Edit-Your-Work Where Words Matter

Question of the week 41: Contemplate

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:16:00 +0000

Hi there! This week I will be writing about the word contemplate whilst answering the following question:

When you contemplate about life, what do you contemplate about?

The term contemplate could stand for thoroughly thinking about something that you may want to achieve, purchase, obtain, acquire, etc., in the future. For instance, you could be contemplating on your career path, on buying a new TV, on selling your house, or on going to university. Contemplating occurs only when a person puts thought into an upcoming action. A person who acts based on instinct and without thought would therefore not have contemplated.

When a person contemplates, it usually happens when you are alone and have time to think. It could be whilst taking a shower, or just before sleeping where you lie down in bed thinking about the future, or on public transportation. This however does not mean that contemplating happens alone. You could also contemplate in a group, discussing and thinking of setting up a future business collectively.

There is no defined list of thoughts on contemplating about life since everybody perceives life differently and thinks of differing goals for differing reasons. Thus, whilst one person would think intensely about how life will be in 5 years time in terms of family and a steady career, another person may be contemplating on putting all the effort in making a job promotion. Here are a couple of things that you could be contemplating about:

Choosing your career path and thinking about the consequences for taking that specific direction. As is always the case, when you choose one route, you will always give up other routes.

Thinking about how you want to contribute to society, what your purpose is in improving not just your life, but life in general.

Contemplating on the best possible way to use the money you have earned. Money that is put in the bank earns interest, however investing it in a company or governments, or your own establishment, may create greater rewards.

In short: The word contemplate stands for thinking thoroughly about what you want in the future. You can privately contemplate, contemplate with a friend, or contemplate within a group. Three areas where you may contemplate about life include choosing your career path, thinking about how your life contributes to society, and contemplating on how best to use the money you have earned.

If you have any questions, doubts, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 40: Sovereign

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Welcome to the 40^th Question of the Week entry! This week I will cover the word sovereign in the following question:

Does the impact of globalization have a positive effect on the sovereignty of a state?

The word sovereign stands for a state that has complete control over a specific territory and its inhabitants. Currently there are 195 sovereign states¹. For these states to be recognized, a number of criteria have to be met. These include: a defined territory, inhabitants within that territory, a government, and the ability to interact with other states. The last point is important because if no other country recognizes a self-proclaimed state, then it cannot be defined as a sovereign state.

When looking at the world today, virtually every country is connected to each other in some way. Computers for instance may be designed in the USA, after which suppliers from South Korea would send parts to China for assembly, which would then be transported via a Danish shipping firm to Doha, Qatar. The same can be said for local cultures, since in many big cities around the world there is a China town. These all play a role in governments since countries would have to trade with each other in order to import and export products.

State sovereignty looks at the rules in which a country governs its territory and people. For trade to occur, it would mean that the trading countries have to accept a set of rules in the likelihood that something goes wrong. For instance, if a criminal in country A steals property of a company from country B, then country B would ask country A to fulfill its obligations and catch the criminal. If not, then country B would threaten country A by place trade embargos, cut financial aid, or halt government investments, just to name a few. Thus due to the increase in trade, as an effect of globalization, it establishes a set of rules that facilitate the communication between two sovereign states.

Certain global initiatives may also affect state sovereignty by making governments change the way they let their inhabitants live. One example is the Kyoto protocol, which asks member nations to reduce their greenhouse emissions (CO₂) and other air pollutants. By sharing the common problem of pollution, which is a result of the ever increasing globalization and manufacture of products such as cars, fast-food, and electronics, governments would change their legislation to a worldwide standard that is beneficial to the environment and ultimately its inhabitants. Another example concerns the diminishing of trade barriers that has to be adopted by, for instance, members of the European Economic Area (EEA), the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the Association of South East Asian Nations free trade zone (ASEAN). This has the positive effect of exposing the local inhabitants to cheaper prices and to a greater variety of products. Thus, sovereign states now combine their knowledge to tackle the consequences of globalization collectively that positively affects the standard of living of its inhabitants.

In short: A sovereign state is a state that is independent of other states, defined by its territory and inhabitants. Globalization has a positive impact on the sovereignty of a state as changes in legislation have to be made in order to facilitate communication with a foreign state. It also allows countries to collectively work together in tackling the consequences of globalization, such as pollution and trade barriers.

If you have any doubts, questions, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

¹ http://www.state.gov/s/inr/rls/4250.htm

Question of the week 39: Simile

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:01:00 +0000

I hope that you had a nice Halloween and/or Guy Fawkes celebration! Now it’s time for another ‘Question of the Week’. This week, the word Simile is covered in the following question:

What is the purpose of similes?

