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References in classic literature ?
After breakfast two letters arrived for Athos, who read them with profound attention, whilst D'Artagnan could not restrain himself from jumping up several times on seeing him read these epistles, in one of which, there being at the time a very strong light, he perceived the fine writing of Aramis.
Julia herself had written several long epistles to Anna, and it was now the proper time that some of these should be answered, independently of the thousand promises from her friend of writing regularly from every post-office that she might pass on her route to the Gennessee.
So much of the epistle as was divulged in that manner, we shall lay before the reader, accompanied by the passing remarks of the sheriff:
My whole instinct in matters of religion is towards reconstruction; to quote your favorite Epistle to the Hebrews, 'THE REMOVING OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN, AS OF THINGS THAT ARE MADE, THAT THOSE THINGS WHICH CANNOT BE SHAKEN MAY REMAIN.


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Launch of Nitecrest’s new low volume plastic cards website

Nitecrest is excited to reveal their newly improved low-volume plastic card website targeted at small to medium-sized businesses. The Leyland-based manufacturer that is best known for producing billions of plastic cards per year for large retailers and financial institutions, has upgraded the existing Simply Plastic Cards’ website to provide advanced functionality to create plastic cards for a range of purposes. Read more here.


Washington: Japan has proposed a tri-lateral talk with China and the United States, a move which is being supported by the US.

"The United States supports a meeting between Japan, China and ourselves, as Foreign Minister (of Japan, Koichiro) Gemba recently proposed," the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.

Clinton's remarks came on a day on which diplomats of the US, India and Japan started their first tri-lateral dialogue.

"When we look at the Asia-Pacific region, trust and cooperation among Japan, the US and China is critical for ensuring stability in the region," Koichiro told reporters at a joint press conference with Clinton here.

"With this in mind, I proposed to Secretary Clinton to launch a trilateral dialogue among these three countries. And in response, Secretary Clinton shared my views," he said.


Hamlet Plot Edit

Click here to return to the Table of Contents

Click here to go to an overview of the play.

Click here Hamlet Concordance page to go to the table of text selections and concordance pages.

The Plot - Scene by Scene Edit

Act I Edit

Act I, Scene I

Francisco, Bernardo, Horatio, Marcellus

Francisco and Bernardo are palace guards who witness a phantasm in the form of former King Hamlet. Then they discuss this creature and the ongoing activity surrounding the preparations that the Danes are making in advance of an anticipated attack by the Norwegian pretender, Fortinbras, with Horatio and Marcellus, evidently student friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg who are also doing guard duty at the castle.

Young Fortinbras, nearly the same age as young Hamlet, is seeking to recover his paternity, lost when Hamlet, senior, slew his father in single combat.

The scene closes with the assemblage resolving to divulge the presence of the ghost to young Hamlet.

Act I, Scene II KING CLAUDIUS, QUEEN GERTRUDE - The King and Queen of Denmark

The son of the late King Hamlet, Prince HAMLET

POLONIUS - Lord Chamberlain

LAERTES - His son

King Claudius, after confessing his marriage to his sister in-law, annouces his intent to send ambassadors to negotiate a preclusion to the anticipated attack by young Fortinbras.

Cornelius and Voltimand are commanded to go to old Norway in pursuit of this mission.

Laertes begs leave to return to France, where he is living apart from the Royal court.

Hamlet confesses his suspicions and dislike of his uncle/father, while Claudius and Gertrude remonstrate with Hamlet, warning him to abandon his dejection, and accept them in his father's stead.

Then, Claudius warns Hamlet against returning to college. His mother concurs, and Hamlet agrees to remain at court.

Hamlet then gives voice to the most suicidal and dejected sentiments possible.

Though Claudius is described here as my father's brother, elsewhere he refers to himself as Gertrude's brother. Either way, it is evident that the relationship is one of incest.

Here is the first mention of the penchant of the Danish court to engage in excessive consumption of alcohol.

Horatio announces he saw Hamlet's father.

Hamlet happily receives the news, and interrogates his friends accordingly.

Act I, Scene III - A room in Polonius' house

LORD POLONIUS, and his children, LAERTES AND OPHELIA Enter Laertes and Ophelia

In a farewell speech, Laertes warns his sister against becoming emotionally involved with Hamlet.

Ophelia responds that she will keep her brother's advice, but asks him to do also as he preaches.

Then Lord Polonius adds a double-weight of advice to the occasion.

Then, to Ophelia he addresses himself, counselling her as well not to become involved with Hamlet.

Act I Scene IV. The platform.

Enter HAMLET, HORATIO, and MARCELLUS with the intent of witnessing the "miracle" of the phantasm.

It appears and Hamlet addresses it.

The ghost beckons Hamlet.

Horatio warns him against following it.

Perhaps the most oft-quoted line from all of Shakespeare's works: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

The ghost confesses itself to be the late King Hamlet.

He states he was murdered and commmands young Hamlet to revenge him.

Though the story fed his subjects was that he'd been killed by a poison snake, King Hamlet's ghost explained that in actuality his brother had poured poison in his ear while while he slept in the royal garden.

However, the ghost admonishes Hamlet to spare his mother his vengeance, leaving her in her sinfulness to her conscience and the powers on high.

Hamlet agrees to carry out his father's will.

Hamlet forces his friends to swear never to divulge what transpired that night.

Act II Edit

Act II Scene I A room in POLONIUS' house.

In this scene, Lord Polonius retains Reynaldo's services as a spy, and instructs him to follow Laertes to Paris, and through asking leading questions to his friends and acquaintances, find out if the young man is guilty of any indescretions.

Act II Scene II A room in the castle.

Claudius takes into his confidence Hamlet's student chums, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, with the intent of discovering "how much Hamlet knows."

Then, the ambassadors, Cornelius and Voltimand return, accompanied by Polonius. They announce that there mission has been a success, and young Fortinbras has been placed under arrrest, and, as a result, has sworn to forego any further attempts on Danish holdings. However, he counters with an entreaty to allow him and his followers free passage through Denmark, so that he might prosecute the wars against the Poles. Claudius promises to consider the request.

When the ambassadors leave, Polonius takes the occasion of the meeting to announce to Claudius and Gertrude his opinion concerning Hamlet, namely that he is insane. In support of his assertion he reads a letter purportedly written by Hamlet to Ophelia. This has been given to him by his cooperative daughter. He goes on to claim that the madness is a result of Hamlet's having been rebuffed in his entreaties by Ophelia.

The three then plot to catch Hamlet in his madness. However, even before they have a chance to do so, Hamlet wanders by, and through acting absent in mind and speaking riddles and barbs, "proves" to them that he his mad.

Then, enter Rosencrantz and Guilderstern, also student chums from the university at Wittenberg. Hamlet suspects they are in league with his parents, however, they shrug off his suspicions, and he confesses his state of mind.

Guilderstern responds by offering to entertain Hamlet through the services of a company of players.

After a brief introduction to the actors, Hamlet agrees, but asks if the actors might recite something written by him. They are amenable to the idea, and Hamlet then announces to the audience that he will catch the King with his play.

Act IIIEdit

Act III, Scene I A room in the castle.

The King and Queen continue to connive with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet's invitation to join him in witnessing the production of the players is tendered the King and Queen.

Then, Claudius and Polonius secret themselves in hopes of gaining proof of Hamlet's mad infatuation with Ophelia, after first sending Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guilderstern away.

Gertrude demonstates a maternal concern for her son by hoping out loud for an honorable end to the affair (marriage). This wish will be repeated under more tragic circumstances at the end of her life. Both Polonius and Claudius admit to feelings of guilt in the lines that follow.

To be or not to be..., probably Hamlet's best-known speech. It is a revelation of philisophical proportions, as well as a burning question posed to an eternity of college-age students thereafter.

Ophelia tries to return to Hamlet tokens of his love he has given her previously. He senses a trap, and rejects her offers, denying having made her presents. There follows his "get thee to a nunnery" speech, in which he repeats the injunction four or five times. Ophelia responds with the line, "O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!"

The King and Lord High Chamberlain who have witnessed the meeting, now voice disbelief in the theory of madness. Polonius proposes that his mother be the one to put him to the test, and discover the cause of his erratic behavior.

Claudius concurrs, iterating the much-quoted line, "Madness in great ones must not unwatch'd go."

