Saturday, November 30, 2019

WordPress vs Squarespace Where Should You Build Your Website

Both WordPress and Squarespace are impressive platforms which help you create beautiful and fully functional websites. However, both offer very contrasting approaches to creating a website and provide different tools and features, which is why we have created this guide to help explain all things ‘WordPress vs Squarespace’.Read on to check out how WordPress and Squarespace compare. Specifically, well compare WordPress vs Squarespace on these criteria:PricingEase of UseThemes and TemplatesPlugins and ExtensionsSupport and Community Note for this comparison, were talking about WordPress.org not WordPress.com. The two are different things.WordPress vs Squarespace: FeaturesWordPress is a popular self-hosted content management system that currently powers over 30% of the world’s top ten million websites. Its ease of use, wide assortment of features and tools, and its open source software makes it a great option for beginners and experienced web designers alike. Its ex tensive customization options also ensure that users can create beautiful and unique websites, designed to their own particular specifications.Squarespace is an all-in-one web-building platform that prides itself on user-experience. Since launching in 2003, people have created millions of websites on Squarespace.  Squarespace  is a fully hosted solution and provides its own templates, tools, and WYSIWYG website builder, as well as extensive customer support. These features are all accessible within the Squarespace dashboard, to enable users to quickly and easily design and run stylish and fully functioning websites.So let’s now have a closer look at the features these two platforms offer, and how they compare against each otherWordPress vs SquarespaceWordPressSquarespaceCompletely free software always has been, always will be.Prices start at $12 a month, rising to $40 for the top tier eCommerce package.You will need to purchase your own domain and find a suitable hosting provider.Squarespace handles hosting for you, and also covers the cost of your domain name for the first year.Out of the two platforms, WordPress has the steeper learning curve. That said, once you have become familiar with the software, WordPress provides an excellent and extremely flexible user-experience.Squarespace is quick and easy to use and learn, making it a great option for those new to web design. All tools and features are available within the Squarespace dashboard, and users have immediate access to support.WordPress websites are 100% customizable, and there are a range of tools and products that enable this process.Websites are designed within the Squarespace builder. This tool doesnt provide the same amount of customization options as WordPress so you won’t have as much control over your website visuals or functionality.Choose from thousands of free and premium themes and plugins to help add any extra features and functionality that you may need.Squarespace pro vides a range of templates and impressive built-in features. There are also approved integrations to add extra functionality to your site. Other third-party services can be connected to your site, but no support is offered for these integrations.You will need to take control of security and maintenance for your website. Choose a host with effective security measures and security and maintenance plugins to help keep your site safe and secure.Squarespace looks after all security and maintenance issues. An SSL certificate for your site is included in your plan, and Squarespace monitors security around the clock with an operation team always on hand to deal with any issues that may arise.Now we have an idea of what both WordPress and Squarespace are offering, let’s now look in more detail at these two platforms to help you decide which one is right for your new project. We’ll start with pricingWordPress vs Squarespace: PricingWordPress and Squarespace are priced very diffe rently, with WordPress often being the cheaper solution in the long term. Let’s take a look†¦WordPress pricingThe WordPress software is totally free to install and use. However, you will still need to pay for a domain name and hosting for your website.Domain Name You can register a domain name with a third-party domain registrar or your host. Domains vary in price, but on average they will cost you around $10 a year. Some hosting providers also offer a free domain in with their service.Hosting There are numerous budget hosting providers available, offering a wide assortment of hosting plans, prices, and features. Bluehost is a reputable hosting service, that provides fast and secure hosting from as little as $3.95 a month.A well as purchasing hosting and a domain for your website, there may also be some other initial start-up costs. These could include the price of a premium theme (around $70) as well as premium plugins (prices vary from $15 upwards). However, these ar e optional purchases, and you can find plenty of quality free themes and plugins, as well.Squarespace pricingSquarespace offers four plans for its users†¦Personal ($12 a month billed annually) Perfect for those wanting to create a basic website, this plan provides access to all templates and the Squarespace builder, unlimited bandwidth and storage, 24/7 customer support, and much more.Business ($18 a month billed annually) Ideal for any size business website, this plan provides extensive features including eCommerce functionality, professional email from Google, and the option of customizing your website using CSS and Javascript.Online Stores Basic  ($26 a month billed annually) This plan provides everything you need to get your online store off the ground. Features include no transaction fees, customer accounts, and checkout on your domain.Online Store Advanced ($40 a month billed annually) Upgrade to this package as your business grows, accessing all Squarespace feature s.As you can see, over time the cost of Squarespace will soon add up due to its monthly subscription model. However, with WordPress, aside from the hosting and domain charges, you can spend as much or as little as you want to on your website.WordPress vs Squarespace: Ease of useBoth WordPress and Squarespace are user-friendly products. Squarespace is definitely the easier platform to get started with. However, the tradeoff is that its customization options do not compare with that of WordPress. Let’s take a look†¦WordPress ease of useWordPress does have a bit of a learning curve, and creating a website isn’t a five-minute job. That said, once learned, WordPress has the functionality and tools to enable you to design a website to your exact specifications.Customization options include†¦Coding This open source software allows developers and designers to alter every aspect of a WordPress website with written code.Drag-and-Drop Builder If coding isn’t fo r you, install a drag-and-drop page builder to use visual, drag-and-drop editing to design your site just like Squarespace. Alter layouts, add, reposition and resize design elements and text to your posts and pages, change colors and backgrounds, and much more.Live Customizer most WordPress themes use the built-in WordPress Customizer for easy, visual editing.You can also install extra plugins, as well as integrate your website with different services, to further enhance your website.All of the above options are effective ways to design a website. WordPress allows you to simply pick the method that suits your needs, letting you find your balance between user experience and control over the customization of your site.Squarespace ease of useSquarespace is great for beginners, and you can create a basic website in a matter of minutes. Simply select a template, which you can then edit within the drag-and-drop website builder, choose a domain name, and then publish your website.The web site builder is the signature feature from Squarespace. This intuitive tool makes designing a new site quick and easy.You can add, move, and delete images and sections of a page, or customize settings including fonts, colors, and page configurations. However, the website builder does have its limits, and so those with a clear idea of what they want their website to look like may find Squarespace frustrating.WordPress vs Squarespace: Themes and templatesBoth platforms provide a range of beautiful and responsive themes (WordPress) and templates (Squarespace). So how do these themes and templates compare?WordPress themesWordPress provides thousands of free and premium themes to select from. You can find free themes in the WordPress.org repository, and you can purchase themes from numerous theme shops like ThemeForest or ours here at ThemeIsle. Whatever your industry or niche, you will find a theme to fit your needs.Squarespace templatesSquarespace also provides a range of stylish templ ates, which are all included in every package. These can all then be customized within the website builder, and work seamlessly with the numerous built-in features that Squarespace offers. However, whereas with WordPress you are choosing from thousands of designs, the Squarespace templates number in the hundreds.WordPress vs Squarespace: Plugins and integrationsWordPress and Squarespace both offer numerous features and functionality in the forms of plugins, built-in applications, and integrations. These extensions can add extra functionality to your site without the need to code something from scratch.WordPress pluginsWordPress, on the other hand, integrates with thousands of plugins, tools, and services. You can download plugins for free from the WordPress repository or purchase them from  reputable plugin developers. This enables you to easily add enhanced functionality to your website when needed.Squarespace built-in features and integrationsSquarespace provides a range of buil t-in features, alongside a number of third-party integrations that you can connect with your website. This means you won’t need to navigate any marketplaces looking for an app or plugin to fit your needs. However, it also means that if you want any extra features that Squarespace doesn’t offer then, unfortunately, you will have to do without.WordPress vs Squarespace: Community and supportSquarespace and WordPress both boast impressive support and communities, but these differ in their outlooks.WordPress community and supportWith WordPress, theres no single support channel for the core software. However, the WordPress community spans the globe and you will find endless blogs, forums, videos, and online courses to help you get started with WordPress and answer any questions you may have.Plus, if you purchase a premium theme or plugin, these often come with top-notch support, and if you are really struggling there are also thousands of web developers that you can employ.S quarespace community and supportSquarespace offers in-house support and has built up a strong community around the platform. They provide an extensive and well-organized knowledge base, video tutorials, webinars, and much more. You can also speak directly with a Squarespace customer support team member via live chat or submit an email.Final thoughts on WordPress vs SquarespaceBoth WordPress and Squarespace are great platforms for creating a website and growing a business.Ultimately, your choice should come down to your needs:Squarespace offers a slightly simpler approach with fewer worries when it comes to maintenance and making the technology work. However, the tradeoff is that it loses a lot of flexibility in doing that.So if you want the ability to have more flexibility, while still using a fairly simple platform, WordPress might be the better choice for you. While Squarespace is simpler, youll still be able to create a WordPress blog or website without the need for any special t echnical knowledge. Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Art and Mass Media essayEssay Writing Service