The term simile is used when making a comparison. The words ‘like’ or ‘as’ need to be used in a sentence in order to create this simile. For instance, the sun is as big as 1,300,000 earths. Fireworks sound like cannon and gunfire. A number of expressions use similes, such as: ‘feels like heaven’, ‘flow like a butterfly; sting like a bee’, ‘as white as snow’.

Since similes are used for comparisons, they can be used in different contexts. One way is to establish a comparison so that it is easier to understand. This can be seen when comparing the imperial measurement system with the metric system. 1 inch is equivalent to, or is like, 2.54 centimeters.

~~Another~~ One form of simile may involve the senses, such as herbal tea smelling like a flower garden. It would immediately remind you of something that you have smelled in the past. Something that is soft and spongy may have the simile of it feeling like gelatin.

Similes can also be used to express emotion. He was as angry as the Hulk. She was as happy as can be. This is especially used in storytelling where the listener did not see any of the emotions and interactions.

There are also other ways of using similes, such as to compliment a person, to crack a joke, to vent off anger or stress, to rate, etc. One thing that all these contexts have in common however is the fact that there is always a comparison to something that sparks a memory. Thus the purpose of a simile is to make you remember an event in order to make sense of what was being compared.

In short: A simile is a comparison, which utilizes the word ‘like’ or ‘as’ in a sentence. The purpose of a simile is to spark a memory in order to better understand what was being compared.

If you want to contribute to this post then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 38: Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Hi everybody and welcome to another question of the week! This week the word Halloween will be covered in the following question:

What is the story behind Halloween? How did it spread?

Halloween is an event that is held yearly on the 31^st of October. Trick or treating is one big activity done that day where kids usually ask neighbors whether they would like to give a treat (candy) or be tricked into something scary. It is also a day for people to wear scary costumes, decorate their house with pumpkins carved with a scary face, and behave in strange ways to scare others.

There are a number of stories that tell the beginnings of Halloween. One of these stories goes as follows:

People have been making jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.

Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."

In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the Jack O'Lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o'-lanterns.

Initially Halloween originated in Ireland and Scotland as folklore. This had spread to the United States when Irish and Scottish immigrants migrated, bringing along their traditions. Over time it gained more popularity within the United States and Britain. This continued during the globalization of the world, especially in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, which then brought it to almost all countries around the world. Now, even if a country does not celebrate Halloween, due to people being able to travel around, they bring this old tradition along, educating the new country of this event.

In short: Halloween is an event that happens annually on the 31^st of October. It started as an Irish and Scottish folklore, migrating to the United States, and then spreading across the world over time due to globalization.

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to write them by clicking on the ‘comment’ button!

Question of the week 37: Snazzy

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:27:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word snazzy will be covered in the following question:

What makes a person, a name, or an object snazzy?

The word snazzy stands for something or someone that looks or sounds attractive, fancy, and fashionable. It can be used to describe a snazzy person who is wearing designer clothes such as Yves Saint Laurent, a snazzy car such as the Land Rover Evoque, a snazzy name such as Red Bull, a snazzy restaurant that serves fancy and unique food such as in a 5 star hotel, or snazzy technology such as the upcoming iPhone 5.

The term snazzy is however relative to what others think. For instance, when a group of 25 people find that the Lamborghini Aventador is snazzy, it would then be deemed that the car is attractive, fancy, and even fashionable. However, when that group joins a group of 75 people who are not attracted at all to the car, then relatively speaking the car would not be termed snazzy. This is where calling something snazzy is seen with a shade of gray and is not clearly defined.

Regardless, anything can become snazzy if you can show and let others understand what you find attractive. This may then catch on and lead to others thinking in the same way. Here are a couple of ideas for doing exactly that:

1. Look at current trends. See what is fashionable today in magazines, movies and songs. Usually these forms of media create a lot of popularity and set trends.

2. Show confidence and a positive vibe. Nothing hurts more than boasting about something being snazzy without showing any enthusiasm or confidence in your claims.

In short: The word snazzy stands for something or someone that looks or sounds attractive, fancy, and fashionable. Despite the fact that labeling something as snazzy is based on what the people around you also think, there are a number of ways to help create this hype. These include looking at current trends that are shown on TV and magazines, and being confident, positive, and enthusiastic about what you find snazzy.

If you have any questions or doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 36: Merit

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:15:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word merit will be covered in the following question:

Which merits make you stand out?

The word merits stands for a person’s good qualities that make him or her attractive for a specific role. It is also an acknowledgement of that person’s capabilities. For instance, a person who is merited for being exceptionally good at mathematics would be more suitable and attractive for a number intensive role such as finance and accounting, engineering, or even information technology. A person who is merited for being courageous and brave would be an attractive candidate for police, fire brigade, or military roles. Of course a person does not have just one merit. Discovering what your merits are however is not that easy and takes some self-reflecting.

So how do you find out what your key merits are? Here are three ways of checking your own merits:

1. Since looking at oneself can be filled with bias, it is those close to you that may have a better view of who you are. Ask friends and family to see their positive aspects of you.

