsung Electronics Big Data Solution, No. 1 in Sort Benchmark</a> Samsung Tomorrow</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Photo Credit</strong>: </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Samsung headquarters" by Oskar Alexanderson </span></div>
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Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-53431765588863814492012-07-13T19:03:00.001-07:002012-07-13T19:07:21.560-07:00The Economy: It’s more fun in the Philippines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpt51uZFsw63AHoYpZI-eiCP-j2g4VPS9WgNTMgWu3kQ0iCMEIBw2INhArTGaynYzgNlVR5d8YMAUCsdzI2quT3VY_I9wnKK8y7Jk2SKbNXQbKC8D4_uRQ7MEXLGM-zrd2TAFSe3-fm1j/s1600/phil-money-mylot-com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpt51uZFsw63AHoYpZI-eiCP-j2g4VPS9WgNTMgWu3kQ0iCMEIBw2INhArTGaynYzgNlVR5d8YMAUCsdzI2quT3VY_I9wnKK8y7Jk2SKbNXQbKC8D4_uRQ7MEXLGM-zrd2TAFSe3-fm1j/s320/phil-money-mylot-com.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Asian Development Bank noticed the surprising economic performance of the Philippines and four of its neighbors, clarifying the unique and critical role the “ASEAN 5” will need to play as global growth drivers amid recessions in the rest of the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">In an official report released in July, the development bank cut its growth forecasts for other countries in the region but affirmed its positive outlook for the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. According to the report, an average growth of 5.6% among the five resilient economies is realizable even amid the crippling debt crisis in Europe and the struggling US economy across the Atlantic. The impact of this dual downturns have reached the BRIC markets, even China, which has just recently reported that its economy has lost momentum, with its much lauded growth rate unexpectedly contracting to 7.6% in the second quarter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">That said, where can the world turn to now that economic superpowers in the euro zone, the US, and China appear to have their hands full fixing domestic woes? The unlikely answer is a region in Southeast Asia where emerging markets are heroically warding off the effects of the global downturn. According to the ADB, “growth in Southeast Asia is expected to remain robust [despite the weaker external environment].” The development bank further explained that the strong domestic demand in these economies offset the negative impact of the recession that will take trillions of dollars to turn around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Explaining how the Philippine economy specifically managed to stay afloat, a CNN article noted the rebound in electronic exports, strong remittances from workers abroad, superb performance of business outsourcing organizations, and domestic consumption. The Philippines exceeded its own and that of the IMF’s growth forecasts, managing to propel the economy by 6.4% during the first quarter. According to a Singapore- based analyst, the country generated more investments, curbed inflation, and managed to have its currency going up while interest rates tend to drop. All in all, the UBS analyst concluded, these factors create “a virtuous circle of improved stability.” Lending credence to that assessment are the facts that the Philippine Stock Exchange hit an all-time high in July and the peso performed better than any of the 11 major Asian currencies according to Bloomberg. Rating agencies have also unanimously upgraded the country’s credit position.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps it’s about time to give the Pacific archipelago another look. Maybe it’s really fun in the Philippines after all. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 16pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
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</div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-85529307000433321442012-07-01T05:43:00.004-07:002017-05-22T00:00:48.268-07:003 Philippine schools among the best in English educationThe London-based research and ratings authority Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked three Philippine universities among the world's best when it comes to English teaching. Ranked by the respected research firm were Ateneo de Manila (24th best in the world in the fieleds of English language and literature), University of the Philippines (32), and De La Salle University (44). In a statement to a leading local broadsheet, QS stated that the results of the study affirm the much lauded language specialization strength of the western Pacific nation.<br />
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The top five rankings in the latest study were garnered by world famous learning institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom. By ranking, these historic academic centers are Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford, Yale, and University of California Berkeley.<br />
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QS regularly publishes its institutional rankings on a wide range of subjects and is a prominent authority that is sought after by educational and recruitment decision makers around the world.Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-37495464003557451632012-06-12T19:33:00.000-07:002018-04-24T08:47:04.514-07:00Eksalife: The Case for Sustainable Travel<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Finding your place in the world can take a lifetime of traveling. That's why Eksalife brings together all the beguiling places and fascinating people in one nifty portal where you can find less beaten paths that promise authentic experiences and surprising encounters along the way. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Whether to admire the architecture of limestone cliffs, feel the collective heart of a mountain village, or speak the ocean dialect of colorful reef dwellers, Eksalife has set up the trails that will bring you to that rare state where your entire being is able to listen to the unique narratives of a place. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">But more than our network of astonishing destinations, we also partner with people and organizations who care enough to preserve and promote the world's profoundly beautiful places. Eksalife is about sustainable travel. It is about travelers being responsible for what they bring into a place and what they leave behind. We are more about meaning than miles, accomplishments than accommodations. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo28lER3oRhc6KV9235cGbaQNrs735ctdTQOas5csxs8nEqYuUQ4VDqFu8ZHKBX3vr26-e4MGxG201vv7fGGGNEkFGf_pYA21VaDxBAwEDqUuBtvWvLzWI3yFZeLiShFFt2RJFkKPay7P/s1600/600px-Ifugao_sculpture_Louvre_70-1999-4-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbo28lER3oRhc6KV9235cGbaQNrs735ctdTQOas5csxs8nEqYuUQ4VDqFu8ZHKBX3vr26-e4MGxG201vv7fGGGNEkFGf_pYA21VaDxBAwEDqUuBtvWvLzWI3yFZeLiShFFt2RJFkKPay7P/s200/600px-Ifugao_sculpture_Louvre_70-1999-4-1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">To reflect our vision, we only promote travels that are sustainable, unconventional, responsible, and eco-friendly. We've set up <b>S.U.R.E. Trails</b> to let adventurers, thrill seekers, tree huggers, soul searchers and travelers of all stripes easily know that a tour package conforms to the highest standards of sustainable and responsible travel. We do this because the peril of losing many of the irreplaceable cultural and natural wonders of the planet becomes alarmingly higher by the minute, with 1.5 billion people expected to travel each year by 2020. We also do this because besides sharing ideas over the Web, we believe that travel is the best human activity that helps us understand each other, even other species that are far removed from our own genetic makeup but who strongly share our persistence to survive. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Currently, our packages include authentic journeys that engage rural and village folk, the creatures and abiotic components that make up a local ecology, native cultures, culinary milestones and religious places. Adventure tours that conquer just about any terrain as well as volunteer tourism that combine travel and advocacies in action are becoming popular among today's niche travelers and are excitedly offered on Eksalife. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">We started out by giving the reasons why we need to exist. We think it's about time to say just who we are:</span></span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-size: small;">Eksalife </span></b><span style="font-size: small;">is the portal for sustainable and unconventional travel. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">It is also a virtual place where people can make a real difference. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">But for you fellow traveler, it is where your search ends </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">and your real journeys begin.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>What we offer</b> </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Eksalife promotes tours that are Sustainable, Unconventional, Responsible and Eco-friendly. The <b>S.U.R.E. Trails</b> seal of distinction is our assurance that a journey adopts only sustainable methods and materials from the starting point to each and every stopover, until the last leg of the trek signals the finale to an extraordinary adventure. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Our trips are authentic experiences with fascinating places and people. Journeys are not just movements from one place to the next but are made up of genuine connections with the enthralling aspects of nature and cultures. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">What makes us different</span></b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>NETWORK</b>. Eksalife strongly believes that collaboration and partnerships are the best ways to create responsible travel solutions. This is why we have built a vibrant network of advocacy groups, non-traditional travel consultants, local tour operators, native communities, accommodation providers and volunteers that--together--provide exceptional value to travelers. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>AFFORDABLE PACKAGES</b>. Because we engage the industry from the grassroots up, our travel rates are among the most affordable anywhere in the world. Travel is transformative and we strongly believe that everyone should be able to make the journeys that will help them change themselves and the world for the better.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>RICH VARIETY</b>. Because our network is made up of highly committed individuals and organizations that service different travel sectors, our non-traditional tours are broad-ranged, allowing each type of traveler to find packages that perfectly match personalities and preferences, lifetime passions or momentary whims. Adventurers, tree huggers, culturati, thrill seekers, extreme sports enthusiasts, do-gooders and soul searchers will find the perfect journey that that matches their passion. The variety of packages available at the portal includes ecotourism, village/rural/agri-tourism, cultural and heritage tours, culinary explorations, spiritual pilgrimages, knowledge tourism, nature sports adventures, and volunteer/missions tourism. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>CHANNEL FOR GOOD VIBES</b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">. Consider the portal as an easy way to channel your good vibes. By booking your travels through Eksalife, you help reinforce joint partnerships with advocacies such as the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity and The ASEAN Heritage Parks Project. As Eksalife also plays a positive role in community building, cultural preservation, nature conservation, and peace initiatives, traveling with us ensures that the trails you follow are those that lead to a much better world. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b>EASY AS PIE. </b></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Nature seems complicated but scientists exclaim at the profound simplicity of the laws that govern its beauty. We like to pattern our portal after Nature itself: incredibly captivating but surprisingly easy to understand. We made our interfaces so intuitive and easy a child can book a whale-watching tour before anyone can say "flippers." Try the portal and see how it differs from the rest.</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Visiting the Eksalife website or their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/eksalifejourneys" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> is the first step that takes you on the trail of the world's most astonishing journeys. </span><br style="color: black; font-family: inherit;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></i></span></div>
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Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-45624639482797155782012-06-09T02:58:00.025-07:002012-06-10T03:22:34.396-07:00Schools & Skills for Everyone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyapU3mnNi43HDKlu10622sSehgqgoJGOKoQZu19j0ZEnVWJVOcXb_DQooVsbStTq7k9EjT1bDaNFAVepibKjPMeYYu2opFsuOmR8o-0Z5gC-Gmlzy438mnBUnSaN5BGttMFFegxkpDV6g/s1600/school.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyapU3mnNi43HDKlu10622sSehgqgoJGOKoQZu19j0ZEnVWJVOcXb_DQooVsbStTq7k9EjT1bDaNFAVepibKjPMeYYu2opFsuOmR8o-0Z5gC-Gmlzy438mnBUnSaN5BGttMFFegxkpDV6g/s320/school.png" width="320" /></a></div>As much as it has disrupted everything else, the Internet continues to change the way skills are learned and how they are applied in the work place. The prevalence of do-it-yourself content on the Web makes it possible for everyone to learn just about any topic there is to know.<br />
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Certainly, the initial skills that were taught through DIY sites were soft skills or those strongly associated with crafts and hobbies. Home improvement, cooking and sewing were some of the standard DIY fare for some time. However, online learning radically evolved as more people realized its effectiveness and as new technologies enrich the learning experience. Rich media, podcasts, animation, and video conferences are now extensively being used to teach different subjects.<br />
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As a result, online learning has become a pillar in formal education, with many colleges and other institutions now offering online programs and courses, most coming with universally accepted certifications. Meanwhile, the crafts, hobbies and soft skills that comprised the standard fare of DIY channels are now complemented by formal courses on highly technical subjects such as software programming, graphic design, calculus, and search optimization. Just consider the success of websites like Lynda, Grovo, and Khan Academy and you'll see the radically evolving face of education. For clever and enterprising individuals, checking out and learning from the courses offered by these sites could yield enormous value in the future.Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-90464456863761833282012-05-19T10:04:00.000-07:002015-04-01T05:10:22.705-07:00Content Creation Services | Writing Resources<div style="color: black; text-align: left;">
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Hi! Welcome to Writer Shack. You've come to the right place if you're looking for content that help uplift businesses, brands, and bottom lines.<br />
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Here, you'll find samples that your team can use as models for your writing needs. There are even tips, templates, eBooks, and other resources that you can freely download for reference or inspiration. After all, communicating with different types of audiences (internal teams, product users, customers, top management, target markets and potential investors) can be quite challenging, and having the resources you need on hand is already a major step toward your communication goals.<br />
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However, if you think you need a magician to do the job, I'll be glad to help. It really excites me to share insights with people who appreciate clean, well researched, and uniquely engaging content that easily complement SEO and social media campaigns. I'm certain we can conjure the perfect solution that delivers the magic you're looking for. I create business plans, functional specifications documents, whitepapers, blogs, website copies, academic papers, advertising & creative copies, online articles, presentations, and press releases. Did I miss anything?<br />
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Anyway, please enjoy your visit. :-)</div>
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Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-72007150197510082962012-04-24T14:00:00.008-07:002015-06-25T23:28:16.760-07:00Business English Dominated by Filipinos<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zulSB9-aERBwaAzhqHap2phMdM-66vyUHw49we2U_T6jvaactN6OcsAB2eUmdaB-5oyUcXeyMMSlYHwDO0lpEsdiyyeg0q5r3njV8Lg4d4NMp0-DlxcnkMrMgJka4uH1dpggaz1Y5cEp/s1600/799px-Makati_city_glow.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zulSB9-aERBwaAzhqHap2phMdM-66vyUHw49we2U_T6jvaactN6OcsAB2eUmdaB-5oyUcXeyMMSlYHwDO0lpEsdiyyeg0q5r3njV8Lg4d4NMp0-DlxcnkMrMgJka4uH1dpggaz1Y5cEp/s1600/799px-Makati_city_glow.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">The Makati Business District at night. Now the largest provider of call center operations in the world, the Philippines achieved the highest BEI (Business English Index) score among 76 countries included in the GlobalEnglish report. Photo credits: Jeruih under a Creative Commons license. </td></tr>
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This century is becoming more Asian by the minute. While Western nations reel from economic recessions at the home front, global business is kept humming by thriving Asian economies led by India and China. Making matters more interesting, the lingua franca that helps articulate cross-border innovation and drive global business is now being dominated by the Philippines, according to an <a href="http://www.globalenglish.com/whoweare/newsroom/press_releases/757" target="_blank">eye-opening report by GlobalEnglish Corporation</a>.<br />
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According to the 2012 report, much of the world's business discourse is now conducted among non-native English speakers. Among this group, the Filipinos deliver an unmatched performance in terms of business English proficiency, even beating the United States and other native English-speaking countries. In the study involving 76 countries, the Philippines attained a score of 7.11 in the annual Business English Index (BEI) survey, the only one to breach the 7.0 benchmark that indicates intermediate proficiency. Norway earned the closest score at 6.54 while the US score slid from 6.9 to 5.09. <br />