Art and Mass Media essayEssay Writing Service Art and Mass Media essay Art and Mass Media essayThe contemporary culture tends to the shift toward mass media as the main source of cultural norms and values since it is mass media that shape, to a significant extent, views and beliefs of people, determine their cultural values and define their priorities. In contrast to the past, when visual art and literature played the leading part in shaping the cultural values, although it is still possible to trace certain correlations between the art of the past and cultural values shaped by the contemporary mass media.The 18th – 19th century American art bore the footprint of the revolutionary struggle of the US for independence and American Civil War which were key historical turning points which shaped the present US society. For instance, many artists of the past paid a lot of attention to interracial relations, including H.B. Stow, F. Douglass and others. However, this theme remained relevant in the 20th century too. For instance, Griffith’s Birth of the Nation uncovers complex interracial relations in the US society and tends to the prejudiced depiction of African Americans. Contemporary mass media promotes rather consumerist values and uncover people being overwhelmed by the consumerist attitude to their life. For instance, The American Beauty depicts the main character, who attempts to struggle against his conventional consumerist lifestyle but he eventually dies, when he is about to change his life, that implicitly means the overwhelming impact of consumerism that virtually kills people, who are not consumerists. The similar message conveys the film Wall Street where wealth and status are depicted as the primary goal of human life.Thus, the contemporary culture becomes vulnerable to the overwhelming impact of mass media which mirror new trends, norms and cultural values.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Appropriateness, Reinforcement, Preferences and Transformation Essay Example for Free