2. There is also the need to reflect upon oneself with feedback that comes from a more objective point of view. Ask your teachers, doctor, manager, or other person that reviews your performance about your key strengths. What these individuals say about your merits is also crucial as they act as references for potential employers or universities and lets them see your key qualities.

3. Whilst looking at oneself may present biases, it can also show what you have excelled at. Look at your own personal records, grades, trophies or awards, or any other written or visual indication that shows your strengths. Even by having just a high school degree can be seen as a powerful document as it is the school’s task of challenging your abilities. Thus achieving the final diploma shows your capability of learning something new. This counts for the same in university, and even during your career. So take pride in your achievements and let them show your merits.

In short: The term merit stands for a person’s key qualities. Thus, a person is merited for his or her abilities at doing a specific task or role. Three ways of exploring your own merits is to ask friends or family and teachers or bosses of your key attributes, and by looking at your own achievements through the years.

If you have any questions, doubts, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 35: Inspire

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word inspire will be covered in the following question:

How do you inspire someone?

The word inspire is used to describe a person, a thing or an environment that influences a person’s thinking or work. It is used in plays, books, and movies, all of which are inspired by events, but can also be amongst people. For instance, the movie Black Hawk Down was inspired by events that occurred in Somalia in 1993. The granting of a terminally ill boy’s wish was the inspiration for setting up the Make-A-Wish Foundation that now caters globally to terminally ill children. Winston Churchill inspired many people to continue fighting in World War 2 despite the horrid conditions.

Inspiring a person is thus by influencing a person into doing an action or thinking in a particular way, which results in the creation of something new. However, to actually inspire someone takes doing something special. Here are some ways of inspiring a person:

Sharing experiences of difficult circumstances (rappers tend to do this, showing their harsh upbringings and how they worked hard to achieve their success)

Being successful or an expert at a particular subject (engineers inspire each other by making mega structures such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates)

Saving a person from injury, from failure, or from depression, just to name a few (Police negotiators stopping a criminal and then persuading them to change their lifestyle and start clean)

In short: To inspire someone is to influence that person in such a way that it improves that person. Inspiration can come from people, from the environment, or from an object. Inspiring someone can come from the sharing of difficult experiences, being successful at a particular subject, or saving a person from harm or helping him or her succeed in something.

If you have any questions or doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the Week 34: Freelance

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 01:21:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! For this week, the word Freelance will be covered in the following question:

How does Freelance work contribute to work experience?

The term freelance stands for a person who works on his or her own, not being affiliated with any company. For instance, a person that sets up a business is considered to be a sole proprietor, not a freelancer. However, a person being asked to do a specific task would be considered a freelancer if that person is working alone and is not tied to any company. Some examples of freelance work include: freelance photography, freelance web designing, freelance journalism, and freelance editing. These jobs all have to do with short-term and project based commitments.

Unlike full-time jobs where there is a fixed income per month, freelance jobs are based on the number of projects the person takes. This means that it is up to the freelancer to create his/her schedule, attract customers, and provide the entire service. As such, it can be seen as operating a nameless mini-company where the person would have to cover all parts of the business (from acquiring projects, to finances and accounting for tax purposes, to external relations for keeping contacts, etc.).

One area that is not present in freelance work as opposed to a full-time job is the fact that no teamwork is created. The freelancer acts on his or her behalf and interests. Two freelancers may collaborate on a project, but they do not work for a company and as such do not share the same camaraderie as two colleagues working for a firm. It is this teamwork, working together to improve a company, which is non-existent in freelance work.

Thus, to answer the question, freelance work contributes to work experience by teaching the person to become independent in obtaining and doing projects. Freelancing emphasizes more on being entrepreneurial, managing every part of the work, whilst full-time work emphasizes more on working together, sharing tasks to improve the company.

In short: A freelancer is a person that takes on projects alone and who is not affiliated with any company. This type of role teaches a person to become independent, relying only on him or herself to create and do projects. It is basically being your own boss without having a company name.

If you have any questions or doubts, or comments to make, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 33: Hexadecimal

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week I will cover the word hexadecimal, which I will include in the following question:

How do you count with hexadecimals?

A hexadecimal is a numbering system that counts to 16. Whilst the decimal system counts from 1 to 10 before it resets (e.g. 1–10, 11–20, 21-30, 211-220), a hexadecimal system counts from 1 to 16 before resetting. However, since it is not possible to show more than 10 numbers before resetting (i.e. not possible due to the fact that the decimal system is used to portray hexadecimals), letters are used to fill the remaining 6 numbers before the integer ends. Thus, the last integer in a hexadecimal before the number resets ends with 0 (e.g. f à 10, 4f à 50), just as how it would in the decimal system (e.g. 9 à 10, 49 à 50). This table shows how hexadecimals are written up to the decimal number 32:

A simplified way of describing the decimal system is by calling it a base-10 system, which means that it contains 10 digits. The hexadecimal system on the other hand is a base-16 system, containing 16 digits.