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The BEI was set up by California-based GlobalEnglish, a top provider of cloud-based solutions on Enterprise Fluency and a respected think tank consulted by more than 500 global corporations including Procter & Gamble, Cisco, BNP Paribas, and GlaxoSmithKline. To date, the BEI is the only system that evaluates English competence in the workplace. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWtxe4eA2cbEB-VkjVQ6pRhrP90xw4Ly4aDWEs7sL6NO39-u4yi7bcGu6kRCcQg9xHj0gSorIpi9GSlwRuSbzDtAKaA3Hq9w_-2W-DSNBsKIPl-ivC3x9PIMaea_tmML9QasRrx2jTTuC/s1600/office_woman.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWtxe4eA2cbEB-VkjVQ6pRhrP90xw4Ly4aDWEs7sL6NO39-u4yi7bcGu6kRCcQg9xHj0gSorIpi9GSlwRuSbzDtAKaA3Hq9w_-2W-DSNBsKIPl-ivC3x9PIMaea_tmML9QasRrx2jTTuC/s200/office_woman.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Interestingly, both the Philippines and Norway were in the top five in the previous year's annual report, affirming the correlation between economic growth and improved BEI levels. This is because a high BEI level indicates competence for assuming major roles in business discourses and for taking on and successfully accomplishing complex tasks. Based on GDP data from the World Bank, both countries are indeed improving economically and exhibit signs of continued business success. The Philippines, in particular, has already surpassed India--a country with a population that is ten times that of the Pacific archipelago--as the largest global provider of call centers.<br />
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In hindsight, the rise of the Philippines as the dominant source of quality English communicators seems inevitable. English has been part of the country's culture and national dialogue for decades and is one of two official languages in government, business, education, and popular media. In addition to broadsheets, radio and television, the pervading influence of English can also be felt in new digital channels such as blogs and entertainment portals. <br />
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Elsewhere, the shortage of corporate talent with acceptable English competence is alarming. In many advanced economies such as Japan and in emerging markets such as Brazil, the average BEI scored at less than 4.0. Of the BRIC countries, only China (4.44) and India (5.57) earned scores above 4.0. This represents a productivity challenge among multinational companies, especially at a junction where global business is being driven by robust markets in non-native English speaking countries. <br />
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Based on GlobalEnglish report, here are the 10 best and worst performing countries in terms of BEI:<br />
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<b>10 Best Countries in terms of BEI</b></h3>
<ol>
<li>Philippines</li>
<li>Norway </li>
<li>Serbia </li>
<li>Slovenia </li>
<li>Australia </li>
<li>Malaysia </li>
<li>India </li>
<li>Lithuania </li>
<li>Singapore </li>
<li>Canada </li>
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10 Worst Countries in terms of BEI </h3>
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<li>Armenia</li>
<li>Cote d'Ivoire</li>
<li>Taiwan</li>
<li>Honduras</li>
<li>Columbia</li>
<li>Chile</li>
<li>El Salvador</li>
<li>Saudi Arabia</li>
<li>Israel</li>
<li>Brazil</li>
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GlobalEnglish Corporation provides cloud-based solutions and insights on Enterprise Fluency. A respected think tank based in Brisbane, Califiornia, GlobalEnglish is consulted by more than 500 global corporations including Procter & Gamble, Cisco, BNP Paribas, and GlaxoSmithKline. To date, the BEI is the only system that evaluates English competence in the workplace. To view the full report, visit <a href="http://www.globalenglish.com/whoweare/newsroom/press_releases/757" target="_new">http://www.globalenglish.com/whoweare/newsroom/press_releases/757</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-32337627559089687642012-04-24T12:00:00.007-07:002012-04-25T05:05:29.004-07:00Spellbinding Travel Destinations in the Philippines<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business: Sustainable Tourism </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: #444444;"><b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnr2e7vzVDYDD9BbH75ZE7iXOQdH48_OVrRf3NQXpbZnxrKY3V5iLhCcQn4nOlVAEKcV5oMc25_RTB33dDcfFtFYNlPSydrFuvVS-ZvxOqNOYMo5IANE-2rh7q0Ly7Surds9fY1VRKZl_/s1600/whalesharks.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnr2e7vzVDYDD9BbH75ZE7iXOQdH48_OVrRf3NQXpbZnxrKY3V5iLhCcQn4nOlVAEKcV5oMc25_RTB33dDcfFtFYNlPSydrFuvVS-ZvxOqNOYMo5IANE-2rh7q0Ly7Surds9fY1VRKZl_/s320/whalesharks.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;"><b>Donsol</b></span></span></h2><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Donsol pulls and beguiles. For travelers who demand nothing but authentic and transformative experiences, the idyllic coastal town of Donsol in central Philippines provides a one-of-a-kind setting for unforgettable encounters. By itself, the town already possesses the attractions that make other destinations elsewhere a hit among global tourists: fascinating local culture, gorgeous beaches of fine sand, lush forests and stunningly rugged coastlines. At least for most travelers, these attractions are enough reasons to pack their luggage, book accommodations, and hit the trail.<br />
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But Donsol offers a lot more. If nature had a soul, then Donsol provides a rare window from which to see it in perfect clarity. Something in the town attracts two sensitive indicator species that are disappearing in much of their former ranges. There are only a few thousand whale sharks left in the world and most congregate and frolic in the waters of Donsol. Meantime, as human development encroaches on natural habitats, fireflies are also becoming a rare sight and very few young people even remember seeing them. Fortunately, they are in jaw-dropping numbers along the course of the Donsol River. In Donsol, just a few hours after daybreak, people can literally swim at armslength with the gentle but colossal whale sharks. After the sun sets, on the other hand, when only the night sky offers some glimmer of light, thousands of fireflies synchronize their biolumiscent abilities to add a spectacular surreal gleam to the riverscape.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
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</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuhW2zTcMX_cDHCLDBxNW_kCwxFUjcHHoWcUSPZ4sHMhpZrFnabstyGw1wscIScRbslbW4rqKGYRivqeNbZZZSgaoQprnliVO0B-2UNr5Bzt9ClffYMm1ENi3xqTvm2iPywz_f8PkLhog/s1600/Bohol3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuhW2zTcMX_cDHCLDBxNW_kCwxFUjcHHoWcUSPZ4sHMhpZrFnabstyGw1wscIScRbslbW4rqKGYRivqeNbZZZSgaoQprnliVO0B-2UNr5Bzt9ClffYMm1ENi3xqTvm2iPywz_f8PkLhog/s320/Bohol3.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #444444;">Bohol</b></span></h2><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Bohol is known for glistening white sand beach resorts, extensive coral reefs, world class diving spots, the Chocolate Hills (near symmetrical mounds of limestone formations that look like Hershey's Kisses), and the iconic tarsier (the oldest species of extant primate in the world).<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">However, this large Philippine Island has lately been a recurring item in the global tourism grapevine for yet another attraction: the Danao Adventure Park. Managed by the local government with the aid of private advocacy groups, the adventure park has become the ultimate hub for eco-adventure activities. The park offers more than a dozen extraordinarily thrilling activities that leverage the nature park's rugged and profoundly varied topography. Accommodating travelers of any stripe--from calm and composed bird watchers to extreme adventurers, Danao Adventure Park showcases the scenic Wahig River, a forested mountain range, a native cultural community, self-sustained organic farms, and cave complexes that provide hours of spelunking excitement. Popular activities include kayaking, wall climbing, trekking, camping, cave explorations, village tours, educational tours, and extreme in-the-park-only challenges such as the Ziplet, Skyride, Plunge, Suislide, Cliff Rappel, and Root Climb.</span></span><br />
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<div style="color: #444444;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkOMMhbkZflt9JUZKLGs6HboAlOZ0KBiIqGqI7hOG7GqEF6rIQdmnZfkhuDHXJARqwQVB8TGqra10D2VYxwrZWVXLyBYmNBEz60GMkU6xBItTT1kvZ8rqm4lGsymeR0L6Gjx3wHCDzRvs/s1600/Davao.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkOMMhbkZflt9JUZKLGs6HboAlOZ0KBiIqGqI7hOG7GqEF6rIQdmnZfkhuDHXJARqwQVB8TGqra10D2VYxwrZWVXLyBYmNBEz60GMkU6xBItTT1kvZ8rqm4lGsymeR0L6Gjx3wHCDzRvs/s320/Davao.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #444444;">Davao</b></span><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Very few places offer travelers the same level of profound thrills as the unique city of Davao. Dubbed the Eco-Adventure capital of the Philippines, Davao City is home to the country's highest mountain peak and to the noble and extremely rare Philippine Eagle. Davao is thoroughly cosmopolitan, being the country's third largest city and a regional economic player in Southeast Asia. Even then, only 7% of the city's total land area is urbanized, with around 50% classified as forests or timberland and 40% appropriated by the state-of-the-art agriculture that has catapulted the city among the world's top producers and exporters of fruits and flowers.<br />
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Considered the cleanest, greenest and safest city in the Philippines, Davao offers some of the most unique and memorable travel experiences anywhere in the world. From mountaineers to beach bums, from extreme sports enthusiasts to cultural historians, and from artists to ecologists, tourists of every stripe flock to the city to experience its gripping cultural and natural wonders. Dotting its coasts are top-rated beaches and uninhabited islands while exotic plants and animal species dwell within the spellbinding topography of its interior.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJko2XoUVGnD0lmzTw09ZHmOva0lxCvuVS4n7mvT_Hpge-P5mAegfL9f9MGOIQn9GXeGcFHLNFjLLX9xV4b7LUYpsouMPGrTpzhQGtyeBXbgihWO2qGXyDVf2K7XI8OMN4H9Z869bHQgqu/s1600/Coron.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJko2XoUVGnD0lmzTw09ZHmOva0lxCvuVS4n7mvT_Hpge-P5mAegfL9f9MGOIQn9GXeGcFHLNFjLLX9xV4b7LUYpsouMPGrTpzhQGtyeBXbgihWO2qGXyDVf2K7XI8OMN4H9Z869bHQgqu/s320/Coron.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Coron</b></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></h2></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Combine seven lakes, coral reefs, mangroves, white sand beaches, a native islander culture, and more than a dozen islands to explore and you'll get the phenomenal Coron experience. Isolated from urban centers by the windswept sea, Coron Island is one of the finest eco-adventure destinations in the world. The extensive reefs surrounding the island play host to highly acclaimed diving spots while sections of its coasts are protected by mangrove forests that also provide a secure habitat for different species of birds, reptiles, mammals and marine life. Sustainably managed by the peace-loving Tagbanuas--the native tribe that has ancestral dominion over the island--Coron Island is off limits to visitors at night while daytime excursions are carefully regulated. Fishing and tourism are the two industries that keep the island thriving and its precious natural resources conserved. Trekking, island hopping, scuba diving, swimming, and interacting with the natives are just some of the memorable activities that provide priceless thrills when done in Coron.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAo3QCFACJIT0hjvBF3ghyphenhyphenMfs4zk0Ni0FMduHV1kS8k_ozJ-oCVkZazEr8fXAFnpmllrqfCfcry0d9gHWFiyANIpv_rdc1LaA1EYmn2gjHtQLwZq9JIrlvYz1RTJ6fvrvhlr8bPwqxGXD/s1600/rice+terraces.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAo3QCFACJIT0hjvBF3ghyphenhyphenMfs4zk0Ni0FMduHV1kS8k_ozJ-oCVkZazEr8fXAFnpmllrqfCfcry0d9gHWFiyANIpv_rdc1LaA1EYmn2gjHtQLwZq9JIrlvYz1RTJ6fvrvhlr8bPwqxGXD/s320/rice+terraces.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2 style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cordillera Highlands</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> </span></h2><div style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">The imposing Cordillera Mountain Range courses through much of the north central part of Luzon and is the prominent terrain for the autonomous region that takes after its name. The area showcases the profoundly inspiring natural and cultural voices of the Philippine highlands. Given the region's rugged beauty and the fascinating highland tribes that lend it an extraordinary character, tourism ranks high among the top sectors that provide the stimulus for the regional economy. Waterfalls, mountain forests, millennia-old rice terraces, folk art, burial caves, and nature trails are the irresistible attractions that draw local and foreign tourists to the Cordilleras.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</div></div><div style="color: #444444;"><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Diverse and colorful, the region's richness permeates the traditional summer capital of Baguio City, the ecologically fascinating Mount Data National Park, the moving aura of Sagada, and the magnificent expressions of folk art in Bontoc and Batad. But perhaps the most well-known landmark in the area is the sprawling Banaue Rice Terraces, an engineering and agricultural marvel that has been carved by hand from the slopes of the mighty Cordillera Mountain Range several thousands of years ago. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the rice terraces continue to nourish the unique tribal cultures that inhabit the region.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Memorable Baguio hikes, challenging bike trails, waterfall and cave explorations, nature trekking, bird watching, white water rafting, rappelling, cultural/historical immersions, and meaningful village interactions await travelers who are looking for unforgettable and extraordinary experiences in this one-of-a-kind location.</span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREzE7fjodieCPY-G0NuyxHrYKaWHn8c3RPbbTYC2oYubskyQa1rv2aDuAod0QJMNPNjLGstykhV6j0YduondHglUta6Pojsng_TSR3sh8lZfHJIu3PQ9T1KxDWNGv7GYv_Iws4qqksA8c/s1600/palawan.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREzE7fjodieCPY-G0NuyxHrYKaWHn8c3RPbbTYC2oYubskyQa1rv2aDuAod0QJMNPNjLGstykhV6j0YduondHglUta6Pojsng_TSR3sh8lZfHJIu3PQ9T1KxDWNGv7GYv_Iws4qqksA8c/s320/palawan.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #444444;">Palawan</span></b></span></h2><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unforgettable. Beguiling. Palawan. Three interchangeable words as far as natural splendor is concerned. Voted by Conde Nast as the destination with the best beaches in Asia, Palawan offers more than pristine sands and one of the richest reef ecosystems in the world. Isolated from the Philippine's major urban centers, Palawan retains much of its old-growth rainforests that shelter a surprising number of exotic and endemic species. Extensive mangrove areas hedge its coasts while lush canopies lend a rich verdant accent to its rugged interior, attracting a wide variety of plants and animals that call Palawan their home. Across its beaches are magnificent limestone islands that jut out of the surf to play a breathtaking symphony with the sea, while farther across are marine sanctuaries that international teams of experts consider unparalleled in terms of species density.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hosting the primary airport of the island province, Puerto Princesa is the gateway to the Palawan experience and the hub for numerous initiatives on nature conservation and biodiversity protection. It is also just a few kilometers from the world-renowned Underground River, a ribbon of crystal clear water that flows through spectacular limestone formations over an area that fully encapsulates a mountain-to-sea transition. Because of its unique richness, the Puerto Princesa Underground River was declared a UNESCO Heritage Site and was just recently included in the Seven Natural Wonders of the World Project.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are countless ways of experiencing Palawan. Aside from taking a breathtaking journey across the Underground River, travelers can explore the exotic string of islands that provide a profound natural contrast to the placid contours of the sea. Travelers have the option to go midpoint between sea and sky by para-sailing or reacquaint themselves with the element of water by exploring the destination's unmatched snorkeling sites. Scuba-diving is also a popular attraction, especially to those who wish to interact with the stunningly colorful denizens of the coral reef.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Simply put, Palawan is the epitome of a tropical paradise and is unmatched by any place in the world for its ruggedly beautiful terrain, breathtaking seascapes, world class diving sites, exotic wildlife, nature trails, extensive sanctuaries, and fascinating native cultures.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nature trekking, swimming, snorkeling, island hoping, local dishes & delicacies, scuba diving, bird watching, parasailing, tattooing, ecological research, bar hopping and photography are just some of the experiences that become strangely distinctive when done in Palawan.</span> </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<div style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">||<b> Corporate Communications </b>|</span> </span></div><div style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visiting the <a href="http://www.eksalife.com/" target="_blank">Eksalife website</a> or their <a href="http://www.facebook.com/eksalifejourneys" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> is the first step that takes you on the trail of the world's most astonishing journeys. </span></i></span></div></div></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-70134565162301172102012-04-23T19:27:00.005-07:002012-04-26T16:50:04.917-07:00How to Make Better Business Decisions<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>For Freelancers & Entrepreneurs </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYofAsxFmrxJT1IRbfB3Uhgsvl5rZw0IpRARYkSdwgOxP64wfUUpNos2m7FBgxXw7fK3S54Hoib1lrJkJ03OkV6_O_73TPgz4cKgr5GBeSs-injtu0ZUXlCl7quVpbWD3bwK_h1gwNP8dp/s1600/Business+Decisions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYofAsxFmrxJT1IRbfB3Uhgsvl5rZw0IpRARYkSdwgOxP64wfUUpNos2m7FBgxXw7fK3S54Hoib1lrJkJ03OkV6_O_73TPgz4cKgr5GBeSs-injtu0ZUXlCl7quVpbWD3bwK_h1gwNP8dp/s320/Business+Decisions.png" width="230" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Managing a business, project, or a team often involves making decisions. From selecting the best staff to work on a project to planning the best approach in engaging a potential investor, decisions are often one-shot deals that cannot be reversed once you get the ball rolling. Some decisions are easier to make than others. Some are quite complex and involves finding alternatives and weighing all variables--including those that are yet to be discovered.