Appropriateness, Reinforcement, Preferences and Transformation Essay According to Eunson (2006, p.15) there are four main criteria to be considered when choosing the medium/s of communication to best articulate an argument: Appropriateness, Reinforcement, Preferences and Transformation. Select one of the criteria and discuss its importance to a communication situation. Any successful communication process requires the presence of a message, appropriate medium   and the desired message’s effect on the receiver.   Ã‚  To effect success in communication, it is important to use a suitable medium based on the Preferences criterion. Modern technologies have greatly facilitated human communication. However, as Priestley’s Paradox illustrates, people get to actually communicate less as communication technologies further advance (Eunson 2006, p.4). Hence, for effective communication, it is more important to consider the message and the effect of that message on the receiver (Eunson 2006, p.7). The successful transfer of message and its effect, however, largely depends on the communication mode used or â€Å"preferred†. The medium is crucial to the effect of a message because as emphasized by Marshall McLuhan (Lister 2003), â€Å"societies have always been shaped more by the nature of the media† . In other words, the medium is the message. A case in point would be a Human Resource Department in an office where the HR Manager normally ‘prefers’ communicating with his staff through memos and e-mail notifications. But being a smart manager, he or she will not hesitate to utilize other media as needed, according to the importance of the message and the desired effect to the recipients. He or she may ‘prefer’ to personally discuss an individual’s unsatisfactory ‘Performance Assessment Report’, earlier sent as is via individual e-mail, through   one-on-one review. The richness of media (Daft & Lengel 1986, p.557) effected by direct face-to-face discussion is ‘preferred’ to the e-mail channel, which in this case plays a secondary role as preparatory medium of documentation. Herein, interpersonal communication appropriate to a small group (Baker, Barrett & Roberts 2002, p.11), is considered and selected to amplify the Report’s â€Å"warning† content with the goal of effecting the desired change in the staffer’s behaviour. Exploring â€Å"Preferences† in choosing media is vital to effectively convey the message. Since the medium, which helps shape the content, is mostly the message itself and that the message’s effect on the receiver is affected by the medium, selecting the suitable channel from a range of Preferences becomes crucial to any effective communication. Baker, E. Barrett, M. & Roberts, L 2002, Working Communication , John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd., Milton Qld. Daft, R. L. and Lengel, R. H. 1986 â€Å"Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design,† Management Sci. , Vol. 32, No.5, pp. 554–571. Eunson, B . 2006, Communicating in the 21 st Century , John Wiley & Sons, Australia Ltd., Milton Qld. Lister, M 2003, New Media: A Critical Introduction , Routledge, London. Appropriateness, Reinforcement, Preferences and Transformation. (2017, Mar 01).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International finance assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International finance assessment - Essay Example A notable weakness of the theory emanates from the counter-intuitive nature of the comparative advantage principle. This means that the assumptions made by the theory defy logic. The other weakness of the comparative advantage theoretical assumptions is that they can be confused with the assumptions made by the absolute advantage theory. As such, people may contradict the assumptions made by this theory with the assumptions made by the absolute advantage approach (Carbaugh, 2011). In most cases, Multinational Corporations tend to stand out as more competitive than domestic firms. This emanates from the fact that these firms deal with a diverse variety of goods and services, thus motivating people to purchase from them. In addition, multinational corporations employ modern forms of technology, which enable them to meet the needs of the customers. Large scale production by multinational corporations can also be regarded as another factor that contributes to their competitiveness. With mass production, these firms can meet the market demands of the customers since they produce in large quantities, thus reducing the shortages in the market. The other reason why MNEs thrive at the expense of local firms is because they sell goods at a lower price than domestic firms. Since they do not incur high production costs (because they use advanced technology), MNEs can price goods at an affordable price (Carbaugh, 2011). There are various forms of comparative advantage, which can be regarded as different based on a number of factors. One of the forms of comparative advantage includes absolute advantage, which states that one of the countries taking part in international trade has the capacity to have a higher output in every unit produced than the other country. For example, one country can have high output of coffee in each of the units of the product that it produces. Based on comparative advantage, when one of the countries has a