Act III, Scene II A hall in the castle.

Enter HAMLET and Players

In this scene, Hamlet coaches the players, teaching them his critical theories of drama, as well as how to play the lines he has written.

The "play within a play" is enacted first as a dumbshow, but it's meaning is not lost upon the King and Queen.

The lines that follow reaffirm the meaning of the actors' gestures, and include one of the most best known lines of all times, when Queen Gertrude says in understatement: "The lady protests too much, methinks." Of course, Shakespeare wrote these words to simply mean "she talks too much" with reference to the speech above, as well as the curse uttered in damnation of her remarriage.

The play's name, The Mousetrap, is a recurring theme in literature and art.

Then Ophelia and Hamlet go at it again, with Ophelia once again launching the first volley.

The players go on to recite a mystery, where the husband's murder is caused in the same way and under the same circumstances as that of the late King Hamlet. Claudius calls for lights, and the show is ended. All disperse, except Hamlet and Horatio, who then receive Guilderstern who has arrived with a message from Gertrude. She would entertain his presence in her private chambers.

Hamlet, at this point, confounds the audience by giving voice to an ambition quite out of keeping with his previously stated intent upon revenge, but similar to his retort concerning the poor fare which graced his table at the time of the play. He then rebuffs Guiderstern, however Polonius appears, and again demands of Hamlet that he attend his mother.

Hamlet agrees, but what follows is a fearful speech redolent with black magic and witchcraft.

Act III Scene III A room in the castle.

Even as Hamlet prepares for his interview with his mother, Claudius drafts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for a final mission. He instructs them to arm themselves, and using what force that is necessary, to spirit Hamlet off to England.

Then, Polonius enters, and announces his plan to hide behind a screen in Gertrude's chamber, and overhear the ensuing conversation.

Claudius thanks his chamberlain, and then, for the benefit of the audience, confesses himself of his brother's murder.

Hamlet perceives him to be praying, and wonders out loud if now isn't the time to exact revenge. However, he declines in favor of more profane setting for a bloody reprisal, and goes to his mother.

After harsh words are exchanged, Hamlet alarms his mother by forcing her to be seated. Her cries of protest are taken up by the Lord Chamberlain, hidden as he is, and Hamlet responds by drawing and thrusting in the direction of his voice. His cry of "How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!" has become a popular way of expressing resentment against eavesdroppers.

For those who believe that Hamlet's mother married his brother, a degree less serious than the crime of marrying her own brother, this line supports their argument.

These lines bring to the fore the argument that Hamlet is, in fact, insane, as his mother fails to see his father's apparition.

Gertrude states quite accurately that the phantasm is merely a symptom of schizophrenia (ecstasy).

Hamlet argues otherwise, and to get free of him she agrees to conspire on his behalf, and, at his urging, profess him to be sane, but feigning insanity. His intent appears to be to cause the King to assume the reverse, since the words will issue from his doting mother's mouth.

Then there follows another line which has been used to the end of creation, and will be for all time, namely, For 'tis the sport to have the engineer Hoist with his own petard. This, and the following reference to "digging a mine one yard below theirs..." contribute to the perception that Hamlet is in actuality suffering from delusional paranoid schizophrenia.

Act IV Scene I A room in the castle.

However, Gertrude does not carry through with her promise to abet her son, and reports to Claudius that Hamlet is, in fact, mad.

At the same time she reports the death of Polonius, and Claudius, rising to the occasion, orders his courtiers, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to bring the body from Hamlet's hiding place, and put it in the Chapel.

Act IV Scene II

Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern argue over Polonius' corpse. When brought before Claudius, Hamlet declaims with the "politic worms" speech.

He is then sent off to England, his speed matched by a letters written by Claudius asking that he be murdered by the English.

Act IV Scene IV A plain in Denmark.

Young Fortinbras and his army enters on the scene. A captain is dispatched to scout the place and meets up with Hamlet. They discuss the campaign against the Poles.

Then Hamlet again soliliquizes, wondering at the ways of greatness, and doubting his own capacity for the same.

Act IV Scene V

Ophelia breaks down as a result of her father's death, and Gertrude is called upon to help her. Upon hearing her rave and ramble on, they call on Horatio to follow and watch over her, and make certain she comes to no harm.

Then, the gentleman returns with more bad news. Laertes has returned from Paris, and is being followed by a sympathetic mob who would have him crowned in Claudius' stead.

However Laertes desires no more than vengeance against the man who killed his father, and thereby hangs the dialogue between the Royal couple and Polonius' son, soon joined by Ophelia, which ends with Claudius' appeal to Laertes to accompany him in search of justice.

Act IV Scene VI Another room in the castle.

Horatio is found by servant, and given a letter from Hamlet. He has returned to Denmark, after having been intercepted by pirates and held for ransom. They intend to seek payment by presenting themselves and their hostage at the Royal court.

Act IV Scene VII Another room in the castle.

Claudius promises his friendship to Laertes, apologizing for having failed to bring Hamlet to justice.

Then, a letter from Hamlet is brought by a messenger.

The letter is read, and Laertes and Claudius seize the occasions to conspire and set a trap for the prince.

Claudius relates to Laertes the news given him of the young man's prowess at arms.

He then proposes that they arrange a fencing match, where one foil will be sharpened and the other dull. Hamlet will generously grant the choice of swords to Laertes, who might choose the sharp.

Further, Laertes proposes to poison the tip of the sword, ensuring Hamlet's demise given even a touch.

Claudius approves, and adds that he too will have poison ready in a cup of refreshing drink.

Then Queen Gertrude enters with the news that Ophelia has drowned.

ACT V Edit

Act V, Scene I

A group of grave-diggers (clowns) is found hard at work in a churchyard.

Hamlet and Horatio stumble upon these and a conversation ensues. It is at first of a most morbid character, and then shifts to where Hamlet gains the opinion of the grave-diggers as to the recent events in the Royal household, and the grave being prepared for Ophelia is mentioned, though not her name.

Then the skull of Yorick, formerly the King's jester, is discovered. Thus, Hamlet's "skull" speech.

Then, enter a procession with the corpse of Ophelia.

Hamlet, upon realizing the identity of the deceased surprises them, and then leaps into the open grave with Laertes, who has descended to take into his arms the body of his sister.

The two struggle for a moment, with Hamlet then affirming his love for Ophelia, while Gertrude again states that her son is mad.

Act V, Scene II

After opening the scene with a conversation between Horatio and Hamlet, Osric arrives with the invitation to a fencing match. How Osric could assume Laertes to be unknown to Hamlet before then is unclear, but that is gist of this speech.The wager is made, and thereafter there gathers the King and Queen, along with sundry others of the Royal court to witness the duel.

The duel begins, and Hamlet scores a hit. Then, Hamlet touches Laertes again, Gertrude celebrates with a draught from the poisoned cup.

Laertes than seizes the initiative, and wounds Hamlet, though in the subsequent scuffle, they exchange rapiers, Hamlet taking the poisoned sword in hand.

Hamlet inquires of his mother, and she cries out that she has been poisoned.

Then Laertes admits to having poisoned the sword, and Hamlet, realizing he is to soon die, stabs Claudius with it.

Laertes dies after first asking forgiveness of Hamlet.

Hamlet, dying, asks Horatio to defend his reputation after he has passed. Horatio is prepared to die, as well, but Hamlet siezes the cup to deter him from drinking of the poisoned wine.

Hamlet, in dying, gives his blessing to young Fortinbras (presumably as far as concerns his quest to recover his paternity), while Horatio utters the immortal lines, "Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince: And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!"

Then, though the ambassador entering upon the scene tells Horatio that Rosencrantz and Guilderstern are dead, that Hamlet's commandment had been fulfilled, Horatio denies his ever having given the order.

Horatio and Prince Fortinbras decide upon a fitting memorial for the dead, and the play ends.

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SkylanderslogoThis article is also viewed at the Skylanders Wiki.

Wind-Up is a Skylander cadet in Skylanders Academy television series.

Wind-Up is easily impressed by feats from the Academy staff and older students, and easily distracted along with his fellow cadets Hex and Roller Brawl. He is unaware of his unique characteristic as of Season 1, mistakenly thinking it depends on the time he can stay wound up.

Wind-Up can attack with his sharp, spinning pincers. Though he mentions the duration of his winding up function, it is unknown if it's a form of attack like in the games.