But what use does it have if we are following and accustomed to the decimal system? Well, it is mainly used as a convenience for large numbers. For instance, instead of writing ‘255’ in the decimal system, you could write ‘FF’ in hexadecimal format (FF = 15x16 + 15). This is commonly used in computer codes (e.g. color map, memory addresses, HTML, etc).

In short: A hexadecimal is a numbering system that uses 16 digits as opposed to the decimal system (10 digits) that we are accustomed to today. This system is meant to make large numbers more convenient to read and implement, especially in computers.

If you have any questions or doubts, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 32: Fugitive

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:21:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week, the word ‘fugitive’ will be covered in the following question:

How do fugitives get caught?

A fugitive is a person that is on the run from the government or the police, with the purpose of avoiding arrest. Individuals who have committed crimes such as corruption, drug dealing, and murder are most likely to become fugitives due to the severity of the crime and consequent penalty. Since individuals become fugitives when authorities cannot find them, various methods are required to find them. Here are five ways in which policemen can track down and catch fugitives:

Use the location of bank transactions to trace the fugitive
Use bounties (reward for capture) to encourage people to help find the fugitive
Use family members to convince the fugitive to turn him/herself in
Authorities collaborating with each other across regions/countries to share information on the fugitive
Trace phone calls made by the fugitive

In short: A fugitive is a person that is on the run from the government or the police. Catching a fugitive may not be easy, but there are a number of methods to catch them. These include tracing bank transactions, bounties, using family members, having authorities collaborate, and tracing phone calls.

If you have any questions, doubts, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 31: Regime

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 23:29:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word ‘regime’ will be covered in the following question:

Why do political regimes falter?

A political regime is a government that puts rules, regulations, norms, and laws for citizens of a country to abide. It is either elected through a country’s citizens, through force, or through a governmental procedure.

Here are some reasons why political regimes falter:

1) Citizen rebellion – When a government does not provide what its citizens want and maintains its power, riots or rebellions may occur. This is especially prevalent in countries with an autocratic regime. Violent behavior would then force the political regime to leave.

2) Pressure from other countries – When a political regime does not respect human rights, other countries and organizations may put pressure on that regime to either change their ways of running a country or risk facing a trade embargo or even a conflict. One example is the spread of Communism which capitalism tried to contain in the Vietnam War.

3) Government not keeping its promises – When a president or prime minister is elected, that individual will put in place his or her political regime. This includes a set of goals and promises that were said during the political campaign before election. However, when a government cannot meet its promises, the leader’s trust, reputation, and popularity begins to falter, thereby leading to new elections.

4) Corruption, bribery, or other legal issues – Sometimes the leader of a country has a personal agenda that is not to the interest of a country. Corruption and bribery not only wastes taxpayer money for personal gain, it also limits government investments in improving the country’s standards of living. A result of this would be that the leader does not get re-elected, gets impeached, or that the reputation of the whole political party would be lost.

In short: A political regime is the rules, regulations, norms, and laws that are set by a government. They can fail if there is a citizen uprising, if there is pressure from other countries to stop the regime, if the regime does not meet its expectations, or if legal issues plague the regime leader.

If you have any questions, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 30: Riots

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘Question of the Week’! I hope that everybody has had or is having a nice summer vacation! However, as is with every holiday, it comes to an end. Nevertheless, the question of the week is back. This week, the word ‘Riot’ will be covered in the following question:

Do riots create more change than peaceful demonstrations and protests?

The term riot stands for a violent public uprising, where a group of people create civil unrest. Examples include, the riots that occurred in London that started from a peaceful protest against the police for shooting and killing a person, and the riots that broke out in the Middle-East to topple the dictatorial/autocratic regimes.

Demonstrations, protests, and riots all have a common goal, to create change. How they achieve these changes however are different. Both demonstrations and protests can be done peacefully. For instance, a group of people that protest against the country’s involvement in war can show this through creating signs and showing negative pictures in the hope that it would persuade decision makers to back out from the war. If the protest gains supporters over time, it would then force the government to make changes.

A riot on the other hand involves violent behavior in order to intimidate decision makers into making changes. This type of behavior has, for instance, led the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to create changes in the Syrian parliament and give in to some demands to retain peace in the country. Riots however do not have to create positive changes for the rioters. As is evident in the London riots, changes have been made by the British police force in how decision-making is done during such situations. All that the rioters gained from their actions were court appearances and penalties.

To say that riots create more change than peaceful demonstrations and protests is incorrect as both create them. However, riots have a more dramatic way in showing social frustration and thus leads to quicker changes. This usually comes at the expense of the rioters themselves as they end up doing more harm than good.