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Lower Division Capstone PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lower Division Capstone - PowerPoint Presentation Example (Barro, 2008) GDP is a very important factor which tells the state of an economy. Recession is usually around the corner when GDP has been shrinking for two quarters in a row. Country is usually seen to be recovering back from recession when GDP starts growing again. A high GDP growth country usually attracts a lot of investments. GDP per capita is regarded as an indicator of the overall well being of the citizens of a country. China and India have high GDPs but their GDP per capita is low which is consistent with the millions of poor and malnourished in these countries. The output composition of GDP gives an indication of the type of economy that a country has. A country following an aggressive form of development is most likely to be spending most on investment and very little on consumption. If the GDP data is collected according to various industrial and sectoral categories we can get great insights into the composition of the economy. Normally after a recession just like the one that the country recently witnesses we expect a period of renewal with a high GDP growth .But this time the GDP growth rate has been very lackluster which has raised fears of a double dip recession.GDP as well as total consumer spending in US has declined sharply during the first quarter of 2011 as can be seen from the graph below. The crisis that started a few years ago was largely due to the housing bubble. The great news is that the debt has been reducing continuously and has now reached levels of 1980s and 90s.The burden of debt at present is not too high and will certainly not hamper growth to a large extent (Tilton, August 2011). Household and auto sector were one of the most severely hit sectors during recession. However these sectors are cyclic in nature and are expected to regain some of their lost vigour.This will certainly help in boosting the economy of the country. (Tilton, August 2011) The high deficit of the US government

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Economies Of Scale Scope Essay Example for Free

Economies Of Scale Scope Essay Economies of Scope: An economic theory stating that the average total cost of production decreases as a result of increasing the number of different goods produced. For example, McDonalds can produce both hamburgers and French fries at a lower average cost than what it would cost two separate firms to produce the same goods. This is because McDonalds hamburgers and French fries share the use of food storage, preparation facilities, and so forth during production. Another example is a company such as Proctor Gamble, which produces hundreds of products from razors to toothpaste. They can afford to hire expensive graphic designers and marketing experts who will use their skills across the product lines. Because the costs are spread out, this lowers the average total cost of production for each product. Economies of scale are the cost advantages that a business can exploit by expanding their scale of production. The effect of economies of scale is to reduce the average (unit) costs of production. Here are some examples of how economies of scale work: Technical economies of scale: Large-scale businesses can afford to invest in expensive and specialist capital machinery. For example, a supermarket chain such as Tesco or Sainsbury’s can invest in technology that improves stock control. It might not, however, be viable or cost-efficient for a small corner shop to buy this technology. Specialisation of the workforce Larger businesses split complex production processes into separate tasks to boost productivity. By specialising in certain tasks or processes, the workforce is able to produce more output in the same time.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Enternal and Parenteral Nutrition in the Critical Care Setting Essay

Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition in the Critical Care Setting Management of patient nutrition has long been a topic of controversy. Questing of timing, route of administration and composition of feeding solution constituents are several variables that share a lack of consensus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a 50% rate of malnutrition cited in hospitalized patients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many states associated with critical care admissions have altered metabolic rates. Some examples of increased catabolism are multiple injury trauma, sepsis, organ failure (CHF, ARF, RF), and ventilator dependent status. It is important to assess for a history of such hyper- or altered metabolic states like Diabetes Melitus, Alcoholism, Renal Failure, and COPD.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over feeding is associated with: immunosuppression, hyperglycemia, liver dysfunction and refeeding syndrome. Enteral  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No associated immune suppression, no associated infection complications, easier to maintain electrolyte balance. Parenteral  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Immune suppression (the converse is also true- malnutrition also causes immune suppression), fatty liver, potential for pneumothorax, line infections, loss of gut barrier, hyperosmolality, refeeding syndrome Feeding tubes – great option, if the gut works, use it. Prealbumin (2-3 day t1/2) Transferrin (8-10 day t1/2) Albumin (14-20 day t1/2) Nitrogen balance studies can aid in the clinica...