</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because making decisions can be complicated, business management gurus formulate step- by-step processes that cover most aspects of decision-making. These processes are designed to deliver high quality outcomes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Commonly, decisions are made via one of four possible methods: <i>command, consultation,</i> <i>vote</i> and <i>consensus</i>. Of the four, "vote" and "consensus" involves more stakeholders in the decision process while "command" involves just a single person or a very small team to make the decision.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">By far, the simplest decision making formula is broken down into five basic steps: </span></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Establish a constructive environment that inspires productive collaboration among stake holders and decision makers</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Formulate and explore alternative solutions </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Select the best solution </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Conduct a final review of the chosen solution</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Articulate and implement the decision.</span></span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Consistently following these steps will help you make better business decisions. Remember that thinking about all the available options and approaches to an issue will help everyone arrive at the best solution. For critical issues, consulting with a subject matter expert (SME) helps deliver the best results.</span></span>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-91373403028698676142012-04-23T14:18:00.003-07:002012-04-25T02:41:36.637-07:00The Benefits of Using Wireframes<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Information Technology </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF3vSuAHmiA9qdLg862QW0BUA_WS1qpGBZsF8924VOUOMqG6i4fokmQZo6MjWM0RwHs_1yEmvOB-KdjXED8NCSc7oBKWIGNfGAOxP7TjaKOxtI7-oaofIaAFT002BK_CEPTuniaJmkEcU/s1600/wireframe.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOF3vSuAHmiA9qdLg862QW0BUA_WS1qpGBZsF8924VOUOMqG6i4fokmQZo6MjWM0RwHs_1yEmvOB-KdjXED8NCSc7oBKWIGNfGAOxP7TjaKOxtI7-oaofIaAFT002BK_CEPTuniaJmkEcU/s200/wireframe.png" width="195" /></a></div>Wire-frames function as a bridge between raw creative thoughts and the final product. Think of wire-frames as architectural blueprints for a building and you'll understand why it is a critical tool in just about any development project. The fact is, constructing a decent, structurally sound building without using blueprints is inconceivable, and no sane real estate developer will partner with a construction outfit that does not use blueprints.<br />
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Similarly, projects such as software and web development rely on wire-frames to visually represent an envisioned product or product component. This is because wire-frames are much better than anything else at communicating the components, processes, and various relationships within a given system such as a website or a software application. Without wire-framing, any of these unfavorable scenarios could arise:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><ul><li>The stage at which stakeholders plan and strategize about a project will unnecessarily be handicapped or delayed. </li>
<li>Developers will not be able to account for all expected outcomes when a system component is being used.</li>
<li>Poorly laid out interfaces result to substantial revision costs. </li>
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These are some of the reasons why competent project managers and professional developers insist on integrating wire-frames into the development process.<br />
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<b>Wire-frames 101</b><br />
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In its basic form, a wire-frame can be as simple as a manually drawn diagram that provides a visual representation of a system or a process. The visual detail need not be extensive as long as all the key elements are represented. Hence, a wire-frame is often referred to as a skeleton or an outline. At the other extreme, there are wire-framing software that are capable of producing highly detailed approximations of the product or application being envisioned. <br />
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One of the leading online wire-framing applications is <a href="http://creately.com/" target="_blank">Creately</a>. The wire-frame templates that Creately provides range from simple block diagrams to high-fidelity blueprints or UI mockups that closely resemble the intended website or software application. In addition to its strong representational support, Creately's easy-to-use wire-framing service also encourages close team collaboration.<br />
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<b>Wire-frame Benefits</b><br />
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Whether manually drawn or created using advanced collaborative services, wire-frames help create a product model that can be used by all stakeholders--managers, designers, developers, customers, and users--to tweak, re-layout or re-design different system elements more efficiently.<br />
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And there lies the advantages of using wire-frames. To be more specific, there are three main benefits:<br />
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<ol><li> First, wire-frames make it easy for a complete system mockup to be produced. Based on customer specifications, a top level UI mockup can easily be created, which can then be used by both customers and developers as the basis for integrating details, features, and other enhancements. Early in the development process, wire-frames can be used as the platform for testing and feedback, allowing for the product to be refined easily. For example, how copywriters should craft and display website copy can be discerned much easier if there is a wire-frame that shows the positions and nature of the other display elements such as images, frames, buttons, and text links. Meanwhile, customers can use UI mockups to make refinements according to their branding or corporate image.</li>
<li>Second, wire-frames make it easier for developers to organize and establish the relationships among system or product components. In a mobile application for example, screen transitions resulting from user interaction with buttons or other interactive elements can easily be plotted and perfected. When this or that element is tapped, for example, this animation is played. This sounds simple but interactivity and navigation often spell the success or failure of a new product. Great products are those that are highly intuitive and closely predict user behavior. In the absence of UI mockups, the relationships among different components of a system are difficult to visualize, which increases the risk of launching a product with poorly designed interactivity.</li>
<li>Finally, wire-frames provide a more cost-efficient way of making changes. By creating wire-frames first, developers ultimately conserve time, money and effort compared with immediately creating actual products such as a web page. This is the value offered by diagramming applications such as Creately's online service. By encouraging close coordination among all the stakeholders of a planned product, all the necessary features can be integrated more easily and quickly through a collaboratively built wireframe. This effectively avoids costly revisions that would likely have arisen had the development team bypassed the wire-framing phase. </li>
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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Obviously, wire-framing has become a critical stage in the development process. That is, an initial product or system design will almost always require various changes after being reviewed by stakeholders. For example, customers who employ a website development outfit will surely demand tweaks once a mockup of the website is submitted for review. Just imagine the wasted development hours if actual web pages were developed and a major revamp were to be required by the customer. When wire-frames are used, implementing changes will not hurt at all since the real product is yet to be developed anyway. It will also help save time, especially if the development team is on a tight schedule. Contrary to the initial perception of some developers, immediately working on the actual product will not make things easier or faster for the simple reason that change requests are inevitable. By creating a wire-frame, problems, issues or challenges can be detected and addressed earlier in the development stage. <br />
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Given these wire-frame benefits, wire-framing should be conducted at the onset of development and should involve the collaborative effort of customers and product developers. This way, how the product is envisioned by the customer can easily be translated into reality by the technical and creative inputs of developers. To be sure, wire-frames are not perfect simply because they are not meant to be so. Instead, they are possibly the most cost-effective way of refining a product into perfection. <br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">This article was written by Joseph for Creately. Creately helps teams create and collaborate on visual projects such as diagrams, wireframes, charts, and concept maps. Build compelling visuals with their easy to use online platform at <a href="http://creately.com/" target="_blank">http://creately.com/</a></span><br />
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<div style="line-height: 16pt; margin: 0.1pt 0cm;"></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-59439181604703669142012-04-23T05:57:00.001-07:002012-04-25T00:55:36.851-07:00Automotive Sector: Performance Parts<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEJRouAgiVNC9AMHx4GOEYjnrvauynWbPnEyv4lhI_09tS38cSXtqDsJMvvLoiv-gEjUslLHNZ6WFiFv7mKkBLjLjCExiUP7pb0_IyEjfO2DfYvdwXNSUH4UAft_3SZa4OewFR9lS0mJn/s1600/projector+headlights.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEJRouAgiVNC9AMHx4GOEYjnrvauynWbPnEyv4lhI_09tS38cSXtqDsJMvvLoiv-gEjUslLHNZ6WFiFv7mKkBLjLjCExiUP7pb0_IyEjfO2DfYvdwXNSUH4UAft_3SZa4OewFR9lS0mJn/s200/projector+headlights.png" width="192" /></a></div><h2 style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">How Light Should Look</span></b></h2><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">If you’re planning to upgrade your stock headlamps, you might want to consider replacing them with advanced projector headlamps that really function like a dream and look exactly like the keen eyes of a modern apex predator. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Headlamps are critical car components, enabling drivers to safely maneuver vehicles in low visibility conditions such as nighttime, high fog density, and torrential rain. A good, dependable headlamp should be able to produce adequate illumination in order for drivers to see the road conditions clearly. Over the years, technologies that aim to provide this main headlamp functionality have evolved such that the advanced automotive lighting of today is a far cry from its roots back in 1912, when the first electric light was installed on a Cadillac. The different automotive lighting technologies of today are used in the production of advanced HID headlamps, LED lamps, dual halo headlamps, and projector headlamps. </span></span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Also called polyellipsoidal lamps, the first projector headlamps were introduced on an Audi Quartz, a variant of Audi’s venerable Quattro brand that was conceptualized for a 1981 automobile expo in Geneva. Five years later, projector headlamps were volume-produced and became an innovative fixture for the 1986 BMW 7 series. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">In a nutshell, projector headlamps differ from traditional headlamps by the way they radiate light beams. Conventional headlights are generally constructed with refractor lenses that are patterned in such a way as to distribute light where the driver needs it most, and reduce it where it can become distracting to oncoming traffic. On the other hand, projector headlamps do not use refractors at all but perform the same functions better and more efficiently. Commonly, projector headlamps are composed of a light bulb, an elliptical reflector positioned at the back, an outer lens, and a solenoid. The innovative design specifically upscales how light beams are radiated.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Today, just about any high performance car would be incomplete without projector headlamps. If you want to line up your car among the best and safest road performers, check out Car Part Paradise’ range of affordable projector headlamps from top-notch manufacturers such as Anzo, Spec D Tuning, and APC. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdlPO3TBWKzYFNxWYEUmrpE7L2r3oiYlSEH6oSvFbAJc-FDEDQvW6M3TpMnFK9zwYgGgRJWQLdLajgh19ANga3w3scgVbVfq45bpXt5SOu1zDfTlcwRAeJgBaOQKn1vggYG2FYgnnNE3H/s1600/cold+air+intake.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRdlPO3TBWKzYFNxWYEUmrpE7L2r3oiYlSEH6oSvFbAJc-FDEDQvW6M3TpMnFK9zwYgGgRJWQLdLajgh19ANga3w3scgVbVfq45bpXt5SOu1zDfTlcwRAeJgBaOQKn1vggYG2FYgnnNE3H/s200/cold+air+intake.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><b>Taking a Breather with High Performance Air Intakes</b></span> </div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;">One affordable way to begin transforming your car into a really mean high-performance machine is to scout for and install efficient cold air intakes. The right cold air intake kit for your car can upscale its engine efficiency and even improve your fuel mileage. With the constantly fluctuating gas prices, the option to use high performance air intakes is becoming more practical and compelling.</div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
Most stock air intakes have thermostats integrated in the system, which regulate the air flowing into the engine. For example, when the engine is relatively cool, only warm air is allowed to flow through in order to maintain the proper engine temperature. A high performance cold air intake, on the other hand, allows only cool air to pass through its filter. Cool air contains more oxygen per unit volume, allowing fuel to be burned at a better rate. A good cold air intake kit will enable a car engine to burn more fuel with less wastage, thereby producing more engine power. High performance cold air intakes also have smoother tube interiors and looser filters that that significantly reduce air resistance.<br />
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There are several cold air intake brands available at Car Part Paradise, including three of the most popular: K&N, Spec D, and Weapon-R. There’s an air intake kit specifically designed for your car make and model. If you want to squeeze mileage from every drop of fuel, then replacing your stock air intake with a suitable model from these brands will ensure that engine temperature as well as fuel consumption is efficiently regulated. <br />
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One of our most in-demand high performance air intake kits is the Secret Weapon Intake System developed by Weapon-R. Made of top grade aluminum alloy, the Secret Weapon Intake kit substantially improves system stability and allows air inflows that are as much as three times the volume allowed by conventional intake systems. The kit’s filter system also enhances airflow volume without allowing unwanted debris and pollutants to pass through. If you are a style nut, you’ll also find the sleek, catchy exterior look of the Secret Weapon Intake kit a perfect fit to your taste. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r5D3pJDLbECKUyv0n8IKDhtZ_ym63B5fFRlitceTh6VNbkYhj4x_X6lAIJaAh8rgrwUHjcqUy5wciqqZinZY4sDYZXc6-VCv2S7TGLC8i4kxabUdL_LrFDZulr7bSWdOZ9bYqTCbplBf/s1600/springs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9r5D3pJDLbECKUyv0n8IKDhtZ_ym63B5fFRlitceTh6VNbkYhj4x_X6lAIJaAh8rgrwUHjcqUy5wciqqZinZY4sDYZXc6-VCv2S7TGLC8i4kxabUdL_LrFDZulr7bSWdOZ9bYqTCbplBf/s200/springs.png" width="200" /></a></div><h2 style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Using Down to Earth Gear to Enjoy a Heavenly Ride </b></span></h2><h2><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></h2><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Lowering springs help you conquer the road. They stabilize your car by lowering its center of gravity, thereby eliminating body rolls. Many brands commonly lower the center of gravity from 1 to 2 inches, which significantly enhances highway performance. Remarkably, these brands do so while conforming to the highest standards of safety and ride quality. When you’re off the steering wheel, you’ll find that lowering springs also provide the visually commanding benefit of transforming your car into a sportier, sleeker version of the stock model. <br />
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At Car Part Paradise, you get to choose from a wide range of affordable lowering springs designed by top-notch manufacturers such as H&R and TEIN.<br />