In short: Riots are violent public uprisings where people try to create change through wrecking havoc. Whilst riots may create change faster, it does not mean that it will create a positive change for them. Demonstrations and protests on the other hand are more peaceful, and allow other people to understand the changes. Through this way, it forces the government and/or decision makers to create changes since their reputation and popularity is put at stake.

If you have any questions, doubts, or would like to contribute, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 29: Vociferous

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:15:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week, the word ‘vociferous’ will be covered in the following question:

Name five man-made vociferous sounds

The term vociferous stands for something that is noisy or loud. For instance, a vociferous baby on an airplane was crying for her milk. Animals such as lions and bears become vociferous when threatened. Vociferous can also describe the noise of an explosion.

Here is a list of five man-made vociferous sounds:

1. Race cars – Race days such as F1, GP2, MotoGP, Nascar, and FIA GT, just to name a few, create a lot of sound pollution that affect nearby residential areas. As such, some circuits have a limited number of race days per year to minimize it.

2. Airplanes – Due to the sound pollution created by airplane engines, in some cities/countries airports are closed during the night.

3. Vuvuzela – A trumpet that has its history in South Africa. It was extensively used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup by fans supporting their countries. For the players and some spectators it was however also a nuisance.

4. Rock concerts – Music bands play loud music to involve the crowd and let them feel the full rhythm and beats of the songs. This however usually comes with a side effect, where it seems as if a bubble is covering your ears.

5. Alarms – Unlike the above-mentioned vociferous sounds, alarms are purposefully loud. They are meant to warn people of an emergency.

In short: The word vociferous stands for something or somebody being loud or noisy. This includes a baby crying on an airplane, or a car making a screeching sound after hitting the brakes very hard. Five man-made vociferous sounds include race cars, airplanes, vuvuzelas from the world cup, rock concerts, and alarms.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or examples, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 28: Omnipresent

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! For this week, the word ‘omnipresent’ will be covered in the following question:

Which mode of transportation carries the lowest omnipresent risk of fatality?

The term omnipresent stands for a danger or problem that is present at all times, such as a disaster that can occur at any time, a prison where criminals fighting each other is omnipresent, or the noise pollution from living close to an airport.

The modes of transportation are air, land, and water. For simplicity purposes, air transport will cover airplane travel, land transport will cover travel via cars and trains, and water transport will cover boat travel. The following list shows the number of fatalities per billion km, journeys, or hours traveled for each of the 4 forms of transportation mentioned:

	Fatalities per billion KM	Fatalities per billion journeys	Fatalities per billion hours
Airplanes	0.05	117	30.8
Cars	3.1	40	130
Boats	2.6	90	50
Trains	0.6	20	30

(source: http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/risks_of_travel.htm, originally from an article by Roger Ford)

Depending on how one looks at the statistics, airplane travel can carry the lowest omnipresent risk of injury. 0.05 people are killed due to an airplane accident over a span of one billion kilometers. However, when looking at it from the number of journeys and number of hours perspective, trains carry the lowest omnipresent risk.

It must be noted that whilst the media portrays the fact that airplane travel is the safest mode of transportation, it is really difficult to find factual and statistical information on this as it is not public knowledge. As such, the data used in this article represents what was attainable at the time of writing this article.

In short: Omnipresent stands for a danger or problem that is present at all times. Examples include the risk of a flat tyre, or the risk of a natural disaster, as both could happen anytime. Depending on how one interprets data, airplanes and trains can be seen as having the least omnipresent risk of fatality.

If you have any other thoughts or ideas, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 27: Intangible

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word ‘intangible’ will be covered in the following question:

What are intangible assets?

The word intangible stands for something that creates value, whether it is specific knowledge or a brand name, which cannot be touched or seen. It can be a person or a possession. Consultancy services for instance are intangible, as it has to do with knowledge rather than actual objects. Also the name of a company holds an intangible value as it would create a positive or negative reaction to people, whilst copyrights are intangible as they protect a specific work yet it in itself are nothing but text written on paper. The following are intangible assets that a company maintains to create and keep its competitive advantage.

Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, and licenses – These are intangibles that protect a company’s name, technology, text, pictures and videos. They allow the company to protect its property so that no other company or person can use it without a fee.

Knowledge – The people that work in a company have both tacit and explicit knowledge. Tacit knowledge is knowledge that cannot be written or codified. Explicit knowledge on the other hand is knowledge that can be written down and whoever reads it would then be able to understand it fully. For instance, when learning how to drive a car, the theory exam checks explicit knowledge. The practical theory however checks the implicit knowledge on how to drive a car. Situational awareness on the road cannot be codified as the environment always changes.

In short: Intangible stands for something that cannot be seen or touched. These include both property rights such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and licenses, and knowledge that all employees and employers have.