Season 1

Wind-Up is seen in classes or playing with Hex and Roller Brawl at various points of the season.

In Beard Science, they repeatedly notice Master Eon while attempting to discover their abilities, but are too distracted by their hijinks to pay attention.

In Assault on Skylander Academy, Wind-Up drives away the Doom Raiders along with fellow cadets and veteran Skylanders. However, he is defeated despite leading an attack with Food Fight and Trigger Happy against an empowered Kaos, being incapacitated and hypnotized by Wolfgang.

  • Despite being a robot, Wind-Up reacts to the spicy chilli in Anger Mismanagement the same way as his organic friends, rather than being damaged or having worse effects on his casing.
  • According to himself in Beard Science, he can go 48 hours on a single wind-up.

Skylanders Academy

Spyro - Stealth Elf - Eruptor - Pop Fizz - Jet-Vac
Hex (Skull) - Chill - Wind-Up - Roller Brawl - Snap Shot - Ka-Boom - Flashwing
Food Fight - Trigger Happy - Cy - King Pen
Master Eon - Hugo - Bad Breath - Crash Bandicoot
Kaos - Glumshanks - Kaossandra
Minor Characters
Dale - Garry and Claire
Bomb Shell - Fire Vipers

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The rise of Zero Hour Contracts

The days of the traditional contract, be it part time or full time, are coming to an end. The last few years has seen the rise of alternative employment arrangements, such as flexitime, job sharing, remote working- and the ever popular zero hours contract.

Statistics recently collated show that the number of staff on zero hour contracts has risen, with almost a quarter of large UK employers using such contracts, in both public and private industries. The 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study found that 23% of employers used zero hour contracts in 2011, rising from 11% 1n 2004.  Companies such as Abercrombie & Fitch and McDonald’s have long used such contracts, with larger charities and the public sector recently following suit.

In low paid sectors such as catering and cleaning, it is a relatively commonplace practice (and in many instances, the employees have to buy their own uniforms). However, it is the same for some jobs requiring skill, experience and responsibility.

G4S has previously employed custody detention officers- who work alongside  Lincolnshire police to oversee the safety and security of custody centres- on such zero hour contracts. Amidst concerns as to the quality and experience of the G4S custody staff, a G4S spokesman defended the initiative, stating that zero hour contracts gave “additional resilience to forces, and ensure they can respond effectively to peaks and troughs in demand, typically coinciding with major sporting events or music festivals…This pool of officers, less than 10%… receive the same training as their [full time] colleagues… and their skills are kept up to date through regular work and training.”

Concerned about the business approach of the public private partnership scheme, David Hanson, shadow policing minister, stated that “the police can suddenly be busy handling a public order situation, so what checks are in the system to ensure staff are available? Any public-private partnerships must pass tough tests on value for money, on resilience and security, on transparency and accountability, and most of all on public trust. The public need to trust that policing is being done in the interests of justice, not the corporate balance sheet.”

The same criticisms can be levelled at bank and agency staff currently provided for the healthcare industry- again many of them on zero hour contracts. Opposition MP’s and employee rights advocates are similarly critical of the concept of zero hour contracts, claiming that such contracts allow employers to avoid regular employer- agency worker relationships. Legislation entitles agency workers to the same working terms and conditions as permanent employees after 12 weeks. Additionally, such an arrangement gives little peace of mind to employees, who often do not know if they are working from one day to the next- especially in jobs where the rota can be changed with as little as 24 hours’ notice.

The Labour Research Department (which studies employment trends) is concerned that zero hour contracts are “increasingly being used to replace proper secure employment with its associated guaranteed level of paid work and other benefits… [zero hour contracts] can be applied in such a way that a worker, in order to have any chance of getting paid work, is obliged to be available for work at the whim of the employer and so cannot commit themselves to any other employment.”

In defence of the practice, many employers cite that the flexibility is very popular and beneficial for both employers and employees- especially employees juggling family or other onerous commitments. Many employers allow employees to choose shifts either in advance or online- and the inherent flexibility means that many employees do not have to sit by the phone waiting and worrying for a phone call. Employees can arrange their working patterns around often hectic lifestyles, and not the other way round, at times more suitable to their individual needs.

It is without doubt that the concept of zero hour contracts has, and will continue to, exploit ruthlessly low paid or young workers, or similarly vulnerable workers. It does alter the employer/employee relationship legally, in favour of the employer, sometimes to the employee’s detriment.

Despite such criticisms, zero hour contracts are both a product a reflection of the hectic, flexible, 24hr lifestyle of 21st century Britain- and are here to stay. The popularity and flexibility of such arrangements will continue to rise; regulation and perhaps legislation is needed to ensure that such a system is not exploited for employer gain.

Hours, leave and flexible working

As an employer, you are a legally obliged to comply with legal restrictions on working hours and time off. Failure to do so could lead to claims being made against you in an employment tribunal, enforcement action and even prosecution. Giving employees fair holidays, work breaks and flexible hours (where appropriate) can go a long way to increasing general productivity and reduce accidents and unauthorised absence. Legally, all requests for flexible working must be considered by employers.

Holidays, working hours, and rest break requirements are set under The Working Time Regulations to comply with The EU Working Time directive. Both are in place to safe guard the health, safety and welfare of employees in the work place.

Employees are limited to working a maximum of 48 hours per week unless they strictly opt out.  Employees have a minimum statutory entitlement of 5.6 weeks paid leave a year. This applies pro rota to part time workers. Special rules apply to young workers, Sunday workers and night workers.

Employees are entitles to additional paid time of for the following reasons; maternity leave, paternity leave and adoption leave. Parents and careers are entitled to take unpaid parental leave and care leave. This unpaid leave can be taken to deal with an emergency involving a dependant.

Flexible working

Employees who are parents, children under the age of 17 or disabled children under the age of 18 are legally required to have their application for flexible working seriously considered by their employers. Flexible working can include arrangements such as flexi-work, part time work or work from home. Usually, an agreements for flexible working becomes part of the employment contract unless it is specifically disclosed that the arrangement is temporary or on a trial period.  Refusal of flexible working must be accompanied with a valid reason. For example, and employee may refuse to give an employee flexible work if it will cause harm to the business performance or is too expensive.


Guillain-Barré (ghee-yan bah-ray) syndrome (GBS) is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system includes the cranial nerves (except the optic [eye] nerve), the spinal nerves, and the autonomic nervous system that governs involuntary actions. The central nervous system is the spinal cord and brain. GBS often occurs a few days or weeks after a person has had symptoms of a respiratory or gastrointestinal viral or bacterial infection; in fact, two-thirds of affected individuals have had a preceding infection. Campylobacter jejuni, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are commonly identified antecedent pathogens, although C. jejuni is the most common pathogen that elicits GBS. Occasionally surgery or vaccinations will trigger the syndrome. GBS is not contagious. It has been reported that GBS occurs more in men than in women and more often in the elderly. Seasonality has not been reported in developed countries like the United States.  Click on image to visit:


The Eye

The eye is a sophisticated, one-lens system for imaging visible light. Light passes through the cornea, through the iris, into the anterior chamber that is filled with a water-based fluid called the aqueous humor, through the lens, into another water-based fluid called the vitreous humor, and finally onto the retina. The iris is an opaque aperture that limits the amount of light that enters the eye. The lens is a tough membrane that is filled with long cells. The focal length (power) of the lens is changed when the ciliary muscle forces the lens to change shape. This enables us to image objects at different distances.

Figure 1: Representation of the eye
Public Domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Rhcastilhos

A person’s eyesight changes as he or she ages because the cells of the lens multiply, but the membrane that surrounds them won’t allow any to escape. As the cells in the lens become more dense, the index of refraction of the lens changes and the lens can’t be bent as well by the ciliary muscle.

The eye is a wonderful system, but it frequently suffers from one of two refractive errors: myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). In the case of myopia, the eye forms an image of distant objects in front of the retina, which makes those objects seem out of focus. The eye then forms images on the retina for objects that are closer than the eye’s far point. Myopia can be accommodated for through the use of a negative lens that will cause the light rays to diverge. The power of the lens is chosen by matching the lens’ focal point with the eye’s far point. This causes the light rays to diverge by the correct amount, so that the images of distant objects coincide with the location of the retina.