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TEIN has been around for close to three decades of providing affordable, durable, and high-performing lowering springs and coilovers. Integrating Japanese efficiency in all its meticulously engineered products, TEIN has grown into a global brand, with facilities here in the US as well as in China and the United Kingdom. When you acquire and install a set of TEIN lowering springs, you are securing your chassis on top of one of the most dependable suspension systems in the world. Unlike other brands, TEIN’s core design and manufacturing focus are solely on suspension components. In addition to offering brand-specific lowering springs, they even have variants that are purposely designed based on other factors such as road conditions and different consumer requirements. You may want to check out some TEIN models such as the G-Tech, S-Tech, and H-Tech lowering springs at our online catalog. By the way, in case you’re wondering whether TEIN is a Japanese word, it’s not. It’s actually an English contraction of the two key guiding values that have steered the company over the years: TEchnology and INnovation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg155AJ1q_rD4B3oA8T9FypAjzLGwL0p_8_0C1g82QYIPjUwEqOn03qhyB61NSamAk4vFroFYoRwmypcV8T2sgVkcZ_wv0tyukjWA2lSScLLXOdP2kHq-biqAE_pkoHeqdgUt7JlrQCEMOb/s1600/Steering+Wheel+Cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg155AJ1q_rD4B3oA8T9FypAjzLGwL0p_8_0C1g82QYIPjUwEqOn03qhyB61NSamAk4vFroFYoRwmypcV8T2sgVkcZ_wv0tyukjWA2lSScLLXOdP2kHq-biqAE_pkoHeqdgUt7JlrQCEMOb/s200/Steering+Wheel+Cover.png" width="200" /></a></div><h2><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><b>The Practical Side of Steering Wheel Covers</b></span></h2><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">For many people, owning a car is something for the long haul. When you first bought your car, you’re amazed at the flawless exterior. Inside, the impeccable smell of newness more than compensates for the dent the purchase made on your wallet. Over time, however, minor scratches and normal wear eventually erodes your car’s showroom look and you’re compelled to buy and use accessories or replacement parts that help arrest further deterioration. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> <br />
One of the most used—well, at least handled—parts of your car is the steering wheel. Consequently, it is also among the parts that experience highly visible wear over time. So what do you do if your steering wheel is looking more like old, cracked snakeskin that is peeling off?<br />
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Well, you can throw away your worries to the nearest dump and take a delighted look at our discounted Wheelskins offerings. Wheelskins has been around since the 70s and is currently the top player when it comes to genuine leather accessories for the automotive sector. In fact, Wheelskins steering wheel covers are staple items especially in the upscale accessories niche that cater to consumers that demand only the best for their cars. <br />
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There’s simply a lot of benefits when you choose to upgrade your interior using a Wheelskin steering wheel cover. First, you can install it easily over the old leather or plastic film of your steering wheel. It also comes in quite a number of colors and styling that will suit just about any vehicle or driver requirement. Basically, there are three main designs to choose from: Original (one tone), EuroTone (two-toned), and EuroPerf (one color, perforated). There are 15 colors available, each designed to reflect the driver’s personal style preference. In addition to standard colors, Wheelskins steering wheel covers also come in burgundy, oak, charcoal, and sand. Lastly, the respected brand earned consistent consumer satisfaction and loyalty because it offers only the most finely crafted leatherwork. <br />
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If those don’t count because you’re just a practical driver, then consider these functional benefits: Wheelskins steering wheel covers 1) prolong the life of your steering wheel; 2) protect steering wheels from the sun’s rays that cause cracking and fading; and 3) improves your grip on the wheel for a safer ride.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OLdhjjB-4Q1XasBeLPAJqplCQfAUPO-TQErtKJ295ze4dowK2rttIweA1RyMpmIemAJZR7oDEVYWlOqbp5g3oKoiIEsJmxylsoBtm-sNLmox612CM0lcEVlaVf44njOAYw3MYHPDbtfz/s1600/wheel+spacers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OLdhjjB-4Q1XasBeLPAJqplCQfAUPO-TQErtKJ295ze4dowK2rttIweA1RyMpmIemAJZR7oDEVYWlOqbp5g3oKoiIEsJmxylsoBtm-sNLmox612CM0lcEVlaVf44njOAYw3MYHPDbtfz/s200/wheel+spacers.png" width="200" /></a></div><h2 style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>H&R Wheel Spacers and Adapters</b></span></h2><h2><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></h2><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Nothing upscales a car as much as a new set of wheels. Wheels define a car’s personality and a carefully chosen wheel design can, by itself, visually transform a boring run-of-the-mill machine into a certified road thoroughbred.<br />
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But what if you’re a bit cash-challenged at the moment and you’re really itching to crush any memory of the stock wheel that comes with your second hand auto? The elusive answer is right at the center of Auto Part Paradise: we offer affordable wheel spacers and adapters from the German engineering giant H&R. <br />
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Wheel spacers are thin metal discs that can be fitted between the vehicle and the wheel. Spacers make your car look more stable, sporty, and aggressive by slightly extending the wheels outward. Consequently, they also make your wheels look wider and more powerful than they actually are. In terms of performance, wheel spacers actually improve handling by making your car navigate corners better due to the more stable stance. <br />
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Most manufacturers of wheel fittings provide excessive spaces between the fenders, wheels, and tires, which has the overall effect of making cars look top-heavy. Wheel spacers solve this issue by “visually” correcting the stance of vehicles. In addition, if you really intend to transform your stock auto into a high performance wonder, you’ll really be needing wheel spacers because they provide clearance for other upgrades or enhancements such as high performance coilovers, springs, and brake caliphers.<br />
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H&R is probably our best in-store brand for wheel spacers. Decades of leading edge design goes to H&R wheel spacers, such that the brand has reportedly become a favorite among aficionados of BMW and other car makes. H&R wheel spacers are made of a special steel alloy that is as strong as but significantly lighter (by about almost 70%) than conventional automotive steel. They are also resistant to scratching, oxidation, and chipping. <br />
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H&R also manufactures wheel adapters that allow adventurous enthusiasts to install a wheel on a fitting with different specs (different number bolts and spacing’s, etc.). This enables the use of Chevrolet wheels on a Honda, for example. Check out our catalog for more details.</span></span><br />
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<div style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">||</span> </span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: small;"><i>These articles were created for and posted in the <a href="http://www.carpartparadise.com/blog/" target="_blank">Car Part Paradise Blog</a>. Visit their site to get the best deals on <a href="http://www.carpartparadise.com/" target="_blank">automotive aftermarket performance parts</a>. </i></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-42078125128114624632012-04-16T03:55:00.000-07:002012-04-25T00:54:42.859-07:00Outsourcing Pros and Cons<div id="article-content" style="color: #444444; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Outsourcing means an arrangement between a company and another entity for the performance of operational tasks that might otherwise be performed by the company's inhouse staff. A lot of companies now outsource some of their corporate operations such as customer service, payroll, manufacturing, and software development. Like most business tools, outsourcing has its share of advantages and disadvantages.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsl7xGG1TPqgI5QQUVSn34IUyvGiBGgKdlxSGSuRCKx7hHEozzCbhZfLBnpYV2JW2oosjcqZmA0RP3ZDK0SxR9eyHv3JHiQCk0BtT3dKDc2C6qAHVrIBuw5XVxDUWTeljzYDTABpE042N/s1600/stock-photo-16239049-outsourcing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEsl7xGG1TPqgI5QQUVSn34IUyvGiBGgKdlxSGSuRCKx7hHEozzCbhZfLBnpYV2JW2oosjcqZmA0RP3ZDK0SxR9eyHv3JHiQCk0BtT3dKDc2C6qAHVrIBuw5XVxDUWTeljzYDTABpE042N/s320/stock-photo-16239049-outsourcing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Outsourcing evolved into a multi-billion dollar business simply because it offers a lot of advantages. The most obvious reason companies outsource is related to the company savings it helps generate by offering less expensive alternatives to having tasks completed by an inhouse team of workers. Inputting the cost in benefits and standard wages for inhouse workers adds up to a sizeable expenditure, an issue squarely addressed by outsourcing. Outsourcing also allows companies to focus on its core businesses by delegating non-core tasks to third parties. For expanding companies, outsourcing also provides a cheaper alternative in establishing footholds in other countries. In some cases, outsourcing also helps improve output quality in non-core departments. This is attainable through service level agreements with excellent outsource firms such as Philippine-based call centers and software houses. The agreement also legally binds the outsourcing provider to meet the quality and timeline requirements of the company.</span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
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</div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While delivering benefits in many areas, outsourcing also has its negative aspects. One of the main drawbacks related to the increasing adoption of outsourcing by many western companies is the reduction of available jobs in the company's home city or country. Because it is cheaper to outsource off shore staff, the local job market suffers. Fewer companies will be sufficiently eager to hire local workers that entail higher costs in wages and benefits compared to their outsourced counterparts. Moreover, in companies which opted to outsource their customer relations department, outsourcing restricts companies' ability to directly engage their customers. Because the call center is outsourced, much of the valuable customer feedback are conveyed to outsourced staff who may or may not escalate customer issues that initially seem insignificant. When outsourced customer care staff are not properly trained, moreover, customers may become disappointed, or even irate enough to cease patronizing the company product or service. In some instances, outsourcing may also result to the pirating of some of the company's trade secrets as well as unforeseen but disastrous delays in project completion when the outsourcing provider abruptly closes operations. In a few locations, language barriers and unreliable online connections significantly limit the benefits of outsourcing.<br />
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Given upside and drawbacks of outsourcing, the final decision still rests on the company and its understanding of its core values and goals. If outsourcing works towards the attainment of its strategic goals without impinging on its corporate values, then there is no reason not to outsource. Otherwise, the company should explore other means of chipping operational expenses or realigning its business model.</span></div><br />
</div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-12086407194802080032012-03-01T23:00:00.004-08:002012-04-25T02:53:07.063-07:00Remapping Thomas Barnett's Discourse<div style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Academic Paper </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div style="color: #444444;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkggfdYguDOj9oqCJsfaS0RvMONQm8IOKcxfQzl7GV49rP1nl_DANZ_VnwblFxUGa0vnDR6LZv9NpFu-Wi_QqWWGJ_jGtFxBg95iUNPP3FhZgwP6FBbk2Yx-o5gx3xnDPNH5wcdfG6X5do/s1600/Barnett.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkggfdYguDOj9oqCJsfaS0RvMONQm8IOKcxfQzl7GV49rP1nl_DANZ_VnwblFxUGa0vnDR6LZv9NpFu-Wi_QqWWGJ_jGtFxBg95iUNPP3FhZgwP6FBbk2Yx-o5gx3xnDPNH5wcdfG6X5do/s200/Barnett.png" width="137" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Thomas Barnett's conception of the contemporary world as an ecosystem of states that belong to either one of two groups - the Core and the Gap - and his proposed military solutions in the context of this ecosystem are insightful and may partially constitute a working model for strategic planning but are unfortunately flawed in some fundamental aspects.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> Let's review some of the professor's assertions in the lecture.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">First, he defined the two clearly demarcated groups of states in terms of how much these states embrace the globalization of commerce and culture. The Core includes nations in North America, Western Europe, Northeast Asia, Russia, India, China, and other industrially advanced states that have become active players in the dynamics of globalization. According to Barnett, nations that belong to the Core developed mutual dependence among themselves and are, consequently, interconnected.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> Meantime, the Gap is the fulcrum where "the new security paradigm shift" emerges. Comprised by states or pseudo-states that have willfully prevented or are unable to adapt to the inflow of globalization within their borders, Gap countries include Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Somalia. It is the "disconnectedness" of these states that lies at the core of Professor Barnett's proposition: disconnectedness defines danger.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> To Barnett, a disconnect poses a real danger to the Core and, if the threat is imminent, should be acted upon with a strong, long-term military campaign, where the guiding purpose is not only to neutralize the disconnect but to ultimately "shrink the Gap." As a result, countries in the Gap - at least in Barnett's cosmology - become the new theaters where conflicts are resolved almost always by armed forces.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> This is what occurred in Iraq, as Professor Barnett stated in the first part of the lecture. The Iraqi invasion, he contended, is just not about disarming Saddam Hussein's repressive regime but a jump point from which the United States can assume the leading role in providing global security in the new paradigm. As it turned out, this is what actually happened - at least in some areas. Years of bitter conflict prodded on even after Saddam Hussein has already been uprooted and executed and Iraq became a forward base of operations for American anti-terrorist campaigns elsewhere.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> Certainly, the bitterness was felt on both sides of the Gap. And here lie some of the flaws in Barnett's premise. There are two "disconnects" in the narrative. The disconnect which Barnett used to describe the daunting challenge of assimilating peoples long influenced by conditions in the Gap into the rule sets imposed by the Core; and the clear disconnect between the official justifications for the invasion and the what appears to be the unanimous Iraqi, US, and global public opinion against it.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> Barnett's position that the United States should assume the mantle of the world's super policeman is also in question, and likely to be assailed not only by states in the Gap but also and most assuredly even by nations in the Core. Recall the series of troop withdrawal among the different nations that fielded the Coalition forces late in the war effort until only the US and its staunchest ally, the United Kingdom are the only countries that maintained substantial contingents to man the gates. In all likelihood, there will also be clear expressions of doubt, both in terms of American material resources and its moral right to wage a unilateral crusade against perceived targets [re: terrorists, rogue states, drug cartels, etc]. In fact, even at the zenith of its strength, the American war chest is already hard-pressed financing its current campaigns in the Middle East and Central Asia and will certainly groan uncomfortably when it is called to fund another major campaign.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> Core countries with much longer-established interests in specific locales in the Gap also constitute a real challenge when the United States do decide to impose the Core's rule sets in these areas. North Korea, for example, has long been the diplomatic regime of the Chinese Communist Party and the US unilaterally engaging the impoverished but nuclear-capable rogue state is dangerously unpalatable to China. Similarly, Gap countries in North Central Asia may not be "assimilated" without Russia's consent and active involvement.</span><br style="color: black;" /> <br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;"> In summary, I admire Thomas Barnett's distillation of the contemporary world into the Core, the Gap, and Connectivity. However, the simplifications that make this mapping valuable as a strategic tool also makes it vulnerable to reproach: how do we classify states like Costa Rica for example, which doesn't fit both the molds of Barnett's Core and Gap countries? And do we really force non-belligerent nations into the folds of globalization even if they really prefer not to join? Lastly, the notion that the rest of the world need American military muscle to feel secure is constructed on tenuous ground.</span></span></div></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-47221077697387549292012-02-24T15:00:00.000-08:002012-04-25T05:00:26.735-07:00Survival Kit for Freelance Writers<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Writing & Editing Topics </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyd3ButqxEJbbYp0wmTjb4MTRMsaTJmma1mayIL-dZ18gbZcuR_Kra1uQcrTwl1wI2k-osxnQ7_5Q9LUcf5H5SCYv5asJnUfhySuMkhcdg1TCYpukT0uRWkiyOs6H-YBx-MyfmLpcidhC/s1600/survival_kit_for_writers_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyd3ButqxEJbbYp0wmTjb4MTRMsaTJmma1mayIL-dZ18gbZcuR_Kra1uQcrTwl1wI2k-osxnQ7_5Q9LUcf5H5SCYv5asJnUfhySuMkhcdg1TCYpukT0uRWkiyOs6H-YBx-MyfmLpcidhC/s320/survival_kit_for_writers_2.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Only a few people who decide to embark on a writing career really know what they are getting into. Most are clueless about what being a writer entails and some come to resent the decision because their expectations are hardly aligned with the realities of the game. Some people think that they are already writer material just because they can express themselves through the written word. </span></span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To be fair, anybody who can think logically and can clearly express what she thinks has the potential to become a writer. But potential is as far as it goes. Writing, like any other serious craft is an exercise in discipline. Without discipline, a person will find it much easier to create voluminous pages of bad writing than to craft a decent one-page essay. <br />