If you have any questions, doubts, or other examples, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 26: Antagonize

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:20:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! For this week, the word ‘antagonize’ will be covered in the following question:

What are the risks of antagonizing the wrong people?

The word antagonize stands for the provocation of another person. For instance, when a person talks negatively about another, that person is said to be antagonizing. The expression ‘don’t antagonize’ is used to remind people not to provoke, and maintain peace and respect with that person despite apparent problems. If however you don’t, you may end up with the following problems:

- Getting sued for defamation

- Getting into a fight

- Getting ignored

- Losing a friend or acquaintance

- Losing trust

Antagonizing a person may provide some popularity if other people share the same problem about someone. However, it will always result in a conflict. As such, by not antagonizing a person and instead reasoning that a person’s actions are wrong, or exposing a problem, would help to tackle the problem whilst also preventing the risks that are associated with it.

In short: Antagonizing stands for provoking somebody. When antagonizing a person, due to a problem, it creates risks such as being sued or getting into a fight. By staying peaceful and not antagonizing, but rather to reason with the person that you have a problem with, it is possible to express what you feel and prevent any risks from happening. As the expressions goes, ‘don’t antagonize’.

If you have any questions or doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 25: Innocuous

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 23:19:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s Question of the Week! In this entry, the word ‘innocuous’ will be covered in the following question:

What are some examples of innocuous jokes?

The term innocuous stands for something or someone that is harmless or not offensive. For example, an innocuous person is one that does not bully, that respects other people’s opinions, and that is not aggressive in his or her actions. Animals and insects, such as grasshoppers, koalas, and giraffes, can also be called innocuous since they do not create harm. Even a question can be classified as innocuous if the person’s answer would not be used against him or her.

This week’s question looks at innocuous jokes. Are jokes always offensive, directed towards certain individuals, and meant to upset a person? Well, these five jokes certainly aren’t:

1. If pro is the opposite of con, then what is the opposite of PROgress? CONgress.

2. What do you call a person that is both from Holland and from the Philippines? A Jalapeno (Hollapino). – Russell Peters

3. If 4 out of 5 people suffer from diarrhea… does that mean that one enjoys it?

4. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

5. If practice makes perfect, and nobody’s perfect, then why practice?

In short: The word innocuous stands for something or somebody that is harmless or not offensive. An example of an innocuous joke is: if practice makes perfect, and nobody’s perfect, then why practice?

If you have any questions or doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 24: Yield

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:19:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s Question of the Week! For this week, the word ‘yield’ will be covered in the following question:

How are bond yields calculated, and why are they important?

The term yield can have different definitions, all based on the word’s context. For instance, when a person yields from a fight, it means that the person is giving up or surrendering. When on the road, some signs contain the word yield. This means that you have to give way to other cars. Yield can also stand for producing a return, as is used in bond yields. This week’s question looks at the second definition.

A bond’s yield can be calculated by dividing the interest by the current value of the bond. This is presented in the following formula:

Yield = Annual interest / Bond Price

Calculating bond yields is important as aggregating them gives you an indication of the success of a bond over time. For instance, knowing that a bond with a value of €100 yields 10% (or €10 interest) for the past 5 consecutive years is more attractive to invest in than a bond that yielded 25% in the first year, but then dropped to 5% in the 5^th year.

In short: The term yield can mean to stop, give way, give-up, surrender, or be a calculation of returns in business. In a business sense, yields can be calculated by dividing the annual interest by the bond price. This would then give an indication of the returns over time of a bond, and thus its attractiveness.

If you have any questions, other examples, or doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 23: Sporadic

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:01:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! For this week’s entry, the word ‘sporadic’ will be covered in the following question:

Can stress trigger sporadic behavior?

The term sporadic stands for a behavior or instance that occurs occasionally, irregularly, or randomly. For example, stock prices show a sporadic trend since it is dependent on positive or negative news. Another example is when software does not follow your inputs, thus showing sporadic behavior due to an error or bug.

Sporadic behavior can also be found in people. It is characterized by certain actions that a person would normally not do, i.e. scream in the library. When a person behaves sporadically, it may be due to the environment. A painting may have triggered a memory that makes a person scared in the library, or a library scene in a scary movie. Sporadic behavior, however, can also be triggered by stress.

When a person endures a heavy workload, that person’s mind gets overloaded with specific tasks. This means that it will be more difficult to multi-task than when relaxed. For example, when somebody asks for a favor whilst you are under stress, your response tends to be more abrupt, aggressive, and random. This is makes it more likely to vent off frustration on somebody else who may not know your circumstances. As such, in that person’s perspective, your behavior becomes sporadic. Another example is when you are driving whilst in traffic, and your passenger tries to help you by telling you where to go. You get annoyed and shrug off the suggestion. Your response may seem to him or her as an aggressive and sporadic one, although to you it is justified since you were preoccupied, stressed, and wanted some peace to focus on the traffic ahead. Thus, based on these examples, stress can trigger sporadic behavior.