Figure 2: Use of a Negative Lens to Correct for Myopia
© Гуменюк И.С. / CC-BY-SA-4.0 International

In the case of hyperopia, light from distant objects is focused to a point behind the retina. In this case, the eye can image rays that would naturally converge to a point to the right of the retina, if the eye did not act to image them. The point to which the least converging rays that the eye can still image come to a focus defines the far point of a hyperopic eye. A positive lens, which has a focal length that coincides with the far point of the eye, can be used to correct for farsightedness.

Figure 3: Use of a positive lens to correct for hyperopia


When I first started out in marketing, I didn’t quite predict that I’d be a part-time designer, too.

Now, in 2017, visual content is more than 40X more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content and it’s become obvious and even necessary for all of us marketers to have at least some basic knowledge of key design terms.

Thankfully, we live in a wonderful world where anyone can make the jump from novice to intermediate and create well-designed images for social media. There are tools like Pablo and Canva that make this design work achievable (and beautiful).

However, tools aside, if you want to take your marketing skills to the next level, improving your understanding of design is essential.

53 design terms explained for marketers

1. Golden ratio

The golden ratio occurs with two objects which, once you divide the larger by the smaller, result in the number 1.6180 (or thereabouts). The most famous golden ratio is the golden rectangle, which can be split into a perfect square and a rectangle the same aspect ratio as the original rectangle. You might see this in image composition or website design and grid layout.

By using the golden ratio you can ensure your images are eye-catching and beautifully formatted. Here’s an example of the golden ratio being used to divide space between the body of a website and the sidebar:

Below is another example where the key elements of the design all fit within a different section of the Golden Ratio:

2. Rule of thirds

You can apply the rule of thirds by imagining a 3×3 grid lying on top of your image and then aligning the subject of the image with the guide lines and their intersection points (e.g. placing the horizon on the top or bottom line) or allowing the elements of the picture to easily flow from section to section.

Once you have your grid in place, the spots where the lines intersect each other indicate the prime focal areas within your design:

Typography, text, and font terms

3. Typography

“Typography is the visual component of the written word,” Practical Typography beautifully explainsAll visually displayed text, whether on paper, screen or billboard, involves typography.

4. Serif

A serif is the little extra stroke or curves, at the ends of letters.

5. Sans-serif

“Sans” literally means “without”, and a sans serif font does not include any extra stroke at the ends of the letters.

Though there are no set rules for when to use a serif or sans serif font, it’s suggested that sans serif fonts should be used for online body text and serif fonts for headlines and print.

6. Script

Script typefaces are fonts or type based upon historical or modern handwriting styles and are more fluid than traditional typefaces.

A couple of example script fonts include:

Alex Brush;

And, Grand Hotel:

7. Slab serif

Slab serif fonts feature geometric feel than traditional serif fonts and feature serifs that square and larger, bolder.

An excellent example of a slab serif font is Museo Slab:

8. Monospace

A monospaced font, (also known as a fixed-pitch, fixed-width, or non-proportional font) is a font whose letters and characters each occupies the same amount of horizontal space.

9. Hierarchy

Typographic hierarchy is an essential part of any design or layout and even if you’re not familiar with the term, you’ll be sure to have seen hierarchy in action on any website, newspaper or magazine.

tuts+ explain:

Here’s an example to illustrate the importance of hierarchy:

hierarchy 2

10. Kerning

11. Leading

Leading determines how text is spaced vertically in lines. Leading is used when content that has multiple lines of readable text and ensures the distance from the bottom of the words above to the top of the words below has appropriate spacing to make them legible.

12. Tracking

Tracking is similar to kerning in that it refers to the spacing between letters or characters. However, instead of focusing on the spacing between individual letters (kerning), tracking measures space between groups of letters.

13. X-height

The x-height refers to the distance between the baseline and the mean line of lower-case letters in a typeface.

14. Ascender / Descender

The ascender is the portion of a lowercase letter that extends above the mean line of a font (the x-height). On the other hand, the descender is the portion of a letter that extends below the baseline of a font.

15. Orphans / Widows

Widows and Orphans are lines of text that appear at the beginning or end of a paragraph, which are left alone at the top or bottom of a line. There is some debate about the exact definitions of these terms but as a rule of thumb:

  • Orphan: A is a single word or very short line, that appears at the end of a paragraph or the beginning of a column or a page, separated from the rest of the text.
  • Widow: A paragraph-ending line that falls at the beginning of the following page or column, thus separated from the rest of the text. Or the beginning of a new paragraph that starts at the bottom of a column or page.

16. Lorum Ipsum

17. RGB

18. Hex

19. Palette

A color palette comprises of colors that can be utilized for any illustration or design work that represents your brand. The chosen colors should be designed to work harmoniously with each other.

20. Monochrome

Monochrome is used to describe design or photographs in one color or different shades of the single color.

21. Analogous

22. Complementary

23. Triadic

24. CMYK

CMYK colors

25. Pantone

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a standardized color reproduction system. Every hue is given a number, making it easy for people to reference and reproduce the same colors.

26. Warm colors

Warm colors are made with red, orange yellow and various combinations of these colors. They give a friendly, happy, cozy vibe.

27. Cool colors

28. Color theory

Color theories create a logical structure for color. There are three basic categories of color theory: The color wheel, color harmony, and the context of how colors are used. Understanding how to use different colors to convey meaning is an important part of both design and marketing. Here’s a quick guide on how colors affect our brain:

Do you want to learn more about color theory? Check out: Why Facebook Is Blue? The Science of Colors in Marketing.

29. Gradient

A gradient is a gradual change of colors (such as green turning gradually into blue) or a color fading into transparency. There are two common types of gradients: radial and linear.

30. Opacity

Opacity enables us to make an element of a design transparent. The lower the opacity, the more transparent an element is. For example, 100% opacity means an object is solid.

31. Hue

Essentially, a hue is a way to describe a color. And a hue can be any color on the color wheel. For example, red, blue and yellow are all hues.

32. Tint

A tint is a variety of a color. Craftsy explains that Tints are created when you add white to any hue on the color wheel. This lightens and desaturates the hue, making it less intense.

Branding and logos

33. Logotype

A logotype is the name of a company that is designed in a visually unique way for use by that company. Most of the time when people refer to a logo, they’re referring to the brand’s logotype.

34. Logomark / Brandmark

A logo mark generally does not contain the name of the company and instead more abstractly represents that company using a symbol or mark.

35. Icon

Icons are images used to represent an action or an object. For example, a pen icon could represent someone writing (action) or simply a pen (object). When using, icons think carefully about what you want to signify and how clear it is to your audience.

36. Style guide

A style guide is a set of standards for the design of anything related to your brand, whether it’s a website landing page, business card or printed document. The reason to have a style guide is to ensure complete uniformity in style and formatting wherever the brand is used to ensure no dilution of that brand.

As an example, you can check out our Buffer style guide here.

37. Grid

A grid is constructed from evenly divided columns and rows. The point of a grid is to help designers arrange elements in a consistent way. Here’s an example of the grid we use at Buffer:

Using the Buffer design grid, a page can be divided into fifths, fourths, thirds and halves – and any combination of these. Each grid row must contain parts that add up to one whole. For example, one-fourth + one-half + one-fourth.

Design Terms and Techniques

38. Scale

In design, scale refers to the size of an object in relationship to another object. Two elements of the same size can be seen as being equal. Whereas elements with a clear variation in size tend to be seen as different.

When putting together a design, think about how you can utilize scale to help you illustrate the meaning behind your image. Take the below example; the larger circle appears to be more influential and important that the smaller one. You could even say the smaller circle may be a little timid or shy.

39. Aspect ratio

An aspect ratio is the proportional relationship between the width and height of a rectangle (a rectangle is used because the vast majority of screens are wider than they are tall). An aspect ratio is defined via a mathematical ratio, with two numbers separated by a colon.

  • width:height
  • This means that 4 inches wide by 3 inches high would be a ratio of 4:3

40. Texture

A texture is defined as the surface characteristics of your image. In design, you can utilize textures such as cloth and brickwork to mirror the visual appearance of the actual texture.

41. Knolling

Knolling is the act of arranging different objects so that they are at 90-degree angles from each other, then photographing them from above. This technique creates a very symmetrical look that feels pleasing to the eye. Images that feature knolling tend to be set against a contrasting solid background.