Monday, November 11, 2019

A Child’s Voice as Reflected in Victorian and Romantic Poems Essay

Child labor is one of the most sensitive and controversial issues today, as it is association with child maltreatment. Nowadays, children are entitled to several rights and privileges like the rest of a country’s population, which secure and protect them from all the possible abuses and maltreatments that they may experience. Today, people’s resentment and disagreement towards child abuse and child labor can be observed in campaigns, advocacies, television programs, and other kinds of promotional advertisements. Yet, considering this, one may ask, did this societal issue exist during the medieval times, or is it a relatively young societal dilemma? If this issue indeed existed during the earlier times, how did people react to this and what did they do in order to fight this issue? In trying to address these questions, it may be very helpful to understand find out the answers within the messages of the early Victorian and Romantic poets who talked about issues like child labor during their time. The best examples of these Victorian and Romantic poems which reflect messages about child labor and abuse would be Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s The Cry of Children and William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper. â€Å"The Cry of the Children† by Elizabeth Barrett Browning Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a Victorian poet who has been once known for her very emotional and moving poem entitled, The Cry of the Children. The Cry of the Children expresses the poet’s resentment and bitterness towards the fact that there were children of her time who were exposed to such very grueling and physically challenging tasks and jobs that can only be done efficiently by adults. The most predominant idea which covers Browning’s poem is the weeping of the distressed and miserable children. She describes in detail how painful, dark, and negative these children’s view of life has become because of the sufferings and pains they experience as they complete each day’s work. She also reveals the insensitivity and cruelty of â€Å"tyrants† who never cared about these children’s rights and privileges, as reflected in these lines: â€Å"Our blood splashes upward, O our tyrants / And your purple shews your path; / But the child’s sob curseth deeper in the silence / Than the strong man in his wrath! † (157-160). She expresses her hatred towards seeing these children weep out of exasperation and hopelessness in life. Comparing Browning’s work with that of Blake, her words appear to be more compassionate towards the feelings of abused children. Her words also sound like she is attempting to debunk everything which tolerates and allows the forceful child labor acts which put the children of the society in such a very demoralized and downgraded situation. This is also one factor which makes her work more heartrending and emotionally-moving compared to Blake’s work. ‘The Chimney Sweeper’ by William Blake The Chimney Sweeper by the Romantic poet William Blake primarily talks about the life of children who are required by their life and economic status to work as chimney sweepers. In a short and very simply-written prose, Blake reveals the feelings and perceptions of children towards an activity which adults consider as work but which they regard as their life. Comparing Blake’s work with that of Browning’s, it can be said that his poem appears to be a mere representation and reflection of the realities of these children’s lives as juvenile workers. He presents how such children consider hard-work and perseverance as the essential values they must possess in order to live. This idea can clearly be observed in these lines: â€Å"And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark / And got with our bags & our brushes to work. / Tho’ the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm; / So if all do their duty they need not fear harm† (20-24). In a lot of ways, Blake’s poem does not reveal and expound much on the emotional pains and sufferings the children felt as much as how Browning’s poem does. Blake’s The Chimney Sweepers provides the impression that it only depicts what chimney sweepers do and how they feel about working hard, unlike Browning’s explicit emphasis on the maltreatment and abuse aspect of child labor. Comparing Victorian and Romantic Poems’ Sympathy on Child Labor Cause Although Browning represents the Victorian genre of literature and Blake, on the other hand, the Romantic field, the entirety of both genres cannot be judged and evaluated by looking at the works of these two poets alone. However, if the works of Browning and Blake would be used as the basis of comparison, it can be said that the Victorian genre of literature, as represented by Browning, appears to express more sympathy towards children in the issue of child labor as compared to the Romantics, as portrayed in Blake’s poetry. Also, based on the strength and dynamics of the words used, it can be observed that Browning’s stanzas are undeniably more sympathetic and compassionate towards children. Her poem also shows more concern and empathy to what children experience and go through everyday which they do not actually deserve. However, although Blake’s poem does not appear to be as much sympathetic and compassionate towards working children, it at least provides a good picture and representation of the kind of life that working children of his time led. Works Cited Blake, William. â€Å"The Chimney Sweeper. † The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. 2. 8th Ed. Eds. Meyer Howard Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. Pennsylvania: W. W. Norton and Co. , Inc. , 2005. 85 Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. â€Å"The Cry of the Children. † The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. 2. 8th Ed. Eds. Meyer Howard Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt. Pennsylvania: W. W. Norton and Co. , Inc. , 2005. 1079.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Belonging in Strictly Ballroom and two related texts Essay