</span></span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Some people also consider writing as an escape route from the restrictions of traditional corporate culture, particularly the 8-hour daily grind. Like many creatives, some writers do thrive as professional indies but others who lack the astute discipline of successful freelancers eventually return--disillusioned and jaded--into the corporate fold.</span></span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5W7IbeZ8-hD3cpk5YmP6s0hQNcdqU_OTeKHUscUFh2Us1uQP60ddZaUGVhQQElgCaj35JlRnJOGajDv4TY3IAtRfv_8l9iaSvePgOM9Qme9LizZMm3JC809xEiplDDMMZ3wH-gawlvOL/s1600/survival_kit_for_writers.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5W7IbeZ8-hD3cpk5YmP6s0hQNcdqU_OTeKHUscUFh2Us1uQP60ddZaUGVhQQElgCaj35JlRnJOGajDv4TY3IAtRfv_8l9iaSvePgOM9Qme9LizZMm3JC809xEiplDDMMZ3wH-gawlvOL/s200/survival_kit_for_writers.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are contemplating of becoming an independent writer, here are some tips to help you survive the perils of the trade.<br />
</span></span></div><ol style="color: black;"><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Forget a career in writing if you don't have the passion for it. You will only become mediocre at the art. If neither evocative fiction nor insightful essays resonate with some fundamental aspect of your personality, becoming a writer is not the right route for you to take. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If money is your primary goal, writing is not the easiest path to achieve it, unless you are a pornstar or a high profile whistle-blower. Write heroically for the sake of creating beautiful or effective phrases and you'll eventually feel your efforts adequately rewarded. To be sure, writing is not the most lucrative of professions but it is certainly among the most fulfilling. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Read. Next to actually writing or keying in letters onto a screen, reading is the best training any writer can have. Make it a point to consume "good reads" like there's no tomorrow. By reading, you will learn different ways of articulating different subjects. Reading content from different fields will also help you configure your writing for different kinds of audiences. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Write. Don't talk about writing. You don't even need to mentally plan. Just will yourself to write the first word and complete your sentences until you conjure a decent paragraph. Avoid being distracted until you finish a piece.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do your research. Some writing requires precision and accuracy more than others and a self-respecting writer will complement his writing skill with well-researched information. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Be open to feedback, criticism and even rejection. Some writers became sterling specimens of their profession only after enduring multiple rejections. Learn your craft well and you will know whether feedback about your work is valid or not. When valid, learn to accept criticisms with grace and a resolve to improve your craft.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Know your audience. Nothing beats content that powerfully moves its intended audience. At the other end, nothing is sadder than a well-written piece that is read by the wrong audience. Align your tone, diction, language and style with your target readers so that the engagement will deliver value to all.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Know the terrain. There are millions of writers out there and each one a potential competitor. Continuously honing your skills and being a dependable expert at some writing areas will give you an edge. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Know the tools. The Internet is a writer's heaven. There are free references (writing guides, grammar tips, style guides, dictionaries) and other writer resources any enterprising writer will leverage for his advantage. There are also dozens of great freelancing portals such as oDesk and Elance where writers can obtain contracts from various customers. </span></span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><br />
Being a writer has its perk and prestige but it also has its pitfalls. Being passionate about it is merely half the journey. Translating that passion into meticulous, disciplined work is the well-known mantra any successful professional wordsmith will tell you. </span> <br />
</span></span>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-10431889760488375112012-02-23T01:10:00.011-08:002012-03-14T06:54:13.480-07:00Different relationships in class diagrams<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Information Technology </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
Many people consider class diagrams a bit more complicated to build compared with ER diagrams. While this might be true, this article helps clip some of the complexities of class diagrams in such a way that even non-programmers and less tech-savvy individuals will come to appreciate the usefulness of this modeling approach. In particular, this article explains how to correctly determine and implement the different types of relationships that are applicable in object-oriented modeling.<br />
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Class diagrams are visual representations of the static structure and composition of a particular system using the conventions set by the Unified Modeling Language (UML). System designers use class diagrams as a way of simplifying how objects in a system interact with each other. Using class diagrams, it is easier to describe all the classes, packages, and interfaces that constitute a system and how these components are interrelated. For example, a simple class diagram may be used to show how an organization such as a convenient store chain is set up. On the other hand, precisely detailed class diagrams can readily be used as the primary reference for translating the designed system into a programming code. <br />
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The following figure is an example of a simple class diagram:<br />
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In the example, a class called "loan account" is depicted. Classes in class diagrams are represented by boxes that are partitioned into three: <br />
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<ol><li>The top partition contains the name of the class. </li>
<li>The middle part contains the class's attributes. </li>
<li>The bottom partition shows the possible operations that are associated with the class. </li>
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Those should be pretty easy to see in the example: the class being described is a loan account, some of whose attributes include the type of loan, the name of the borrower/loaner, the specific date the loan was released and the outstanding balance. As in the real world, various transactions or operations may be implemented on existing loans such as pre-termination, extensions, renewals, amortized payments, or defaults on payments. The example shows how class diagrams can encapsulate all the relevant data in a particular scenario in a very systematic and clear way. <br />
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In object-oriented modeling, class diagrams are considered the key building blocks that enable information architects, designers, and developers to show a given system's classes, their attributes, the functions or operations that are associated with them, and the relationships among the different classes that make up a system.<br />
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<b>Relationships in Class Diagrams</b><br />
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Classes are interrelated to each other in specific ways. In particular, relationships in class diagrams include different types of logical connections. The following are such types of logical connections that are possible in UML:<br />
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<ul><li>Association </li>
<li>Directed Association</li>
<li>Reflexive Association</li>
<li>Multiplicity</li>
<li>Aggregation</li>
<li>Composition</li>
<li>Inheritance/Generalization</li>
<li>Realization</li>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkZwSbr-43huqGO2Y6Bjd650g491uiIhzb9vkjywqVQUBBp4_Bh3K74BMAZGRwy6t9eM-CGZNjYQPBFkcvV4AG09dFZ3t-L_VnnDnhchPKc2nC-J38Lgc3pJZpLoJk_RyyvY6HGRiFQfJ/s1600/2012-02-24+05.21.35+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkZwSbr-43huqGO2Y6Bjd650g491uiIhzb9vkjywqVQUBBp4_Bh3K74BMAZGRwy6t9eM-CGZNjYQPBFkcvV4AG09dFZ3t-L_VnnDnhchPKc2nC-J38Lgc3pJZpLoJk_RyyvY6HGRiFQfJ/s1600/2012-02-24+05.21.35+pm.png" /></a></div><br />
Association is a broad term that encompasses just about any logical connection or relationship between classes. For example, passenger and airline may be linked as follows:<br />
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Directed Association refers to a directional relationship represented by a line with an arrowhead. The arrowhead depicts a container-contained directional flow. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfH-qJd05g4QDoAf2i_A4O6O2BFmymzZMuZvjCfOIS4ttU61h1BiU9Kb1UCp0lpzyFZAF7OwQYjvChQz20U5dq__tFobYupZyVg2PObsssDYUHHTptESBfaR_h0Cp3LL5M-ifxmmL6o1F/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.14+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEfH-qJd05g4QDoAf2i_A4O6O2BFmymzZMuZvjCfOIS4ttU61h1BiU9Kb1UCp0lpzyFZAF7OwQYjvChQz20U5dq__tFobYupZyVg2PObsssDYUHHTptESBfaR_h0Cp3LL5M-ifxmmL6o1F/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.14+pm.png" /></a><br />
Reflexive Association occurs when a class may have multiple functions or responsibilities. For example, a staff working in an airport may be a pilot, aviation engineer, a ticket dispatcher, a guard, or a maintenance crew.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5CpUH2qXJFXwn6_kszIJiRk4Br-c-YLLs4TKT53XNCGF0r2V2mC7mORf3m3b73rq5GRtliBoEJj-0oEF62RNE_ucrt5oWCp_b3MaNGpiv2r5wrn3TXjN7-RVsWBRHZLeWaT_UTIRL2oI/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.37+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-5CpUH2qXJFXwn6_kszIJiRk4Br-c-YLLs4TKT53XNCGF0r2V2mC7mORf3m3b73rq5GRtliBoEJj-0oEF62RNE_ucrt5oWCp_b3MaNGpiv2r5wrn3TXjN7-RVsWBRHZLeWaT_UTIRL2oI/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.37+pm.png" /></a><br />
Multiplicity is the active logical association when the cardinality of a class in relation to another is being depicted. For example, one fleet may include multiple airplanes, while one commercial airplane may contain zero to many passengers. The notation 0..* in the diagram means "zero to many".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiFJGAmDwlOWI840jgKf_EnGZWcmgvCYpF678d9JczlXrqLg3Ud8aYW2wx1tADIZdL5oYuKS6cKjJZQaZ3Put9eDX8ISmfYdoM37adrP_xK2mqFvgJgNFVG8OvcWOO8saWzwlerycXWVG/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.47+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAiFJGAmDwlOWI840jgKf_EnGZWcmgvCYpF678d9JczlXrqLg3Ud8aYW2wx1tADIZdL5oYuKS6cKjJZQaZ3Put9eDX8ISmfYdoM37adrP_xK2mqFvgJgNFVG8OvcWOO8saWzwlerycXWVG/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.47+pm.png" /></a>Aggregation refers to the formation of a particular class as a result of one class being aggregated or built as a collection. For example, the class "library" is made up of one or more books, among other materials. In aggregation, the contained classes are not strongly dependent on the life cycle of the container. In the same example, books will remain so even when the library is dissolved. To render aggregation in a diagram, draw a line from the parent class to the child class with a diamond shape near the parent class.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5HIuq9aUgJ-jrWaRCTNDnnBx-0M5mZgltQgHIuX5IbKvmkErgDtUFtbeFJusgeQ9W1cWIiKXusqxmgBDPJ5e22WdVje7Lefxb3__-f6ldCnrb8GAgchqZgRHDXaBCRM6SiphU_xgbG1k/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.56+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5HIuq9aUgJ-jrWaRCTNDnnBx-0M5mZgltQgHIuX5IbKvmkErgDtUFtbeFJusgeQ9W1cWIiKXusqxmgBDPJ5e22WdVje7Lefxb3__-f6ldCnrb8GAgchqZgRHDXaBCRM6SiphU_xgbG1k/s1600/2012-02-24+05.22.56+pm.png" /></a>Composition is very similar to the aggregation relationship, with the only difference being its key purpose of emphasizing the dependence of the contained class to the life cycle of the container class. That is, the contained class will be obliterated when the container class is destroyed. For example, a shoulder bag's side pocket will also cease to exist once the shoulder bag is destroyed. To depict a composition relationship in a UML diagram, use a directional line connecting the two classes, with a filled diamond shape adjacent to the container class and the directional arrow to the contained class.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQOCHKFUNFLTohACmT9TO3kTTIJvnFkIjp6AqMsHvIT5R-vlnFPhtIDtbowSz_lb-AGUnHQeFs9IyzvtsPHSR2AOIlfQSW5NMNPk6QNDnOduMVKIETYTaH3jJfEONKnVFb8a1sRxl2zeV/s1600/2012-02-24+05.23.23+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQOCHKFUNFLTohACmT9TO3kTTIJvnFkIjp6AqMsHvIT5R-vlnFPhtIDtbowSz_lb-AGUnHQeFs9IyzvtsPHSR2AOIlfQSW5NMNPk6QNDnOduMVKIETYTaH3jJfEONKnVFb8a1sRxl2zeV/s1600/2012-02-24+05.23.23+pm.png" /></a></div>Inheritance refers to a type of relationship wherein one associated class is a child of another by virtue of assuming the same functionalities of the parent class. In other words, the child class is a specific type of the parent class. To depict inheritance in a UML diagram, a solid line from the child class to the parent class is drawn using an unfilled arrowhead.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlIRb855VvirkrIt875TvR2RVAGfKR8VR0Hygz3b9EBRNkI32HLylgXK38qEX3aYSkp1A0ya30Wn7h3l7q-UhyuOIk3_hOvmFx3UykWUdYN8yQcnoVnFJBUasRDh5VIeQ_lFbQIyU7dah/s1600/2012-02-24+05.23.30+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlIRb855VvirkrIt875TvR2RVAGfKR8VR0Hygz3b9EBRNkI32HLylgXK38qEX3aYSkp1A0ya30Wn7h3l7q-UhyuOIk3_hOvmFx3UykWUdYN8yQcnoVnFJBUasRDh5VIeQ_lFbQIyU7dah/s1600/2012-02-24+05.23.30+pm.png" /></a><br />
<a name='more'></a>Realization denotes the implementation of the functionality defined in one class by another class. To show the relationship in UML, a broken line with an unfilled solid arrowhead is drawn from the class that defines the functionality to the class that implements the function. In the example, the printing preferences that are set using the printer setup interface are being implemented by the printer.<br />
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<b>Conclusion</b><br />
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If you are a programmer or systems designer, you'll be building or analyzing class diagrams quite often since they are, after all, the building blocks of object-oriented modeling. As demonstrated by this article, class diagram basics--including the various relationships possible in different systems--are fairly easy to understand. As a rule of thumb, keeping class diagrams as simple as possible allows them to be more easily understood and appreciated by different types of audiences. For this purpose, remember to label your classes and relationships as descriptive as possible. Lastly, class diagrams also evolve as the real world systems they represent change. This implies that you don't need to put in much detail in your first draft. All the classes, interfaces and relationships that are integral to the system or application you are designing will eventually emerge as the development process moves forward. <br />
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To make your job a lot easier, you can check out the online diagramming application offered on the Creately site. Besides being easy to use, the platform provides a comprehensive range of UML templates among other diagramming services. In addition, the platform supports collaboration and may be integrated into an existing company wiki or Intranet to keep diagrams well documented and updated. Having such a tool on your side will greatly improve your company's development initiatives and will help your team meet its targets.<br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">This article was written by Joseph for Creately. Creately helps teams create and collaborate on visual projects such as diagrams, wireframes, charts, and concept maps. Build compelling visuals with their easy to use online platform at <a href="http://creately.com/" target="_blank">http://creately.com/</a></span>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-7856174166934340432012-02-23T00:43:00.007-08:002012-03-14T06:55:30.280-07:00Ultimate Guide to ER Diagrams<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Information Technology </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8IzKHOAgYR_04Bdwidm54xKgKZWHC1cEaKyPhzacO48G9IIHKV8JVZzIyGJGn2yQnZl1M7BgggA7srZMfWEnoDp7lrAVe_mbOp-uKi5nNp-Ygvgc-h_oDOQs3dF8fkxDGv23oiDd6Kz_/s1600/673px-ER_Diagram_MMORPG.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8IzKHOAgYR_04Bdwidm54xKgKZWHC1cEaKyPhzacO48G9IIHKV8JVZzIyGJGn2yQnZl1M7BgggA7srZMfWEnoDp7lrAVe_mbOp-uKi5nNp-Ygvgc-h_oDOQs3dF8fkxDGv23oiDd6Kz_/s320/673px-ER_Diagram_MMORPG.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>An Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) is a visual representation of different data using conventions that describe how these data are related to each other. For example, the elements writer, novel, and consumer may be described by an ER diagram this way:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBnFnzCRZV1pkX4Hv2Ti8GmKQxCNIC5BmhGqZNxKdJdyUbz5xIPfoHaqe3IuugJWkhPSZgmPSXc07VXkNxb82qQJ9RGQEmCAnkKQOPQsJPyiiAkdP1fpEx2A_LqaWgcDGeRL2MPwB6aKC/s1600/ERD_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBnFnzCRZV1pkX4Hv2Ti8GmKQxCNIC5BmhGqZNxKdJdyUbz5xIPfoHaqe3IuugJWkhPSZgmPSXc07VXkNxb82qQJ9RGQEmCAnkKQOPQsJPyiiAkdP1fpEx2A_LqaWgcDGeRL2MPwB6aKC/s1600/ERD_1.png" /></a></div><br />
In the diagram, the elements inside rectangles are called entities while the items inside diamonds denote the relationships between entities. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>While able to describe just about any system, ER diagrams are most often associated with complex databases that are used in software engineering and IT networks. In particular, ER diagrams are frequently used during the design stage of a development process in order to identify different system elements and their relationships with each other. For example, an inventory software used in a retail shop will have a database that monitors elements such as purchases, item, item type, item source and item price. Rendering this information through an ER diagram would be something like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNY0HeKnfbagtBJuG8n3kbsrx4A1T04e-yeCOjHptT7U44S3KsSJRSGkcxq5dvireEpbD8g4m1ha9RmiJ5KuQWJ2eE_iIawO-HDEyrjwPHtF5wxTvJJHEEJwjZq-GGatJDfbqpAHtSkd8/s1600/ERD_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNY0HeKnfbagtBJuG8n3kbsrx4A1T04e-yeCOjHptT7U44S3KsSJRSGkcxq5dvireEpbD8g4m1ha9RmiJ5KuQWJ2eE_iIawO-HDEyrjwPHtF5wxTvJJHEEJwjZq-GGatJDfbqpAHtSkd8/s1600/ERD_2.png" /></a></div><br />