42. White space

Whitespace, often known as negative space, refers to the area of a design left blank. It’s the space between graphic elements, images, copy, and anything else on the page. Even though it’s known as white space, it can be any color.

An excellent example of white space is the Google homepage. It’s almost filled with whitespace to encourage users to focus on the search bar:

43. Resolution

The resolution of an image determines the quality. As a rule of thumb, the higher the resolution, the higher the quality. A high-resolution image will be clear and crisp whereas a low-resolution image will feel a little pixelated and blurry.

44. Contrast

Contrast occurs when two elements on a page are different. For example, it could be different colors between the text and the background color or dark vs. light colors.

One of the main reasons to use contrast in your designs is to grab attention. For example, the infamous iPod silhouette adverts were so memorable because there is a huge contrast between the white iPod and earphones and the bright background and silhouette.

45. Saturation

Saturation refers to the intensity or purity of a color. The more saturated a color is, the more vivid or brighter it appears. Whereas desaturated colors, appear a little duller.

Highly saturated images tend to stand out and draw attention, therefore giving the appearance of carrying more weight than less saturated images. If you’re adding a text layer over a picture and would like it to stand out, using a less saturated background can be a great way to do so.

46. Blur

Blur makes images more unclear or less distinct. Using a blur can be a great way to make text stand out when overlaid onto an image. When you put text over an image, the two elements can form a somewhat competitive relationship (example on the left below), a little blur can make the text stand out more and appear much more readable (on the right below).

47. Crop

When you crop an image, you’re cutting away and discarding the unnecessary portions of the image. Cropping allows you to change the emphasis or direction of an image.

48. Pixel

A pixel is a minuscule area of a screen (the word comes from “picture element”). Pixels are the smallest basic unit of programmable color on a computer and images are made up of many individual pixels.

49. Skeumorphism

Skeuomorphism is when a digital element is designed to look like a replica of the physical work. For example, think iPhone’s calculator or Apple’s newsstand where the bookshelf and magazines look and feel like they do in real life.

50. Flat

Flat design is a minimalistic approach that focuses on simplicity and usability (almost the opposite of Skeuomorphism). It tends to feature plenty of open space, crisp edges, bright colors and two-dimensional illustrations.

52. Raster

Raster images are made up of a set grid of pixels. This means when you change the size of stretch a raster image it can get a little blurry and lose some clarity.

53. Vector

Vector images a made up of points, lines, and curves. All of the shapes within a vector are calculated using a mathematical equation which means the image can scale in size without losing any quality. Unlike rasters, vectors won’t get blurry when scaled. You can find some great vector images to use within your designs on sites like Vecteezy.

Over to you

I hope you found this dive into design terms and definitions helpful. It’s amazing how fast marketers can pick up tools like Canva and Pablo to create beautiful looking images.

I’m curious to hear if there are any other design terms you hear regularly and would like some clarification on? Feel free to share any questions or thoughts in the comments below.

Further reading:

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Written by Ash Read

  • Hi Ash,
    This is amazing. It is so important that we use images in today’s world and I do but…. I’ve learned a lot here. When it comes to text, I’m always playing around, now I’ve learned what things stand for and it will be easier for me to choose instead of that hit and miss I’ve been spending time on.

    I love the way you have explained The Golden Ratio. This is something I was trying to do when I put up a Facebook Ad. I have such a better understanding of it now.

    I’m bookmarking this post because it is so useful and I thank you so much for putting this all together. A must share!

    • Hey Donna,

      Great to hear you found this one interesting. Text is such an interesting one to tackle, I’ve spent countless hours in photshop playing around with different tools and never quite understood what they were doing until I dived a little deeper into design. So glad the golden ratio explanation helped out a little, too.

      Thanks a million for your comment, Donna. Please feel free to reach out if we can clear up any other design questions.

  • This is absolutely brilliant, Ash! Thank you for your in-depth analysis.
    Great post!

    • Thanks @disqus_abramov:disqus 🙂

  • Excellent Article 🙂

    • Thanks, Tahir! Much appreciated 🙂

  • Johnny Trash

    This is everything I actually learned in Graphic Design 101 and maybe a little more. You explain these terms in very understandable language and chose the perfect terms to identify. You can bet i’ll be sharing this post with the fledgling web designers I mentor.

    • Wow, thanks so much @johnnytrash:disqus 🙂 It’s made my day to read your comment. So glad you found this one interesting and appreciate you sharing it 🙂

  • Ademola Abimbola

    Awesome post! I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing.

    • Thanks for reading @mauconline:disqus

  • Hi, Ash. Your post is great and very useful. Still, I think you have to outsource the design part for your product or business. Yes, it’s good to have some knowlegde about design, but let the masters do their job. My 2 cents 😉

    • Heya @@adinajipa:disqus 🙂 Great point! I completely agree that key design tasks should be handled by the pro’s, you can’t beat a working with a top designer. I think a little understanding of design is super helpful for tackling smaller tasks like social media images and can also help when communicating with designers. Appreciate the comment 🙂

      • Yep, that little understanding keeps you efficient on your tasks.

  • Calvert Trust Exmoor

    useful thanks, great listicle. We think you might have got a bit over enthusiastic with the ‘e’ key on 41 though! 🙂 “90-degreeee angles”

    • Thanks so much for sharing, that’s a great spot 🙂 Just updated this one.

  • cindyboogle

    We love to watch movie more than reading a book. This shows we are more attracted towards colours , videos and images. Therefore to attract costumers these days we need to make our website more attractive and unique taking help from http://www.acompworld.com. Beauty has its importance.

  • Wow, Ash.

    I didn’t expect a full-on course on web design at all. I’ve learned quite a bit about composition from your post. I especially like what you shared on typography since I’ve never know how to combine fonts, or things like hierarchy and leading… there’s a lot learn!

    Usually I’d just copy which ever letter combination that has on Canva templates but you make me one to try my hands at this sometimes. On a scale of 1 – 10, how complicated do is the art of typography?

    P.S. Buffered!

  • Vera

    Hi Ash, as a non-designer I enjoyed your post extremely especially the visuals that you provided.
    However, I disagree with the comment on serif fonts for headlines. The ‘little feet’ as I call them when I teach fonts in presentations were invented to guide the eyes along a line in a paragraph. Therefore, a headline doesn’t need those.

  • Amber Williamson

    really great – thanks Buffer!

  • John Smith Jr

    Hi I am a longtime professional marketer and designer as well with a MBA and a MArch. This is great post and a great read for non designers. But to be clear knowing the rules does not make you a professional player. Great design is like great positioning and product marketing – you need to have a different, valued , and differential product that is easily distinguished from others – i.e. templates are not going to do it. Template and cookie cutter design sounds appealing but in the end you look – well the same. I am all in favor of DIY – but also lets not try and say DIY is going to replace the skill of someone with decades of experience. Experience that knows a design deadend before it arrives.The human eye absorbs visual data 60,000 times more efficiently than type and even small errors and incongruities are quickly picked up and magnified in visuals.

    If your budget permits hire a professional – otherwise keep reading and practicing and you can go a long way by yourself.

  • Janet Reasoner

    Great post! I’m working on a website revision and this is extremely helpful. I do have one question, however. You say “Though there are no set rules for when to use a serif or sans serif font, it’s suggested that sans serif fonts should be used for online body text and serif fonts for headlines and print.” But I notice that this page uses a sans serif font for the headlines and headers and a serif font for the body text. Am I just confused or is this a mis-typed sentence?

  • This list is so very awesome. Feel sort of embarrassed that there were a few terms in here that weren’t necessarily new to me, but my understanding of them was a bit vague. I’ve been in and around design for over 10 years, so thanks for the refresher Ash!

    Think it’s vital for marketers today to not just have an understanding of design but even more technical knowledge, like a bit of HTML/CSS. Not saying they need to be able to build a webpage, but be able to understand limitations and and possibilities.

  • psgganesh

    Wow, clarity from the first line to last, thanks Ash

  • Jeremy Christopher

    Nice. Curious what 51 was though.

  • Marta Aw

    Very helpful. Thanks.