Explores the notion of belongers – people obsessed with belonging who prefer not to think for themselves. This Shows the pain felt by those excluded from the group, eg Fran. Fran: I understand. You’ve got your Pan Pacific’s to win and I’m back in beginners where I belong. Shows the disastrous effect conformity and fear have among belongers who gain their place inside the group at the price of conformity. Shirley Hastings, for example, lives a â€Å"life half-lived† cowering before what Barry Fife will say or think. She has let the Federation so dominate her that she has no respect for Doug and can only see her son Scott in terms of winning competitions Can be seen as a parable about multicultural Australia. At first the Anglo-Australians control the Federation, make the rules, delegate Fran (â€Å"Franjepannydellasquiggymop†) to role of abused outsider and close ranks against any possibility of change. The last scene reverses all this as both Doug and Fran’s grandmother are included in the dancing. The clapping of the crowd – started by Doug, then picked up by Fran’s father and grandmother – is carried on by the crowd, enabling Scott and Fran to dance at the crowd’s insistence, no longer under the control of the corrupt Barry Fife. Explores the contrast between authentic belonging where people speak and act from the heart and an artificial, rule-obsessed style of Belonging. Likewise dance as romantic, authentic, joyous activity is contrasted with the conservative rule-bound world of Barry Fife and his committee that decides what is â€Å"strictly Ballroom†. Fran and Scott symbolise true belonging where dance and passion flow naturally together and are set in contrast with the highly artificial dancers like Ken, Tina Sparkles and Liz. Could be read as a cheerful, upbeat, satirical parable tracing the shift from a world of false belonging dominated by conformity, fear and the cynical manipulations of the ultra-sleaze Barry Fife, towards the iconic last scene where the line between spectators and professional dancers blurs and is dissolved as Scott dressed in Spanish-matador costume and Fran in Spanish-style red dress put passion back into dance, rescuing it from the deadening effect of the old brigade. Arguably the last scene enacts a vision of a more inclusive Australia that has gained freedom by including its newcomers and learning from them. Belonging does not equal individuality in the ballroom dancing world so, in order to belong, you cannot be an individual. Not belonging does not equal exclusion from every group. So, finding a group to belong to is the key to happiness. A community can make its members feel either accepted or rejected if they fail to conform to the accepted norms. If enough people work together to challenge powerful or corrupt influences, then a new sense of belonging can emerge. This is often the case with generational change. To belong is to be accepted, to be recognised, and to connect with others whether it may be with family, friends or culture. A sense of belonging is an instinctive human need in all of us as it gives us security, emotions whether they would be true or fake, and a connection or bond with others. Accepting or resisting belonging creates characteristics which define the individual. They are shown to have different forms of relationships with others in their life. Ultimately, these relationships whether based on artificial or real emotions, give the character a sense of identity and a sense of where they belong. Although it is seen as a vital requirement in everyday life, to belong is difficult as there are many barriers, and whether or not an individual can overcome these obstacles, it will essentially determine where the individual belongs. The experiences faced by the individuals also define their concept of belonging. There is always a place where everyone belongs. Being based on the conformist ideas of ballroom dancing, Strictly Ballroom, an Australian film directed by Baz Luhrmann in 1992, clearly expresses the effects of wanting to belong and not belonging through several characters. The protagonist of the film, Scott Hastings struggles to express his individuality in the ballroom community. Due to his desire to be the pans-pacific champion, he is forced to dance his own style in the opening scene, which is seen as arrogant, by the ballroom community and as a result, he isn’t accepted for the way he is. Instead he is isolated from everybody because he resists to conform to their ways. That is until a beginner dancer by the name of Fran, seen as a nobody that has been alienated due to her major differences with her appearance, dancing skill and confidence level compared to the professional dancers, embraces Scott even though at first he doesn’t identify her as a possible partner. Due to her instinctive need to belong and seeing this as her chance, she convinces him by telling â€Å" I want to dance with you, your way. † Ballroom dancing is strict competitive lifestyle, where an individual must revolve their life around it. It is seen as being flamboyant and flashy. However this world is fake and to fit in you too must be artificial in a way that you have to have false emotions. False emotions like love is shown through the ballroom style of dancing as Scott explains the Rumba to Fran as feeling â€Å"like your in love†. In the film, there is another world that is also explored in which the individual connects with family and culture. It is a world where everyone is connected despite their differences, it is the real world with real emotion, real passion and real feeling. Fran has a place in this world with her culture and family. In this case, when Scott chases after Fran he meets her family living on the outskirts of town possibly implying that they are outsiders. However, the roles are reversed. Fran is now somewhere she belongs, and Scott is excluded due to various barriers including language barriers and cultural differences. Scott is humiliated as he doesn’t perform the Paso Doble correctly due to the fact that he dances with the desire to win. As a result of not belonging he is taught by Fran’s family to dance from the heart to express authentic feeling. His instinct tells him he needs to belong with this world, in order to express his individuality. Belonging is defined in the film through two worlds, family, and ballroom dancing which completely contrast each other. Baz Luhrmann creates an understanding of belonging through various techniques that differentiate the people that belong and don’t belong. The costumes of the ballroom dancers are all colourful and flashy, while the outfit Fran wears is bland and plain, clearly showing that she doesn’t belong. As the film is ending, Baz Luhrmann uses the song â€Å"Love is in the Air† to not only outline the relationships between the characters but also to create an understanding of Scott recognising and accepting Fran for who she is. After the many experiences faced by the characters, Fran and Scott finally understand where they belong. They belong with each other. It is an instinctive need for people to belong which is evidently shown through the closing moments of the film, as everyone starts dancing, everyone belongs despite their differences, and everyone is accepted. The Lion King Disney’s The Lion King picture book written by Justine Korman relates to the idea that you do belong somewhere, but whether you accept it depends on the experiences the individual has faced. Inspired by the Shakespearean play, Hamlet, the storyline outlines where the characters truly belong. The main protagonist, Simba, is blamed for the death of his father who is King of the PrideLands, which was caused by his power hungry uncle, Scar. He is told to â€Å"run away and never return†. The idea is that Simba has been exiled and is better off not belonging with his pride. But as seen as in Strictly Ballroom, there is always a place where you belong, and its only instinct that the individual would want to belong. Simba is soon saved from possible death by a friendly duo that take him in to their jungle, into their home. They nurture him till he becomes a fully grown adult lion giving him a place to belong and feel secure. Soon after, Simba is confronted by a childhood friend named Nala, who sparks old memories and experiences of life with his pride. At first there are barriers because he doesn’t want to return and face his past but after guidance he remembers where he belongs, He remembers who he is, He remembers that he is King. Upon returning home with his friends, and defeating Scar and saving all the lions, Simba’s instincts allow him to fit in with his new pride. Belonging is defined in this picture book as being accepted, and no matter where he goes, Simba is accepted due to his instinctive need to feel safe, and have real emotions, real friendships, and a real place to belong.The illustrator, Don Williams shows this acceptance through various scenes expressing emotions on characters faces, as well as through body language. Raw Scott Monk’s novel, Raw relates to Strictly Ballroom, as the story implies that there is always a place where an individual belongs. Belonging is defined in this text as having people that you can rely on and have a good relationship with. Sam, the owner of the Farm, a correctional facility, commits himself to always being there and always being a reliable person to all the members of the Farm. Although at first the protagonist, Brett Dalton resists help and care from Sam, he cant stop his instinctive need to belong and have a connection with the members of the farm, such as having a friendship with Frog, Josh, and Sam. Scott Monk creates an understanding of belonging in this novel with imagery and dialogue, for example the scene where due to Brett’s actions, the whole Farm suffers and has to go on a long run, makes Brett feel isolated, like he’s being watched, and targeted, implying that he is an outcast and doesn’t belong. As seen as in all texts, there is always an instinctive need to belong somewhere, whether it may be with family as seen with Fran, new friends as seen with Simba, and new hope as seen with Brett.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Eight things super powerful women NEVER do