In short: Sporadic stands for a behavior or instance that is irregular, out of the norm, random, or occasional. Examples include sporadic trends of stock prices, sporadic behavior of software, and sporadic behavior of people due to stress from work or traffic, or from a memory that is triggered by the environment a person is in.

If you have any questions, wish to share an example, or have any doubts, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 22: Apocryphal

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:45:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! This week the word ‘apocryphal’ will be covered in the following question:

What are some examples of apocryphal quotes?

The term apocryphal stands for a statement that is doubtful of its authenticity, meaning that there is some controversy in the original meaning. This can occur in an apocryphal biography that relies on rumors rather than facts, or an apocryphal quote where the author is not known and thus may be quoted in the wrong context. Here are some apocryphal quotes:

1. ‘You don’t get harmony when everybody sings the same note’

2. ‘A faithful friend is the medicine of life’

3. ‘The curiosity to know things has been given to man as a scourge’

4. ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’

5. ‘Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss’

In short: Apocryphal stands for doubting the authenticity of a statement. The quote ‘a faithful friend is the medicine of life’ is one such an example as the author is not known and thus neither the context.

If you have any differing opinions or examples, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 21: Buzzword

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:10:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! This week the phrase ‘buzzword’ will be covered in the following question:

Which five buzzwords are popular now?

A buzzword is a word that creates a lot of hype amongst people. It usually covers technical terms (e.g. Cloud computing), but it can also cover other hyped words that are found and shared in specific subject areas (e.g. the word process in Change management). But which buzzwords are currently hyped?

Ipad – The Ipad defined the tablet market. It sits in the middle of being a laptop and a Smartphone. As it is still a new form of technology that is being accepted, and with much success, this is one buzzword that will stay for the coming while.

Cloud computing – Cloud computing is set to be the future of how computers will be used. As was written in a previous article on Cloud computing, it is about connecting to a network of computers that do specific tasks, removing the need to purchase expensive computers. Since it is still in its infancy, and its full potential still to be explored, cloud computing will stay as a buzzword.

Hybrid cars – Unstable fuel prices have led car companies to look for alternative engines. Hybrid cars, which combine both electric and petrol engines, are the result of this instability. As fuel prices are becoming ever more volatile and expensive, and with the added pressure of government regulations that reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions, hybrid cars will become an even bigger buzzword over time.

3D TV – TVs have evolved from showing black and white images, to full color images, to crisp high definition images, and now to 3D images. 3D first started appearing in cinemas, but now with the 3D TV, it is becoming the buzzword for bringing 3D images to your household.

Motion capture devices – Video game consoles have always been played with a controller. This however is changing as consoles are now including body movements in games. Examples include the wii controller, the Xbox 360 kinect, and the Playstation move. Given its recent introduction, these motion capture devices will continue to be a buzzword as their potential are further explored.

In short: A buzzword is a new technical word that contains a lot of hype, and is talked about by the mainstream public. Five current popular buzzwords include the Ipad, Cloud computing, Hybrid cars, 3D TV, and Motion capture devices.

If you have any questions or differing opinions, then please don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 20: Precocious

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 02 May 2011 23:29:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! For this week, the word ‘precocious’ will be covered in the following question:

What are the benefits for precocious children?

The terms precocious stands for something that experiences maturity faster and earlier than normal. For instance, the idea behind schooling and universities is to teach experiences from others in a faster way so that when students start to work, they are precocious compared to people who have learnt only from experience. Another example of precocious is when an excelling child jumps grades in school. But does being precocious deliver benefits to a child?

A child that is precocious would experience an accelerated education. This means that the teaching material will be of a higher level for a specific age, as will be the environment, where students would be older. Here are some advantages and disadvantages for precocious children:

Advantages

- A child learns at a faster rate, which means that fewer years can be spent on primary, secondary, and tertiary education. This means graduating at a younger age and savings on education costs.

- A child learns to interact with individuals older than oneself and experience being the youngest of the group.

- A child can learn his or her interests earlier, which could potentially allow for a higher level of specialization in a subject. In other words, a precocious child could become an expert and spend more time in a particular field than the norm.

Disadvantages

- A child would be exposed at an earlier age to more mature content (such as slang, video games, movies) that will be shared with students from the same grade. This is negative if the child handles the content wrongfully or is uneducated about it.

- A child will always experience childhood and education differently than the norm. This however does mean an accelerated pace to adulthood.

- A child may experience social-emotional immaturity compared to older students in the same grade.

In short: Precocious stands for something that matures faster than the norm. A child who skips grades in school is thus known to be precocious. Benefits for such a child includes lower costs and an earlier graduation, constant interactions with older people, and can learn his or her interests earlier, allowing for a higher level of specialization in a subject. It is to say though that there are also some drawbacks to an accelerated education.