18 and Battling to Feel Beautiful, Inside and Out

By Isha

As a young adult, I constantly feel a pendulum of emotions. Today’s emotion is obligation and insecurity over social appearance. I’ve grown in a society where one’s beauty and personality is valued. Thankfully, I’ve been able to see how one doesn’t need a lot of makeup or popularity to be seen as attractive. However, I still feel obliged to do whatever it takes to make myself look even more beautiful. Sadly, I know why I feel like this. I look to the girl next to me, my best friend, the girl who’s always next to me, and see something shining. Something that glows inside of her. Something that makes people want to talk to her and respect her, more so than they do to me. I want to tell myself that she spends time on her appearance and so that’s the reason for her glow. But that only reaffirms to me that I must put in time and money to become physically and socially attractive to people.

I don’t spend time on my hair and makeup. I am way too tired and lazy to do any of that in the morning. I used to enjoy putting on eyeliner every morning and sorting my crazy hair. My middle school self loved the trial and error that came along with discovering myself and my styles. But as school became more difficult and my acne got rougher, I justified to myself that I’d rather get more sleep and focus more on my studies than on my appearance. Now when I look around, I feel that I should use makeup to fill in the gaps of my appearance. I’m not that tall or lean and so some eyeliner and hairspray should make up for that.

I’m not fishing for compliments. I look in the mirror some days and see a glowing and gorgeous person. But today, and some other days, this is how I feel, standing next to someone who turns heads when I barely stand out. I can see that she doesn’t understand why this bothers me so much. Why should I even think about this vs. do what makes me happy? But I’m a philosophical person; someone who attempts self-development by tackling that what bothers me. What bothers me right now is how unhappy I am with how I appear to people, and how this could possibly affect the people I’ll meet and even possibly date. I know I am in way over my head, and slightly naive, to even think of bringing love into this conversation. But sometimes, that’s what it comes down to. Attractiveness and love go hand in hand. From psychology, I learned that someone’s physical characteristics are the first major factor in people’s attraction towards one another. So how can I not help but feel that my goofy, hometown girl self is going to get in the way of what I could’ve been?

Overall, being friends with someone who spends a lot of time, energy, and money on her social appearance has made me feel obliged to do the same, to also be able to turn heads or be viewed as something more than just ‘pretty’. When you spend a lot of time with someone who does just that, it’s not easy to feel another way. I can gladly blow dry my hair to perfection and wing my eyeliner every day, but I know I should only do it if it makes me happy. I shouldn’t have to find faults in my appearance so I can dive into fixing myself.

The problem here is how I compare myself to others. If I want to feel prettier, there are other ways of doing it. One would be seeing how pretty I am naturally. Finding confidence in who I am as an everyday person. And yeah, that person may lack sexiness or a striking glow, but I’m working on that. Maybe one day I’ll turn heads because I’m smiling so much over how good I feel about myself. In the meantime, I’ll keep doing what I do. I’ll try not to nitpick myself. And I won’t feel bad about if I decide to spend some time and energy on myself. It’s all about what makes me happy. A simple concept but hey, we’re all still learning.

To learn more about our By Teens-For Teens community, visit our website or contact a teen ambassador.


International Justice

CJ354 Endicott College

Tag Archives: US

The U.S Announces its take on the Crime of Aggression

In 2010 the ICC held a Review Conference in Kampala that would suggest an amendment to the Rome Statute that would allow for the ICC to prosecute crimes of “aggression. The American Society of International Law gathered to discuss this amendment at their annual meeting earlier this month. Not surprisingly, the U.S stance on the expansion of the ICC’s power was negative; the panel sited three reasons to oppose the crime of aggression that would take effect in 2017 if ratified.

First the ASIL raised concerns that a crime of aggression would deter member countries from aiding in joint military action for risk of legal prosecution. They claim that these military endeavors could be the actions needed to prevent the very crimes that the ICC wishes to stop like atrocity crimes. The ASIL argues that mobilizing allies to intervene in humanitarian catastrophes is difficult enough as is, and an addition legal deterrent would hinder the process further.

Second the US is worried that the aggression law would limit the international communities ability to resolve conflicts. The idea is that if two countries are willing to end a conflict through mutual cooperation, the crime of aggression law could upset this balance by forcing the leaders of the countries involved to be prosecuted for their crimes. The ASIL speculates that the ICC could insist that these crimes be investigated at any cost and thus disturb fragile diplomatic efforts.

Third the ASIL points out that the ICC is struggling as is to apprehend defendants and “sustain a record of effectiveness” in prosecuting atrocity crimes and an added responsibility would be too much for the ICC. The panel also pointed out that crimes of aggression would be deeply political and could compromise the court’s obligation to impartiality.

While the ASIL brings up valid points, It seems that this report is another example of the US shying away from the ICC in fear of its own prosecution. No doubt the US could be considered to have committed crimes of aggression in territories within the courts jurisdiction so the ASIL’s stance is not surprising. Here is the report do you think the ASIL is genuinely concerned with the state of International Law or its own self interests?

Putin and Russia Lift Ban on Missile Sales to Iran

On Monday, President Vladimir Putin approved the delivery of a missile system to Iran. The missile system could possibly complicate the negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program that Washington has been working so hard on. Additionally the sale potentially undermines the efforts of Obama’s administration to sell Congress and foreign allies on the nuclear deal. This is problematic since the U.S. and Iran are still struggling to complete the deal. Also if Iran has advanced air defense missile, Israel and/or the U.S. will have a harder time threatening Iran with airstrikes if they ignore agreements. No timetable has been announced for the deliverance of the weapons to Iran, but the sale was suspended five years ago because of a flurry of UN sanctions against Iran.

Russia has said that the missile sale will not complicate negotiations; instead it will help Iran along. They believe that the missile they are selling (S-300) is a defensive weapon and does not pose a threat to Israel. The Obama administration fears that this deal could be the first of many between Russia and Iran including a deal that would exchange food for oil and this would raise potential sanctions concerns.

A display of S-300 missiles in Russia. These are the missiles that are being sold to Iran.

While Iran has denied repeatedly that it is using its civilian nuclear program to mask their efforts of building a bomb, much of the West is dubious. Arming Iran with missiles is not appeasing these fears.

Read more here.

International Perspectives on the U.S. Election

Global Views on the U.S. Election

With election night drawing closer by the hour, it is interesting to take a minute to pause and step back from the US perspective on the election, and consider this election through the eyes of the international community. The New York Times posted a video entitled “Global Views on the Election” which present the views and opinions of individuals from outside of the US concerning their interpretation of the Obama administration thus far and their evaluation of Governor Romney’s proposed policies.

The participants in the video talk candidly of whether or not they felt that President Obama was a felt presence in their own state governments and how they predict the potential nomination of Governor Romney could impact their countries’ politics. It is therefore interesting to consider how the actions of our President and the policies recommended by Governor Romney are interpreted on the international scale and just how representative the role of President of the United States is to the rest of the world. For me, it really put this election into the perspective.  When considering the greater framework of the world of international politics, it is interesting to understand how the United States is perceived by others, especially when considering, at least myself personally, am most definitely not up to date on government elections in many other nations around the world. This video, for me, was the reminder that this election does not just effect Americans, but will also potentially impact the lives of individuals around the world.

The Emergence of Justice Norms

An interesting article from the Guardian reports that Winston Churchill favoured executions and life imprisonment without trial for Nazi leaders. These revelations come from this week’s declassification of the diary of Guy Liddell, who was the head of counter-espionage at MI5 (so a pretty reliable source). Churchill’s position was opposed by before Stalin, who wanted to use trials as propaganda, and Roosevelt, who felt the American public would want trials. It seems Liddell also personally disliked the idea that Nazi leaders would be prosecuted for waging a war of aggression because of the precedent it set.

This article made me think about where the concept of transitional justice has developed and disseminated from. I think often the US claims responsibility for the emergence of universal human rights and transitional justice citing American exceptionalism, the Bill of Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt’s role in shaping the UN’s Universal Declaration, etc. The rest of the world seems to reject this position – perhaps because concepts of human rights and transitional justice are so ingrained in society that everyone would like to claim responsibility (and take the US down a peg). However, reading the Guardian’s article, it does seem that the impetus for transitional justice sprung from America. I’m interested in what everyone else thinks about the beginnings of transitional justice. Often I think I’ve been too dismissive of the role of the US in shaping normative values about justice, especially as other states and actors, such the EU/UN/any number of NGOs, are the current transitional justice vanguard. So should the US be credited more for the emergence of transitional justice?