Eight things super powerful women NEVER do Everyone could benefit from a little more power and confidence in the workplace, but studies have shown that women in particular tend to be more hesitant about wielding the kinds of skills and behavior typically associated with leaders. If you’re looking for a way to boost your own presence at work and feel more in control of your career, here are some of the things that badass, powerful women never do. 1. They don’t downplay their achievementsMany women feel like talking openly about their achievements is arrogant or braggy. On the contrary, owning your success (and the steps you took to get there) is one of the most effective ways to advance your career. Being open about your success gives you concrete accomplishments you can point to in job interviews or raise negotiations.2. They don’t avoid confrontationOpenly disagreeing with someone (like a colleague or superior) may feel aggressive and out of line, but debate can be healthy- and someone else isn’t necessarily right simply because they’re saying it in public. If you disagree, or have a differing perspective, don’t be shy about saying so (in a professionally appropriate way, of course).3. They don’t trash others to get aheadWhat was true in high school is still true in the workplace: smack talkers always get caught up in the drama in the end. Spreading rumors or denigrating others just so you might look better is not a good look for anyone. And if others know or think you can’t be trusted, you can expect the same treatment from others. Power comes from succeeding- not from stepping on other people.4. They don’t let criticism derail themAt some point, everyone comes up against some harsh criticism, a bad review, or a professional rejection of some sort. That doesn’t have to define you or your career. Powerful people take the criticism for what it is, learn what they can, make adjustments, and move on.5. They don’t let abusive behavior go uncheckedWhether it’s something as serious as harassment or simply not standing up to inappropriate behavior at work, calling it out doesn’t make you a snitch or a weak-looking victim. If you see or experience behavior that makes you uncomfortable, it’s on you to decide how to best approach it- whether that’s reporting through a Human Resources process or voicing your discomfort with the person directly.6. They don’t internalize mistakes as personal failingsIf something goes wrong at work, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your personality or skills are defective. The power move is to acknowledge what happened (â€Å"This was a choice I made, and this is why it was wrong.†), correct the course, and move on. Work fails are not necessarily personal fails.7. They don’t fear failureFailing at something is demoralizing for everyone, no matter how confident you normally are. But truly powerful people have confidence in their skills and abilities, and understand that failure isn’t a game-ender. Instead, think of it as a game-changer. It’s a chance to regroup, rethink, and be better.8. They don’t let self-doubt run the showEveryone has self-doubt sometimes. Every. Single. Person. The trick is not letting that derail your progress by hesitating and overthinking what your next steps are. Sometimes you have to overrule your doubting brain and go with your instincts. You have skills and experience that are guiding you- don’t let that get pushed out by that little voice saying, â€Å"But what if I’m wrong/not talented enough/not prepared?†Confidence and power are within reach for all of us- all personalities, experience levels, and walks of life. At the root of all of it is knowing who you are, what you bring, and what you want to achieve. You know better than anyone what youâ €™re capable of achieving. Don’t be afraid to be bold!