If you have any differing opinions or examples that you would like to mention, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

This article used the following source as a reference on precocious children: http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10174.aspx

Question of the week 19: Frugal

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s question of the week! First of all, we wish you a happy Easter! Now for this week, the word ‘frugal’ will be covered in the following question:

How can companies apply frugality as a strategy for cost reduction?

The word frugal stands for not being wasteful, lavish, or extravagant, and being economical and sparing. For instance, when a person decides to change from a post-paid mobile phone plan to pre-paid, with the reason to control the number of minutes used and texts sent, he or she is said to be frugal. Another example of being frugal is when a person decides to buy an electric car rather than a conventional car, with the idea of minimizing fuel costs and tax.

Companies can also apply frugality by implementing the ideology in company culture. When all employees are given the responsibility and moral obligation to minimize costs, it is then possible for a company to reduce unnecessary expenses. Examples of these include taking economy class flights rather than taking business, first, or even chartered flights. Also taking public transportation rather than fleet cars.

For companies to implement frugality, it is possible to do periodic checks of employee expenses, benchmarking costs for specific positions, have employees conduct due diligence for specific high cost purchases, or have incentives for the employees that saved the most. These are just some ideas.

In short: Frugal stands for being economical, not spending lavishly, buying things that are only necessary, and minimizing costs. Companies can be frugal if the ideology gets passed on to all employees, meaning that the employees themselves actively think of minimizing expenditure. Putting a moral obligation on employees to not overspend can help implement frugality, and having periodic checks, incentives, or have employees perform due diligence, can help maintain it.

If you have any questions or doubts, then please don’t hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 18: Synergy

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘question of the week’! For this week, the word ‘synergy’ will be covered in the following question:

How can synergies be created in group projects?

The term synergy stands for the effort that is given by two individuals working together, producing results greater than that of two individuals working alone. Apart from individuals, synergies could also involve companies, medicines, diseases, and pests, just to name a few. For instance, when company A provides technologies whilst company B provides distribution expertise, both companies can then produce products that take advantage of each other’s know-how, thereby creating profits for both which would not have been possible if they worked individually. But how do these synergies appear in group projects?

Group projects combine the knowledge of a number of people. The problem however lies in the amount of information that can be shared, and the relations that are built. When a team encounters individuals who push their ideas through, and are not open to everybody’s contribution, it becomes more difficult for synergies to appear. This is because ideas will get rejected or ignored, and those controlling the group will end up controlling the type of knowledge shared. Another issue lies in the amount of information, where everybody voices their ideas but none are combined. This then leads to ideas being piled up but not properly being used to create synergies.

For synergies to appear in group projects, it would require individuals to be open to each other, share as much relevant knowledge as possible, and ensure that all group members feel that they are a part of the project. This helps motivate everybody to work harder as their contributions are recognized, and encourage knowledge sharing.

In short: Synergy stands for the combined effort of two things, be it individuals, companies, or medicines, that produce an effect greater than adding both individual efforts. For synergies to appear in group projects, it becomes important to maximize knowledge sharing through actively listening to every member, and to motivate them by ensuring that everybody’s contribution will be seen in the project’s results.

If you have any questions or differing opinions, then please do not hesitate to leave a comment!

Question of the week 17: Succinct

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this week’s ‘Question of the week’! In this week’s entry, the word “succinct” will be covered in the following question:

Should your Curriculum Vitae (CV) be succinct?

The term succinct stands for something that is brief, to the point, concise, and precise. Examples include a succinct speech, succinct letter, succinct description, succinct example, all of which mean that what is communicated is short but to the point. Whilst writing in a succinct style allows for a quick understanding, it comes at an expense of less attention to detail. As a CV is the first type of information an employer obtains about you, should your CV then be succinct?

When looking at the purpose of a CV, it is meant to give a brief background of a person that is relevant to the job. For instance, it is beneficial to show some experience in dealing with companies for a consultancy job, or competence in math for an engineering job. However, it is impossible to put a person’s life experience on paper, and there are many skills and qualities that do not end up in a CV yet contribute to the job position. This is why a person should write a succinct CV, as only the most important background details is enough for an employer to spark an interest. It should also be seen that a CV is only meant to filter people based on personal backgrounds, which is only done to cope with the number of people that apply for a job. Thus, a CV of 10 pages will not help at all despite giving a more detailed image of a person’s background.

In short: Succinct stands for something that is brief, to the point, concise, and precise. When looking at a CV, there are a lot of experiences, skills, and qualities that a person can put on. However, considering the volume of CVs an employer receives plus the need to spark interest with just a couple of relevant background points, it is important to write it succinctly.

If you have any doubts or differing opinions about what was said, then please don’t hesitate to leave a comment!