United States of Transitional Justice

The United States is no friend of the ICC, sure, but it has been supportive and instrumental in other forms of transitional justice (including independent tribunals), not to mention the NGO leadership from the US. Yet, I continually wonder about the missing legacy of transitional justice within the US itself. As we have studied, mechanisms such as TRCs can be essential to establishing a common understanding of a legacy of mistreatment: an understanding that is occasionally critical to establishing a stable human-rights bound culture. On the flip-side, it is thought that these processes might re-open wounds, shaking national stability and driving groups apart in to “victims” and “perpetrators”. When it comes to our own history, I wonder how addressing our own injustices might affect us now. The mass slaughter of Native-Americans, the extensive slavery of Africans and their descendants, or the internment of Japanese-Americans all seem to be topics that our national mythology has only briefly addressed. Are there benefits to revisiting these unfortunate periods? Would a stronger congressional acceptance of abuses perpetrated against native tribes affect our current treatment of minorities as a whole? Would further revealing to the public view the extent of slavery improve our understanding of lasting economic inequality? Or, on the other hand, might these measures only propose racial divisions of a “forgotten” past. Can we still “transition” from the past?

US and Universal Jurisdiction

I know that today in class we talked a lot about universal jurisdiction and I did some research and found the answer to the US and its stance on universal jurisdiction.  What I found was that the US does not exercise universal jurisdiction.  The article that I read states that the US “is concerned that the exercise of universal jurisdiction by other states may result in politically motivated prosecutions of US citizens by foreign courts.”  This stance seems to come in handy especially in consideration with Iraq since complaints of war crimes were filed against George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld and George Tenet.  It is convenient for political purposes but I’m wondering what your own personal take on it is.  Should the US exercise universal jurisdiction or not?

What I read came from the American Non-Governmental Organizations Coalition for the International Criminal Court.  It is a question/answer type document about universal jurisdiction and the ICC which I think may be good just for some all around general information.  The link is:

The United States and the International Criminal Court

USA and the ICC from the Coalition on the International Criminal Court


What is BiPAP?

BiPAP is a treatment for sleep disordered breathing that uses two pressures during the breathing cycle – an inhale pressure and an exhale pressure. BiPAP, also referred to as a BPAP or bilevel positive airway pressure resembles CPAP except for the additional pressure setting.

BiPAP is a registered trademark of Respironics.

Who Uses BiPAP?

Historically, bipap has been used to for the treatment of patients with sleep apnea who are unable to tolerate CPAP. It has also been used for patients with central sleep apnea and pulmonary disorders that benefit from a ‘pressure gradient’, or difference in two pressures. When to use bipap or cpap.

CPAP, BiPAP machine
BiPAP machine
ASA sponsor

Bilevel PAP is often used in patients who need respiratory assistance, or in patients with COPD. The differential in inspiratory and expiratory pressures aids in the removal of excess carbon dioxide CO2.  BPAP machines often are programmed to reach higher pressures than most CPAP machines. Some Bilevel PAP machines are able to reach 25 and 30 cm/H2O. While most CPAP devices reach 20 cm/H2O. When the inspiratory pressure is equal to the expiratory pressure, it is equivalent to CPAP – it is a continuous pressure. For example 25/25 cm/H2O = 25 cm/H2O.

As mentioned in other pages, the supplies for a BiPAP are the same as CPAP supplies. The filter, mask, hose, humidifier are often interchangeable.

Some BiPAP and CPAP devices utilize addon features for comfort that assist in improving compliance.

Historically, BiPAP was more expensive than CPAP. BiPAP is often used when CPAP is not tolerated by the user. There are new technologies that increase comfort with CPAP.

BiPAP is sometimes used in patients who have pulmonary (lung) issues, like COPD. The difference in pressures helps to eliminate extra CO2 carbon dioxide gas from the body.

Disclosure: Some compensated affiliate links on this website. We receive compensation in the form of commissions or other payment from some of the companies whose products we list.

Philips DreamCPAP

There are frequent improvements in BiPAP  supplies and technology. With the increasing demand for treatment of sleep disordered breathing disorders, BiPAP manufacturers are constantly upgrading the technology. Keep up to date on this website for changes in bipap supplies online.

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53 Following

A Reciprocal Love Affair With Books

Currently reading

Miles Morales: Spider-Man (A Marvel YA Novel)
Jason Reynolds, Kadir Nelson
Progress: 206/261 pages

Buddy Read time! Reading progress update: I've read 41 out of 81 pages.

Letters To The Damned - Austin Crawley

My Overdrive app compressed the text down to 81 pages, so I'm reading very, very text crowded pages, and that's something of an obstacle. It's making some of the longer descriptions sort of feel like they take forever. (I still think the entire driving chapter could have been edited down. I get that it's supposed to show how far out and out of the way he's going, but it seemed like LOTS of exposition.)

I'm curious to see how witchcraft/paganism plays into this, with the green and the May Day celebration. And I like that Cris is sort of an outsider in his own world, and then he's been transplanted to this alien planet (as he himself muses.)

The last thing I read was the bull, and while I'm aware if I tried to describe it to someone else, they'd sort of say, So what? LOL! But in the context of the story, and with Sarah's warning, it was hair-raising.


Management Information Systems (33:623:370)
Professor Eckstein
College In-Class Exercise

In this exercise, we will design a database for a small college.

We want to keep basic information about courses, instructors, and departments.  We need to keep information about students' schedules for the current semester, and their grades from prior courses (we may also store their schedules from prior semesters if we wish).  We also want to store instructors' schedules for both the current semester and past ones.

The college consists of departments, identified both by their full names and by unique three-letter codes such as ENG, MTH, CIS, MAN, and so forth.  One particular instructor is designated as the chairperson of a department.  We want our system to be able to store the current chairperson for each department (we don't need information about past chairpersons).

Each instructor has a home department.  We wish to store the home department, and to keep basic contact information on each instructor, including name, office address, email, and office phone.

Courses are identified by a three-letter department code and a three-digit course number, such as ENG101.  Each course has a name and a description.

Courses may have multiple sections, which are identified by one additional letter appended to the course name, as in CIS223A.  Sometimes there is only one section of a course (in which case it is usually "A"), but sometimes there are multiple sections, as in ENG101A, ENG101B, and ENG101C.

Each semester, a single instructor is responsible for each section.  This instructor is usually in the same department as the course, but does not have to be.  Each section also has a room number and a time slot, such as MWF10AM, for Monday/Wednesday/Friday at 10 AM.  You want to store a table of time slot codes and their meaning. Sometimes a course can have more than one section in the same time slot.

Each semester, a student can take multiple courses.  You want to use the database to store student schedules, that is, the sections being taken by each student each semester.  Once the semester is over, you want to store the student's grade in each class.

Finally, you want to store contact information for each student (name, campus address, phone number, and e-mail).  After their first few semesters, the students declare themselves as having a single major in a department.  They may also declare a single minor in a different department.  You want the system to store major and minor information for all students.  Neither multiple majors nor multiple minors are allowed.

Draw a database outline and an entity-relationship diagram.

Additional complication 1:  (straightforward) Add to the database a table of classrooms, and have it remember what room each section is in (this enhancement is straightforward).

Additional complication 2:  (more complicated)  Modify the database to accommodate "cross listing" of courses -- for example, the same course may be offered as both CIS230 and MTH251.

Additional complication 3:  (challenging)  Add to the database the ability to remember which time slots conflict with one another.  That is, the MWF1PM time slot conflicts with the MW1-2:30PM time slot.


Venus is the goddess of love. It is her responsibility to see that all sentient creatures find their loves, or at least gain confidence as far as romance goes. This role has evolved over the eons, as her original purpose was simply to ensure procreation among species. As such, she works closely with Palutena and oversees the love fairies, including Kyu.

As the goddess of love, she argues she can't limit herself to one lover, and as such is quite amorous. This has a tendency to make other deities take her less seriously.

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Coping with Criticism

by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio

None of us likes to be criticized, but few, if any, of us will go through life without experiencing criticism. In fact, the more we stand up for something, the more we will be criticized.

So how do we handle criticism when it comes our way? Here are some tips that have helped me:

1) Consider who has given you the criticism. Is it someone who loves and cares about you? Is it someone who has authority over you, such as a parent, a husband, a pastor, a boss, or a teacher? Or is it someone who doesn’t particularly like you or who is jealous of you? The source of the criticism is important in determining its validity, although valid criticism can also come from our enemies.