<a name='more'></a>In the diagram, the information inside the oval shapes are attributes of a particular entity.<br />
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<b>History</b><br />
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ER diagrams are visual tools that are used in the Entity-Relationship model initially proposed by Peter Chen in 1976 to create a uniform convention that considers both relational database and network views. Chen envisioned the ER model as a conceptual modeling approach that views real world data as systems of entities and relationships. Entities are data objects that maintain different relationships with each other. Additionally, entities are also described further using attributes.<br />
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Since 1976, the ER model has been expanded and is sometimes used in business management, product development, and strategy formulations. However, database design remains its primary application. <br />
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<b>Benefits</b><br />
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Database engineers agree that ER diagrams constitute a very useful framework for creating and manipulating databases. First, ER diagrams are easy to understand and do not require a person to undergo extensive training to be able to work with it efficiently and accurately. This means that designers can use ER diagrams to easily communicate with developers, customers, and end users, regardless of their IT proficiency. Second, ER diagrams are readily translatable into relational tables that are frequently used by IT professionals to build databases. In addition, ER diagrams can directly be used by database developers as the blueprint for implementing data in specific software applications. Lastly, ER diagrams may be applied in other contexts such as describing the different relationships and operations within an organization.<br />
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<b>ER Diagram Basics</b><br />
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There are four basic elements in an ER Diagram: entity, attribute, relationship, and cardinality. <br />
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<ul><li>An entity can be a person, place, event, or object that is relevant to a given system. For example, a school system may include students, teachers, major courses, subjects, fees, and other items. Entities are represented in ER diagrams by a rectangle and named using singular nouns.</li>
<li>An attribute is a property, trait, or characteristic of an entity, relationship, or another attribute. For example, the attribute Inventory Item Name is an attribute of the entity Inventory Item. An entity can have as many attributes as necessary. Meanwhile, attributes can also have their own specific attributes. For example, the attribute "customer address" can have the attributes number, street, city, and state. Note that some top level ER diagrams do not show attributes for the sake of simplicity. In those that do, however, attributes are represented by oval shapes.</li>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYqMzZXWGgvFQjo9bFwuWd05yFfku518iQBdKeO5S_8ktA3oj0j5B7M_uID3fsbTRr-eNepKJ0fdXralLThCb8vP1122nuhRxiSdiKyeC9uhobkMGL5mLpdwZ3u1jSDK6Kb1Y95RKM6Ng/s1600/Untitled11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYqMzZXWGgvFQjo9bFwuWd05yFfku518iQBdKeO5S_8ktA3oj0j5B7M_uID3fsbTRr-eNepKJ0fdXralLThCb8vP1122nuhRxiSdiKyeC9uhobkMGL5mLpdwZ3u1jSDK6Kb1Y95RKM6Ng/s200/Untitled11.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<ul><li>A relationship describes how entities interact. For example, the entity "carpenter" may be related to the entity "table" by the relationship "builds" or "makes". Relationships are represented by diamond shapes and are labeled using verbs. </li>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghX7lsRpJDDNFkKPIPTBihgOcapecYZBaSmCmYuHFr8AKPVUfamTBPpJwOOG7muXyiLkhfRzZojukmlgvLT8Zb9qurzo-oaNZ7vDdHVUmrG-K9GiAVeMNTp3_J9GQa1xUZRi7jz2tQtyXm/s1600/Untitled14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghX7lsRpJDDNFkKPIPTBihgOcapecYZBaSmCmYuHFr8AKPVUfamTBPpJwOOG7muXyiLkhfRzZojukmlgvLT8Zb9qurzo-oaNZ7vDdHVUmrG-K9GiAVeMNTp3_J9GQa1xUZRi7jz2tQtyXm/s320/Untitled14.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<ul><li>Cardinality further defines relationships between entities by placing the relationship in the context of numbers. In an email system, for example, one account can have multiple contacts. The relationship in this case follows a "one to many" model. A number of conventions--including UML and crow's foot notation--are used to present cardinality in ER diagrams. The following example uses UML to show cardinality. </li>
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<b>Tips on How to Prepare Effective ER Diagrams</b><br />
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Because ER diagrams are simple enough to understand, just about anyone can create them. However, two different ER diagrams describing the same system may still be radically different in terms of their simplicity, completeness, and efficiency at communicating the system. In other words, there are good ER diagrams and there are poor ones. <br />
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Here are some tips that will help you build effective ER diagrams:<br />
<ol><li>Identify all the relevant entities in a given system and determine the relationships among these entities. </li>
<li>An entity should appear only once in a particular diagram.</li>
<li>Provide a precise and appropriate name for each entity, attribute, and relationship in the diagram. Terms that are simple and familiar always beats vague, technical-sounding words. In naming entities, remember to use singular nouns. However, adjectives may be used to distinguish entities belonging to the same class (part-time employee and full time employee, for example). Meanwhile attribute names must be meaningful, unique, system-independent, and easily understandable. </li>
<li>Remove vague, redundant or unnecessary relationships between entities. </li>
<li>Never connect a relationship to another relationship.</li>
<li>Make effective use of colors. You can use colors to classify similar entities or to highlight key areas in your diagrams.</li>
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You can draw entity relationship diagrams manually, especially when you are just informally showing simple systems to your peers. However, for more complex systems and for external audiences, you need diagramming software such as Creately's to craft visually engaging and precise ER diagrams. The diagramming application offered by Creately as an online service is pretty easy to use and is a lot more affordable than purchasing licensed software. It is also perfectly suited for development teams because of its strong support for collaboration. <br />
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<span style="color: #999999;">This article was written by Joseph for Creately. Creately helps teams create and collaborate on visual projects such as diagrams, wireframes, charts, and concept maps. Build compelling visuals with their easy to use online platform at <a href="http://creately.com/" target="_blank">http://creately.com/</a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-22083011979859892972012-02-14T03:39:00.000-08:002015-06-25T22:57:47.862-07:00Beguiled by Blooms<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Science Article </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"></span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Evolution is a heartless process. Over time, some species become extinct, others flourish.</span><br />
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For the most part, adaptation dictates which species thrive and which die off. In response to environmental stimuli, creatures adapt in different ways. Some creatures become bigger and stronger. Others develop unique defense mechanisms such as mimicry, venom and thorns.<div>
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Flowers adapt by being beautiful.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc5mLqVKZKKsa5psN0ARkFTnZ7i0td0k-YLu6dZR31MstC7gXTpnPOtvkJtzKxip3MF_6zeIPZoO6y-Up2hdoIVSICmqXFJ-UB1l6OrtHMarba9Di5oqJBEmqdbAJK8IP5uEEup4sA5iK/s1600/bloom2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc5mLqVKZKKsa5psN0ARkFTnZ7i0td0k-YLu6dZR31MstC7gXTpnPOtvkJtzKxip3MF_6zeIPZoO6y-Up2hdoIVSICmqXFJ-UB1l6OrtHMarba9Di5oqJBEmqdbAJK8IP5uEEup4sA5iK/s1600/bloom2.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Three separate studies conducted at Rutgers University in the United States not only proves that this is true; they also provide evidence that flowers convey joy and that their beauty has been evolving for the past thousands of years largely because of human fascination.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">The first study involved 147 women. Some were given flowers. Others were given candles, a few were handed fruits. Among the women who were given candles, 77 percent smiled. Among those who got fruits, 90 percent did. Both indicate fairly strong appreciation for the gifts. But in the case of the women who were given flowers, all flashed their teeth in pleasure. That’s 100 percent efficiency in bringing out a smile.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Another study made use of an elevator and engaged 122 men and women. The subjects were given either a flower, a pen, or nothing. The results indicate that those who got flowers not only smiled and talked more, they also huddled closer together.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">In the third study, florists sent bouquets to 113 men and women living in a retirement community. All subjects got flowers but some received them earlier and got a second bouquet at the same time the others got theirs. The reactions of those who received two bouquets and those who got one were then compared. As predicted, the study showed that more flowers meant more smiles. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">The results of these three pretty simple experiments got some scientists into having more complex thoughts. That flowers are prolific because they have charmed the human species so completely, is one. The multi- billion dollar flower industry, for example, raises and breeds flowers that serve no other purpose than to convey or elicit emotional pleasure. In fact, there is not a single agency in nature that can or will pollinate many of the domesticated varieties of flowers. Among roses alone, there have been quite a number of human-assisted varieties that the flowers retain very little of their original and nature-inspired characteristics. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Clearly, the actions of flower raisers have had a direct effect on the evolution of most commercialized blossoms. But scientists believe that our collective influence has been affecting the evolution of flowers much earlier than the emergence of the flower industry.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Terry McGuire, a Rutgers University geneticist believes that the prettiest flowers nature has concocted have persisted largely because they have already disarmed prehistoric humans. By the advent of agriculture, wild flowers should have been eradicated or cleared because they would have competed with crops for very limited farm space and water but our ancestors opted to let them be. Instead, for more than 5,000 years, people have been cultivating the most beautiful blooms for charm instead of chow.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">“Our hypothesis is that flowers are exploiting an emotional niche. They make us happy,” stated McGuire. “Because they are a source of pleasure—a positive emotion inducer—we take care of them. In that sense, they are like dogs. They are the pets of the plant world.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">This idea is detailed in the journal Evolutionary Psychology. Among the scenarios or evidence Terry McGuire proposed is that many modern species of flowers used to sprout only when the ground was disturbed (read: plowed). These types of flowers would have been weeds, but unlike what humans did to their less vibrant cousins, flowers were tolerated because of their beauty. What’s more, their seeds were preserved and replanted. You weed out weeds, never replant them, but flowers subverted the laws of survival and evolution by just being lovely.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Perhaps in just this one case, evolution has a heart after all. </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">About Flowers </span></b><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">A flower is also known as a bloom or a blossom. It is the reproductive structure in flowering plants and serves as the agency by which seeds are produced. The main function of flowers is to facilitate the union of male and female gametes, through a process called pollination. Pollination can be effected by the action of the wind or by animals such as insects.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">There’s no fossil evidence of how flowers actually evolved and their sudden appearance is considered a great mystery by Charles Darwin. A common hypothesis is that the primary function of flowers was to attract then involve other species in the survival and spread of its own. Flower evolution continues to this day, largely through the actions of humans who, for thousands of years, have harbored a helpless fondness for them.</span></div>
Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-8027126366126835092012-02-14T03:21:00.002-08:002012-03-31T06:58:51.882-07:00Cynamon Brand Story<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Corporate Communications </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSwho7aUDpn0gc5zWnydqxM5P-dDXJSo2qHgyERi-agzcCKy7NBSReWkKz7KijTg0c-aoYhosWXJlXlEwgAipDlsx8eSiTKMwVAvRsBls-glkJiUdUw-1UyrbkREVoK_PitQYtvlkmuI5/s1600/cynamonlogo3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSwho7aUDpn0gc5zWnydqxM5P-dDXJSo2qHgyERi-agzcCKy7NBSReWkKz7KijTg0c-aoYhosWXJlXlEwgAipDlsx8eSiTKMwVAvRsBls-glkJiUdUw-1UyrbkREVoK_PitQYtvlkmuI5/s200/cynamonlogo3.png" width="199" /></a></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">At Cynamon, we like things clear and simple. <br />
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So in drawing up end-to-end solutions for mobile communication, we think first about how to make the fundamentals ingeniously simple so that integration is easy, interfaces seamless, and outputs precise. <br />
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Our pilot brand, CYNAMON, is a product of this vision. CYNAMON engages all players in the mobile communication process and has custom fit solutions for their needs. Because our backend systems transcode, convert, and configure content for each mobile device model, content publishers are able to push any content type—rich text, images, animation, audio, video, and interactive webforms—on any device in the mobile landscape. Meanwhile, CYNAMON’s ad engine and provision for multiple landing pages allow advertisers to generate more premium for their ad material. <br />
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For mobile network operators, CYNAMON’s data downsizing ensure minimum bandwidth load while generating higher data revenue levels. <br />
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When fundamentals are solid, what’s built upon them can be played with. And so in naming CYNAMON, we played with the letters that make up the phrase,<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>any</b> <b>C</b></span><span style="color: #073763;">ontent </span><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>on</b></span><span style="color: #073763;"> any </span><span style="color: #073763; font-size: large;"><b>m</b></span><span style="color: #073763;">obile</span></span></div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
That pretty much sums up what we envision. So at the front end, we took the license to further play with the simple elegance and usability of CYNAMON’s mobile applications. This translates to effortless navigation but compelling mobile user experience. Because mobile device users get to subscribe only to content that excites them, both publisher and advertiser material are engaged in more deeply.<br />
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How many words does it take to express a vision?<br />
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Just one. Cynamon.</span></div><br />
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</div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-86706639780253262672012-02-01T10:58:00.001-08:002012-04-01T11:02:22.983-07:00Deconstructing Spanglish<div style="color: #999999; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="color: #999999; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Formal Essay </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmL_GwBGah_an8zpcWfVaYYsXp2psgQ_6Zl8NGaX8aOSRMAmDOXJ1S9b6seBc20EjwYw9KV2OwbDYW1kFmpvuzNiEDM20rcqcYnhIWQpoiRhQaGVScjckf5i_C9jdbDsCYdtQ1hXstH2n/s1600/Spanglish.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmL_GwBGah_an8zpcWfVaYYsXp2psgQ_6Zl8NGaX8aOSRMAmDOXJ1S9b6seBc20EjwYw9KV2OwbDYW1kFmpvuzNiEDM20rcqcYnhIWQpoiRhQaGVScjckf5i_C9jdbDsCYdtQ1hXstH2n/s320/Spanglish.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span id="goog_1894189341"></span><span id="goog_1894189342"></span>Spanglish is a linguistic phenomenon characterized by a pronounced blend of Spanish and English words that are communicated in continuous, alternating streams during a language encounter. It is commonly used by a substantial portion of the Hispanic population in the United States. While not a pidgin language, it strictly follows grammatical rules within contexts. In addition, the codeswitching between the two parent languages are rarely random or messy.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">However, the term has come to be used by some people in a pejorative sense, mainly because it is far from formal and because of the notion that it bastardizes both languages. Linguist Ana Celia Zentella strongly opposes this notion and provides quantified evidence to the contrary: Spanglish users should be proud of their ability to fluidly switch between languages. In addition, these users' communication through both languages addresses complex socio-linguistic issues and shows a level of skill that is considered as "ideal bilingual."</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">In her book, Growing up bilingual: Puerto Rican children in New York, Zentella examined the nature of "Spanglish" and the factors that led to the rise in its usage among people of Spanish heritage in the subject neighborhood. In her study, Zentella explored the factors that triggered codeswitching as well as the question of language dominance. According to Gumperz, codeswitching is the "juxtaposition within the same speech exchange of passages belonging to two different grammatical systems or subsystems." Codeswitching may occur as intersentential, intrasentential, or lexical items. It is also distinct from the mere acquisition of loan words.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">One salient finding on the Spanglish phenomenon is that it is greatly influenced by the way bilingual players manipulate two distinct codes for various reasons: 1) to conform with neighborhood norms; 2) to pursue the speaker's immediate goals; 3) to meet societal expectations of both the English and Spanish languages.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br style="color: black;" /><span style="color: black;">Meanwhile, Mock Spanish refers to the common linguistic usage performed by mostly monolingual, native English speakers that employ pseudo-Spanish terms such as buenos nachos (instead of buenas noches), and "hasta la bye bye." While intended to generate humor, Mock Spanish is considered a covert form of racism that disparages or depicts Hispanic people in a pejorative manner. Commonly used by middle- to high-income educated whites, Mock Spanish largely propagates the negative stereotypes of Hispanic people. Mock Spanish language encounters are taken unfavorably by Spanish speakers even when its use is not intended to insult.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Mock Spanish demonstrates an ethno-political play where the dominant aggressor appropriates linguistic artifacts owned by the offended player to create value-laden humor that is mostly executed at the expense of the offended player.</span></span></div><br />