Monday, November 4, 2019

Financing Decisions and Market Efficiency Essay

Financing Decisions and Market Efficiency - Essay Example It is therefore important that a company must be innovative and highly efficient in managing its long term and short term financial perspectives in a manner that promotes confidence in its investors and customers. The fast changing technological innovations have facilitated a wide scope of linking elements of finance and market derivatives that have considerable influence on each other. Very often, the market driven compulsions, affect the financial outcome of the corporate bodies, making them financially vulnerable to market forces. Hence, the companies that are listed on the stock exchanges and have definite ratings by the various well respected investors’ services must ensure that they have good feedback and accordingly formulate strategy to maintain good market position. Moody’s investors’ service is one of the world’s most trusted and utilized services that provides the investors with the protection of integrity of credit vis-Ã  -vis the companies that it rates according to their financial and performance based fundamental strengths. It core business activities include credit rating, research and analysis providing a transparent system of market evaluation and upgrading the level of assessment of stocks with information based values. The most important aspect of Moody’s credit ratings is that it help the investors to analyse the credit risks for the securities and stocks of the company. Hence once a company gets a credit rating from the Moody, its credibility is established in the market. The higher the credit listing, the better the chances are for the company to maintain a low interest cost and high stake in credit-debt ratio. Moody’s approach to credit ratings, are based on the perspectives over a long period of time, within which the company would be not only be able to survive and succeed but also be able to meet its credit obligations. Therefore, it

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Communication and Interpersonal Skill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Communication and Interpersonal Skill - Essay Example The definition of the term communication has been provided by Littlejohn & Foss (2011: pp.3) â€Å"Those situations in which a source transmits a message to a receiver with conscious intent to affect the latter’s behavior.† This specifies that the process of expressing thoughts and messages through language or actions is called communication. Hence, it verifies that without the help of communication human beings cannot continue to exist. Especially without speech, because it is thought to be exceedingly imperative as we need to slot in and complete very complex everyday jobs involving collaboration. To validate that proper communication you should be is indispensable; Bach & Grant (2009) said â€Å"There are times, though, when we experience situations where we consider that an interaction did not go smoothly; perhaps we were misunderstood or a friend reacted differently to how we expected.† Explaining the importance of communication in nursing, another important term with reference to communication is ‘approaching skills’, these skills are meant to make the communicator feel safe, respected and understood. Having a non-judgmental attitude is one of these. As Petersen (2007: pp.96) h as verified â€Å"Listening to understand requires a non-judgmental attitude that can go against what most of us were taught, that is, to listen for rights and wrongs.†... In order to analyze my situation it is better that I first have an understanding of what inter personal skills denote and signify. This has been done by using two models in the paper. According to Hayes (2002: pp.19) in order to comprehend the method of circulating interpersonal skills it is crucial to â€Å"be aware of how the hierarchical model of interpersonal skills can be used to help individuals to critically assess the effectiveness of their social skills at every level.† Therefore, my case and the provided model below have been examined side by side in order to achieve the required goal as my scenario can be explained well through these two models. My situation can be labeled more as an intricate human confrontation, as it made it difficult for me to be able to connect properly with the patient without being involved in the feelings rotating around us. Through the tool of proper communication skills both me and the patient, were able to bond (in the manner that my prof ession required) without effecting or violating the rules of formal interaction. Consequently, proper practiced and understood communication skills of the patient would have made it easier for me to formulate appropriate interactional technique and his provided interpersonal skills would have simplified the state of affairs. According to Egan (2007: pp.91) the important part of stage I of the entire communicational process and situation is â€Å"helping clients tell their stories, plus the communicational skills needed throughout the entire helping process.† He further verifies that â€Å"The communication skills are the essential components of the therapeutic dialogue between helper and client.† In