</div></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-33617887583621185962012-02-01T06:48:00.001-08:002012-04-01T10:25:15.562-07:00How B2B Organizations Should Define Target Audiences<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bwuE5jx20B4YAOxSKo1Qvojudnopc9I9IRyAVoMpnyXr0LtygK-tHTaKOD3eAiQ1YlaVYrRqYCx3IXr3xbPeZlD5E45I5OC3Zwz5CKdxaR632BaL42ZTjOxYhFAEw0bhCb-s48BgfrUZ/s1600/B2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bwuE5jx20B4YAOxSKo1Qvojudnopc9I9IRyAVoMpnyXr0LtygK-tHTaKOD3eAiQ1YlaVYrRqYCx3IXr3xbPeZlD5E45I5OC3Zwz5CKdxaR632BaL42ZTjOxYhFAEw0bhCb-s48BgfrUZ/s320/B2B.png" width="320" /></a></div>Marketing is a rigorous knowledge area that is discussed in undergraduate classes and practiced as a critical skill in the real world. Tens of thousands of hours are allocated in studying, designing, and executing marketing methods while billions of dollars have already been spent by organizations to conduct marketing campaigns that attempt to make the brands they carry very attractive to their target audience. Even then, there are still marketing professionals who fail to grasp the fundamental tenets of the practice and end up piloting campaigns that fail at delivering their intended outcomes. This is largely because these practitioners unwittingly skip some steps that are critical to the marketing process. In particular, these marketers fail at defining their target audience properly.<br />
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In a B2B environment, this failure is easy to commit and can be very costly. Without properly defining your target audience, you can very easily end up marketing your products and services to just about everyone. This may be an effective strategy, but only in scenarios where resources are unlimited. As all corporate professionals know, however, different departments and projects always fiercely compete for limited organizational resources and that makes an ill-defined target audience an extremely poor basis upon which to design and execute a marketing campaign.<br />
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For example, manufacturers of computer graphics engines can easily fall into the trap of showcasing the unique benefits of their hardware in terms of enhancing consumer experiences. This is well and good, as everyone is captivated by rich multimedia. However, the product's net effect on consumers is only a secondary factor in the case of this B2B scenario. It is ultimately more important for the graphics engine maker to create and establish clear and unique value for computer manufacturers (and maybe for some major software companies whose products require advanced graphics engines). After all, computer manufacturers are the direct customers of chip makers.<br />
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While it may work in some cases, directly marketing to end consumers not only wastes limited resources but also erodes the efficacy of the marketing message. If your marketing message, mantra, or callout is not precisely attuned with the sensibility of your target market, then your audience will have a difficult time appreciating the value you offer.<br />
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<b>Marketing 101</b><br />
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To get all these in perspective, let's start by defining what marketing is. The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines it as "the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large." This definition is comprehensive and is noteworthy for citing the different players that are constantly engaged by marketing professionals. The first two of these players are customers and clients, which are synonymous with the practice's target audience.<br />
That said, organizations can only attain marketing objectives in the light of how successful they are--especially within a competitive terrain--in anticipating, meeting, and satisfying their target audience. For marketing to be truly effective, therefore, all its processes must consider the needs and aspirations of the target audience.<br />
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In a sense, the critical objectives of marketing are 1) to create and establish differentiation; and 2) to build the differentiated value upon the needs of the target audience. Creating and establishing differentiation means making your service or product stand out from other similar offerings available. The more different and effective your product or service is compared to those of your competitors, the better your chances of succeeding in the field. Some gurus even go as far as stating that a company need not even offer the best price or conduct the most expensive campaigns yet still end up winning, simply by having a fundamentally differentiated product that satisfies the needs or wants of the target audience.<br />
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The last clause should give a clue on how to attain the intended outcomes. It is important that the target audience can easily distinguish your product from among other brands that deliver similar benefits. But that is not enough. The differentiation or value your product generates should also be one that the target audience actually wants. For example, you can introduce an energy-efficient and affordable three-wheeled prototype to automotive manufacturers but if your target B2B customer does not want or is not yet ready to adopt the unique value you offer, then your product will really have a difficult time succeeding. If on the other hand, you have designed a highly reliable hybrid engine that can easily be bolted on most vehicles, then it is likely that your product will have some early adopters.<br />
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<b>Engaging the target audience</b><br />
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The challenge with many B2B organizations is that they never even bother to precisely identify their target audience. As a result, they end up marketing to everyone in the supply chain, including consumers and sources of raw materials. The fact is, the vast majority of players in your own ecosystem don't really care about your product or service. Given the tight reins on your organizational budget, there is no compelling reason to directly engage them even if you wanted to or there is some fringe benefit in doing so. The sound tactical approach is to focus your momentum on the players that matter most to your company.<br />
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If you have yet to define your target audience, then that's a real showstopper. There's a way to go around it, even then. Start by describing the existing market your company is currently servicing. You can then identify the traits or describe the nature of the ideal target audience for your product or service. To get this translated in a practical context, you can even opt to conduct a social media campaign that seeks to attract the ideal target audience for your brand. You need to do this eventually, anyway, because sticking it out with a customer demographic that does not subscribe to or purchase your offerings will just spell the end for your business.<br />
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To further help you refine the process, construct a clear idea of what you are selling as well as the value it helps create for your customers. How are your offerings packaged? What benefits do customers get when they acquire the product or service? For example, you can say, "I sell different types of zippers." You can then expand by saying, "our zippers are found in clothes, furniture, industrial equipment, luggage, and sports equipment. Some of our zippers are engraved with the trademarks of the manufacturers of consumer products we engage."<br />
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Now that makes the process of defining your product and your target audience really interesting, doesn't it? Proceed by listing the main reasons why your customers buy your product. It could be an inherent product trait such as durability or a stylish design. It can also be a selling feature such as white-labeling that allows your customers to imbue the product with their own branding. It can also be because of transactional aspects such as low pricing, volume discounts, or credit extensions that your company offers to its clientele. Note that the reasons your target audience buys your product tell something about the problems your product is trying to solve. Keep these in mind, especially when you are remaking existing products, conceptualizing new ones, or strategizing on how to market either. Whatever the reasons are, list them and weigh their respective importance or contribution to your bottom line.<br />
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<br />
<b>The B2B approach to audience targeting</b><br />
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Companies that directly engage end-consumers generally use demographics (age, gender, income bracket, educational attainment, location, etc.) to create useful maps or profiles of their target audience. For B2B companies, on the other hand, characteristics such as industry size, industry conditions, number of employees, annual revenue levels, credit experience, and geographic location are very critical components of the customer profile.<br />
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It is also advisable to consult industry research studies to glean more insights that can help you market your products or services to your target audience. There are both free and page reports that are available online. You can also acquire social media listening platforms that generate often-used keywords or phrases per industry. This is something you can use to have a top-level view of which needs or issues different players in your industry are discussing more often and which players are likely to adopt your solutions.<br />
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To conclude, having a precise idea of your intended audience equips your company for success. This is because a well-defined target market will help you 1) determine whether there is a sufficient number of potential customers (demand) that will help sustain your operations; 2) configure your offerings to better meet the expectations of your clients; 3) customize or streamline promotions and campaigns to deliver optimum returns; 4) improve cost efficiency by focusing resources on customer groups that can give value to your business; and 5) align your brand message--including your taglines and corporate mantra--to meaningfully attract the people or organizations who are the most likely to adopt your product or service. Remember, having a target audience will only limit your market, not your business. On the contrary, delivering your message across to a small number of the right listeners is far better than broadcasting it to a larger but apathetic audience.Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-77205672522532889942012-01-24T15:15:00.000-08:002012-04-25T01:02:17.085-07:00How Social Media Has Buoyed eCommerce Across the Recession<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOjC0jaHiqye8yT_uaRthm4rw4Vjj_R45bRHcr97aw3HLt8oF-KJdT96hcEpqXn53T8vzR3ZwlCZI9_YA9CIz4lYuQEVtIbSWoON6nO8RUDQGi3WqHOYbEkVb6ZXiO7Th_eTIvfDn7ykJ/s1600/social+media.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOjC0jaHiqye8yT_uaRthm4rw4Vjj_R45bRHcr97aw3HLt8oF-KJdT96hcEpqXn53T8vzR3ZwlCZI9_YA9CIz4lYuQEVtIbSWoON6nO8RUDQGi3WqHOYbEkVb6ZXiO7Th_eTIvfDn7ykJ/s320/social+media.png" width="234" /></a></div>In spite of the economic downturn, eCommerce registered a near 10 percent growth to reach US$227.6 billion in 2010 spending according to the latest ComScore report. Industry experts attribute much of this growth to the strong involvement of brands in social media among other marketing campaigns. Social media has proven to be a hub not only for individuals but also for eCommerce companies who optimized the channel to easily conduct marketing campaigns to opt-in users. Facebook, in particular, garnered much of brand marketers' attention, with its compelling statistics on user base and engagement duration. If anyone still harbors doubts about the inevitable integration of eCommerce and social networks, then the recent news on Amazon's ambitious plan to allow their users to connect their Amazon and Facebook accounts is a prelude to a looming megalithic phenomenon that might be tentatively called social commerce.<br />
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Here are some reasons why social media has attracted eCommerce practitioners en masse:<br />
<ol><li>It is cost-effective.</li>
<li>It provides feedback.</li>
<li>It shows how well competition is performing.</li>
<li>Fans and followers tend to make purchases and recommend brands to their contacts.</li>
</ol><br />
And here are some statistics to give you an idea on how tightly eCommerce is embracing online social networks:<br />
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<ul><li>According to ZenithOptimedia, web marketing expenditures will increase by about 14 to 18 percent in 2013, much of the growth propelled by video and social media.</li>
<li>Groupon announced that it helped global customers save an astounding US$ 850 million.</li>
<li>As stated by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, the largest advertisers on Facebook are infusing more advertising money into their social media campaigns by as much as 20 times!</li>
<li>Venture capitalists ranked social media as the number 1 online sector to invest in.</li>
<li>According to Constant Contact, Facebook ranked third after websites and email marketing as the most prioritized channel for promoting small businesses.</li>
<li>Forrester Research reported that online retail sales are expected to grow annually by 10 percent for the next five-year period. In addition, online sales will account for more than half (53 percent) of all retail sales in the US by 2014.</li>
<li>HubSpot reports that brand followers on Facebook are 51 percent more likely to buy while brand followers on Twitter are 67 percent more likely to consider a purchase.</li>
</ul><br />
There is no question that you need to join the bandwagon or be left behind by competition. Doing so at the soonest time is also critical. However, before you draw up a budget for your social media campaigns, it is important that you establish the precise criteria that you will use later on to assess whether the money you have been spending actually delivers commensurate value for your business. How do you measure ROI for campaigns conducted in social networks?<br />
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This question is critical because many experts believe that almost half (around 47 percent) of companies that conduct campaigns on social networks either have poorly drawn metrics or have no clue whatsoever on how to measure social media ROI. In general, marketing veterans classify social media measurements into three broad categories: 1) quantitative metrics; 2) qualitative metrics; and, 3) ROI metrics. Qualitative metrics entails tracking presumed market reaction to the marketing campaign, which may be reflected in site visits, page views, growth in the number of followers, bounce rate, and duration of visits. Meantime, Qualitative metrics aim to assess the "emotional" components the target audience exhibited after being exposed to the campaign's dynamics. These include feedbacks from surveys, polls, or contests. Lastly, ROI is the bottom line measurement--meaning the final yardstick with which the success of the campaign is assessed. This measurement accurately tracks actual conversions (sales) as a result of launching the social media campaign.Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-10302798899894096612012-01-15T21:19:00.001-08:002012-03-14T06:59:52.295-07:00How to Write the Financial Section of a Business Plan<div style="color: #999999; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Business & Social Media </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP4gxVgwYg13AjkyKf2l_6qZIGQdHg3dUQTxP3uj8UZ3R9sF36mAK9VGXer6FgD2TyqsMNFPBUNhgQT_lSlDrB32J6G6zX1Y9asjyWKsg9Mun8zPPkEn6yJv0jf_Cx4oOUqvYeoFSzE-p/s1600/541px-Business_tux.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP4gxVgwYg13AjkyKf2l_6qZIGQdHg3dUQTxP3uj8UZ3R9sF36mAK9VGXer6FgD2TyqsMNFPBUNhgQT_lSlDrB32J6G6zX1Y9asjyWKsg9Mun8zPPkEn6yJv0jf_Cx4oOUqvYeoFSzE-p/s320/541px-Business_tux.png" width="289" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">One of the most critical sections of a business plan is the Financials. In fact, after reading the Executive Summary, most potential investors, partners, and creditors go directly to the Financial Section to form a preliminary assessment of the profitability of a particular business venture. As is often the case, a poorly prepared Financial Section is enough ground to utterly crush the dream business of an aspiring entrepreneur. Many business plans fail to generate the desired investment because the financial information they shared are inadequate for investors to make reliable assessment about the viability of a business. To give your business a comfortable success rate, you must ensure that you provide sufficient information about the financial aspects of your business.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
If you are establishing a new venture and intend to generate startup funds, it is important that you present clear and reasonable financials that will highlight your venture's profitability. Most entrepreneurs are keen when it comes to conceptualizing new products and services but some are rather inexperienced at the math of it all. To be safe, many startup consultants advise would-be entrepreneurs to seek professional accountants to help them draw up different financial documents and accounts.</span></span><br />
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If you have been in business for some time, on the other hand, it is very likely that you already have developed the crucial habit of reviewing your company's financial statements. This would be a clear advantage when drawing up a business plan document to secure additional funding for expansion or other purposes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
Regardless of whether this is your first time at handling the reins of entrepreneurship or have been managing a business for a while, this article makes it easy for anyone to understand and apply the basic financial concepts that are commonly used in crafting effective business plans.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br />
<i>Main Components of the Financial Section</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAIfJSD52QGWHMKeqT2LbRZwdIqjbMODgHI2D8VJhF_srYxv0byE6B5R256nEXc8SPQlDhtJ73u-FKQgc_2-j4WfJC0E4iI6HjNF159pCpF6gbItwtrWCeBcVtoPkp7GM9-Qjgi1U2-Ov/s1600/2012-01-16+01.35.28+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAIfJSD52QGWHMKeqT2LbRZwdIqjbMODgHI2D8VJhF_srYxv0byE6B5R256nEXc8SPQlDhtJ73u-FKQgc_2-j4WfJC0E4iI6HjNF159pCpF6gbItwtrWCeBcVtoPkp7GM9-Qjgi1U2-Ov/s320/2012-01-16+01.35.28+pm.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In order to create a good business plan, you should provide all the financial aspects of the business you are either managing or envisioning in a separate section often called the Financials. Experts advise entrepreneurs to carefully prepare this section because it is--at least for most sources of funding--the most important part of a business plan. Preparing a half-cooked Financial Section is a sure way to ensure the untimely demise of an otherwise brilliant business idea.</span></span><br />
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Most business plans are backed by numbers and figures that denote the current financial position of a company and/or provide projected estimates of its performance over different periods (often the company's short- to mid-term operations). The Financials should be able to generate a complete picture of how a company uses its funds, how it generates sales, and how much profit it reins in to maintain and expand the business. For potential investors and creditors, the Financials should be able to show how the business can generate returns on the investment or granted loan.</span></span><br />
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Commonly, the following financial information are included in the business plan:<br />
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<ol><li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Assumptions Sheet - This is a short summary or listing of items that explains how the Financials were prepared.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Profit and Loss Statement - This shows whether and how much a company is earning from its business operations. Also called Income Statement, the Profit and Loss Statement itemizes sales, sales costs, operating expenses, and profits. From the Profit and Loss statement, investors and financial analysts can compute the gross profit margin (GPM) and net income margin (NIM) of a business operation.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Cash-Flow Analysis - This indicates how well-funded a company is when it comes to paying its bills and other obligations. Cash flow analyses are crucial to a business plan simply because businesses run on cash.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Balance Sheet - Comprised of different items categorized as assets, liabilities, and equity (capital), the balance sheet shows how much a company is worth.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Breakeven Analysis - This subsection shows the scenario wherein sales are just enough to cover all costs and expenses related to running the business. This point is a reference for showing when a business is starting to make profits or lose money.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Sources and Use of Funds - This can be a simple summary or list that details how your business is capitalized.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Start-up Costs - This is an estimate of how much is needed to start and sustain a business until it can generate adequate profits to sustain operations. This information is necessary for start-up business plans and is also often contained in the Executive Summary and referred to as Capitalization Requirement.</span></span></li>
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<i>How to Present Your Financials in the Executive Summary</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The executive summary is a quick look into your business plan and should include all the vital information that will persuade investors to consider infusing funds into your business. Often, a summary of your financial position as well as your projected performance in the short to mid term is a critical element in the Executive Summary.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCu2IGL_Qd5-F_0XQ44i9LI5wyNERbnkTySCvLMuS6gNLvflsuR_NfBTd_YgkaPquasl040zrxWPEidwlvbe8dTHYYkN0zWU4nGVJgexGJQaGfpXxnYrlHDPnju0shKSFDQLtL7AfxkayM/s1600/2012-01-16+01.36.30+pm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCu2IGL_Qd5-F_0XQ44i9LI5wyNERbnkTySCvLMuS6gNLvflsuR_NfBTd_YgkaPquasl040zrxWPEidwlvbe8dTHYYkN0zWU4nGVJgexGJQaGfpXxnYrlHDPnju0shKSFDQLtL7AfxkayM/s320/2012-01-16+01.36.30+pm.png" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">In addition, you should also clearly state the funding requirement as gleaned from your detailed Financial Section. This will give creditors or investors a quick idea of how much investment or loan amount your company needs in order to reach its business targets. Justify the amount by describing how it will help attain sales or growth objectives or how it will generate the desired yield for stakeholders. Describe how the desired capital will be used, the equity amount that will be infused by owners or the collateral that will be offered in case of a business loan application.</span></span><br />
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Lastly, remember that veteran business plan reviewers directly go to the Financial Section after reading the Executive Summary. That should give you an idea of how critical numbers and figures really are in the world of entrepreneurship. To ensure that your business plan reflects an acceptable level of professionalism, use top level as well as detailed financial information in the form of graphs, tables, and charts. You should also make all your assumptions clear and reasonable and the sequencing of data logical such that your financial section constitutes a solid support for your entrepreneurial vision.</span><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #444444;"></b></span>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-28232643686026540592012-01-01T01:33:00.000-08:002012-04-01T10:00:28.482-07:00Cynamon Logo Story<div style="color: black; direction: ltr; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Corporate Communications </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Mobility is in the heart of CYNAMON. Our logo says so. <br />
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At its center is a blue mobile screen with orange softkeys. At its background are dots—some large, some tiny—moving in dance-like rhythm. <br />
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But we do more than just tango. The subtly changing dot sizes represent the precision by which our mobile solutions configure web-based content to perfectly suit the rendering power of each mobile device.<br />
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And we deliver any content from any source. The eight dot trails—seven in solid, dependable blue and one in vibrant orange—say that. They’re in two different colors to show that the game is not a one-way deal. Bringing rich content to mobile consumers is just the beginning. We also provide the infrastructure to allow mobile users to respond to the content that excites them, and share the excitement with other mobile users.<br />
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Finally, the dot trails radiate in all directions and the logo assumes a circular outline. That’s to say we’re making the excitement global. <br />
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</div></div>Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1037595217724610508.post-53574540468402658782011-12-27T23:00:00.002-08:002017-05-22T22:59:26.750-07:00Discourses on Women and Gender Issues in The Canterbury Tales<div style="background-color: #660000; color: #cccccc; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #660000;">||</span><b><span style="color: #660000;"> </span>Academic Paper </b><span style="color: #660000;">|</span></span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZb5PhHHPa-SM7MdJxCnC2VHue8Zw_gZuNFhFFFbGcdiMRn31vckXDL_BIBT7uwOQiQh2dSNjZnPurbvtdMOIN5AIJ_86w1RlyeC6AOjXLnhKrP-4fsr1fUEO7xDR2JyAChTAYBzNCTDL/s1600/wife.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZb5PhHHPa-SM7MdJxCnC2VHue8Zw_gZuNFhFFFbGcdiMRn31vckXDL_BIBT7uwOQiQh2dSNjZnPurbvtdMOIN5AIJ_86w1RlyeC6AOjXLnhKrP-4fsr1fUEO7xDR2JyAChTAYBzNCTDL/s1600/wife.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales gives valuable insights on the roles women assume, the struggles they undergo, and the strategies they adopt in appropriating their share of socio-political influence available to men and women during the Middle Ages. The 14th century text showcases various discourses on women empowerment as conveyed especially through the only three female characters in Chaucer’s narrative poem. Through these characters, the methods women employ in order to subvert the male-dominated social dynamics of their period are communicated. </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Wife of Bath, the Prioress, and the Second Nun represent distinct groups of women with different roles, desires, and coping strategies. As will be demonstrated, one group (represented by the Prioress and the Second Nun) actively adopts transcendent goals and lifestyles that incidentally bypass gender-based power struggles. Another (represented by the Wife of Bath) opts to directly confront male dominance by redefining the domestic space and covertly assuming the lead role in its affairs, whether by romantic, coercive, or other means.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">While economic mobility was truly restrictive for both men and women during the Middle Ages, women generally had fewer options than men in terms of societal roles—specially in terms of trade or profession—they could assume. This apparent lack of accessible professional roles is evident in the characterization of The Canterbury Tales: of the 24 pilgrims who journeyed together to visit the shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral, only three are women. Of the three, only two female roles are represented, that of a nun and that of a wife.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">This obvious limitation notwithstanding, Chaucer still infused much societal insight into the work through the voices of the highly interesting female characters which are also the subjects of this essay: Alyson (the Wife of Bath), Madame Eglantine (The Prioress), and the Second Nun.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some sort of gradation in terms of how their personalities accept, assimilate, or transform their different goals may be achieved in a simplified manner: Based on the prologues, their actions, their dialogues with other characters in the pilgrimage, and the tales they have chosen to share, the three women prioritizes worldly and spiritual concerns quite differently. Viewed within this context, in fact, one may claim that given a yardstick that measures worldliness and spirituality, the women might be lined up so from the highest level of worldliness to the least: </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Alyson</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Madame Eglantine</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Second Nun</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Clearly, Alyson is a passionate wife and is unashamedly passionate about the World and all it represents—money, sex, food, earthly pleasures. She had had five husbands and, after being widowed yet again, is still voraciously looking for the next:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Experience, though no authority </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Were in this world, were good enough for me, </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">To speak of woe that is in all marriage; </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">For, masters, since I was twelve years of age, </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks be to God Who is for aye alive, </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of husbands at church door have I had five; </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">For men so many times have wedded me; </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And all were worthy men in their degree.</span></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of the three, Alyson is the possibly the most honest and is perhaps the most beloved and memorable even among all the characters of The Canterbury Tale. Her honest earthliness, in contrast with the hypocritical religiosity of many of the other pilgrims is a stark commentary on the rigid set of moral rules imposed by the clergy during the Middle Ages. Having had five husbands and an ample share of love and its pleasures and pains herself, Alyson still chose to narrate a tale of romance, betraying her desire as well as her strategy in self-empowering: she marries and dominates the men in her life, thereby gaining covert economic control through her husbands’ trades. In the conclusion of her tale, she wishes for young, meek, easily pliable, and virile husbands and curses old, stingy men. While providing comic relief, the appeal exhibits Alyson’s zest and honesty.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And Jesus to us send </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meek husbands, and young ones, and fresh in bed, </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And good luck to outlive them that we wed. </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And I pray Jesus to cut short the lives </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of those who'll not be governed by their wives; </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And old and querulous niggards with their pence, </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And send them soon a mortal pestilence!</span></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meantime, Madame Eglantine takes the middle position in terms of the worldliness-spirituality gauge. As gleaned from her prologue, Madame Eglantine remains somewhat a worldly woman, conscious of her pretty face, the way she talks, and the elegance she exudes, and yet still desiring gold despite becoming a nun. For example, while most nuns have disowned their jewelries, Madame Eglantine still wears a secular necklace—not a religious scapular as one would expect—that even bears the motto popularized by the Roman poet Virgil: ‘amor vincit omnia,’ which means love conquers all.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">In comparison, the Second Nun is thoroughly spiritual based on her demeanor among the other Pilgrims, and the tale she has chosen to share: that of the remarkable and more popular story of St. Cecilia. This tale is an archetypal portrayal of the enduring faith professing Christians must assume all the time, but specially when their beliefs are put to doubt or directly assaulted. Certainly, the Second Nun desires to possess the same bold conviction. </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">As can be gleaned from the foregoing narratives, there are basically two approaches shown in the selected text on how women navigated the male-dominated milieu of the Middle Ages. One, as exemplified by the Prioress and the Second Nun—albeit in varying degrees—is to actively adopt transcendent goals [such as spirituality], thereby bypassing other discourses commonly ranked lower—such as politics and gender issues—in the hierarchy of human pursuits. Such transcendence is seen in nunneries and abbeys, where women lead semi-autonomous, all-female communities. In this sense, a type of significant empowerment is shown to be attainable, especially in social contexts similar to the Middle Ages.</span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the other hand, women may still subvert the patriarchic dynamics of the Middle Ages by directly confronting male ascendancy and redefining the discursive arena, as humorously shown by the Wife of Bath. As seen in Alyson, the institution of marriage may be reconfigured to favor women who can play the cards that are dealt to them cleverly enough, even in an already lopsided game. </span><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><br style="font-family: inherit;" /><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">References</span></b></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Chaucer, Geoffrey. The Canterbury Tales. Reader-Friendly Edition by Michael Murphy. < http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/webcore/murphy/canterbury/> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Somerville, Carole Anne. Chaucer's Approach to Gender in Canterbury Tales: Male/Female Roles in the Wife of Bath and the Merchant's Tale. Associated Content <http: 1953236="" article="" cat="4" chaucers_approach_to_gender_in_canterbury.html="" www.associatedcontent.com=""></http:></span></span></li>
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Steampunk Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01950889001989441348noreply@blogger.com