Criticism that comes from someone who has our best interests at heart should be considered seriously because that person’s motive is usually sincere. On the other hand, criticism that comes from an enemy may be jaded by that person’s bias against you. Nevertheless, the wise person does not immediately dismiss criticism, regardless of the source. Rather, he continues to the next step.

2. Look at the criticism objectively. Do not allow it to upset you, but rather, ask yourself if there is any truth in it. If there is, humbly accept that truth and use it as a catalyst for change. When considered in this manner, criticism can be a tool to help you grow as a person.

All of us have blind spots. Sometimes it takes another person’s insight to reveal to us areas in our lives that are causing us problems. For instance, a person may be repelling people because of his sarcastic attitude and yet not realize that his sarcasm is costing him friends. When this is pointed out to him by a well-meaning person, he should humbly examine his attitude and correct it, if necessary.

3. Once you’ve distilled the truth, if any, from the criticism, throw the rest of the criticism away. Don’t think about it any longer. If you dwell on the false part of the criticism, you will do nothing but upset yourself. Criticism is usually an opinion and is only as trustworthy as the person giving it. Remember: Nothing can upset you unless you give it permission to upset you.

In short, the rule of thumb regarding criticisim is this: If the shoe fits, wear it. If it doesn’t, don’t. Deep down inside, we usually know when a criticism directed at us is true or not. If it is, don’t give in to pride by trying to shrug it off or argue your way out of it. As the Scriptures say, “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). On the contrary, take the criticism like a man—or woman—and become a better person because of it. # #

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by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

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MaryAnn Diorio, PhD
Certified Life Coach / Certified Behavioral Consultant /
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…Exalting Jesus Christ, and Him Alone…


Lunes, Abril 17, 2017

Does My Small Business Need a Firewall?

cloud security image
In the I.T. industry, we get this question quite frequently.  A small-business owner will ask, “Do we need a firewall?”  From a security standpoint, the answer is almost always “yes.”

First, what is a firewall?  Put simply, a firewall is a device that inspects the information coming into and (in some cases) out of your office computers.  The firewall examines the information, compares it to a set of pre-established rules, and either allows the information to continue flowing or stops any data that violate the rules.  Firewalls can be either software based or hardware based.

Software Firewalls

A software firewall is a program that runs on your computer similar to an antivirus or anti-malware program.  The firewall software looks at the data being sent and received by the computer on which it’s installed and makes the “good / bad” determination right there at the computer level.

The benefit of a software firewall is that it can adapt to your specific computer, your specific usage patterns, and the specific program that’s running on your computer at this moment.  For example, you may need different firewall rules when you’re playing a computer game versus when you’re doing research on some shady internet topic.

The downside of software firewalls are that they have to run on each and every computer on a network—they each have to be individually purchased, configured, and maintained.  Also, a user could disable the software firewall if he or she knew what they were doing.  Additionally, software firewalls cannot be installed on network attached devices such as printers, security cameras, and other potentially vulnerable devices.

Hardware Firewalls

A hardware firewall is a physical computer-like device that is plugged in and sits between your internal office network and the outside internet.  In your home, you might have a wireless router attached in this manner.  In fact, many consumer grade wireless routers have a built-in firewall application.  The consumer grade version is far less capable and robust than that needed for a business application, however.

The benefit of a hardware firewall is that there is only one device to buy and configure…and it protects everything on the network all at once.  Also, a hardware firewall can examine much more data much more quickly because it is a dedicated unit and is not competing for computer resources like a software based solution would have to do.

The downside of a hardware firewall is the technical expertise required to install and maintain it.  Hardware firewalls can be much more robust units and therefore require some level of I.T. skill to properly configure.  Also, the firewall will require regular updates to the firmware (the software running inside the firewall) to patch security holes and take advantage of the latest technologies.  Unlike your computer, a hardware firewall will not notify you when it requires an upgrade.  Fortunately, there are many companies that specialize in managed network security that will gladly assist with this part.

Do We Need a Firewall?

If your company processes credit cards or in any other way collects customer information then yes, absolutely, without a doubt you need a robust firewall solution—it’s the #1 rule in the PCI compliance requirements.  If your company has proprietary internal data that you do not want getting out in the open then, yes, you need a firewall.  In fact, the only company I can think of that doesn’t need a firewall is one which has no secrets, no confidential or proprietary information, and stores absolutely no client data…and I can’t think of a single company that fits into that category.


The reserve analysis is an analytical technique used to update the reserves kept against risk. For instance, if a risk goes away, the associated reserve could be reallocated. The PMBOK defines reserve analysis as "an analytical technique to determine the essential features and relationships of components in the project management plan to establish a reserve for the schedule duration, budget, estimated cost, or funds for a project."

Related: determine budget, control costs, tools and techniques, estimate activity durations, contingency reserve, schedule, budget

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"Beware of the Dog" is the 20th episode of season three of the British medical drama, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, and the twenty-first episode of the series overall. It was directed by George Spenton-Foster with a teleplay written by Alistair Bell. It first aired on BBC One in the United Kingdom on May 16th, 1965.

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Wolfgang in his wolf form

Wolfgang was a minor villain in the film Dylan Dog: Dead of Night which is based on the comic book Dylan Dog.

Wolfgang belongs to a clan of werewolves living in New Orleans which are enemies of the vampires. Wolfgang fights with Dylan Dog when Dylan comes to ask questions about the werewolf that killed Elizabeth Ryan's father, he is defeated by Dylan which uses a silver fist ring. He later reappears with other wolves when Belial is resurrected by the turned out evil Elizabeth, they kill her and defeat Belial, by killing her they also avenge their master Gabriel.


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Plantar Fasciitis

foot cupping.jpg

What is fascia?
Fascia, also called connective tissue, is a cling-wrap-esque layer of tissue that surrounds our muscles. When we injure an area, it causes the fascia to “bunch up” and “stick” to the muscles, rather than glide smoothly along the muscle. In recent research analyzing the amount of nerve endings in the fascia, they have discovered that fascia can transmit 10 times the information, including pain signals, to the brain than muscle. This means that when the fascia is injured or not moving freely, the nerves are sending pain signals to the brain. This is where cupping is so effective.

How cupping works with treating plantar fascia

Cupping therapy has been shown by researchers to alter the tension within the fascia. Cupping is performed by using glass or medical-grade silicone cups that are simply applied on to areas that need treatment, once the proper suction is created, the therapist moves the cup over the affected areas to relax the tissues and induce a relaxed and more mobile state in the fascia.

Cupping reduces local inflammation, breaks up scar tissue and enhances blood circulation in the feet. In addition, cupping has a homeostatic effect by balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve signals in the feet. In this way, cupping therapy sends a signal to the brain to initiate the healing process.

Cupping massage therapy is offers successful treatment to relieve pain, restore flexibility, and prevent structural deterioration of the feet.


Hussein Ibish
NOW Lebanon (Opinion)
July 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Last week I had a fascinating debate with David Ha’ivri, an extremist Israeli settler—an event loosely connected to a conference of the pro-settler Christians United for Israel organization.

I call Ha’ivri an extremist settler for two reasons. First, many settlers are living in the occupied Palestinian territories not for ideological reasons but for practical ones. They have been induced to do so by generous Israeli government subsidies. Second, Ha’ivri’s worldview—that all the occupied territories belong exclusively to the Jewish people and that Palestinians there are not entitled to national or political rights—is by any standards extreme.

His vision involves permanent Jewish rule in all of Palestine, but no citizenship or votes for the Palestinians in the occupied territories.

In our exchange, Ha’ivri opened with a recitation of Jewish theological claims to all of the “land of Israel,” including the occupied territories, interspersed with a tendentious narrative about recent history. He and the audience, mainly of his supporters, probably expected me to counter with a tendentious Arab historical narrative or Muslim theological arguments.

I did neither. I pointed out that those arguments exist, and are as passionately held on the other side, but equally unhelpful. In his opening he never mentioned the word Palestinian, and neither described the problem nor suggested a solution.

I continuously emphasized that there are two peoples of approximately equal numbers in a small area who show no signs of being willing to share power or abandon their national agendas. Therefore, the only way to avoid continuing and intensifying conflict is a solution that involves creating two separate states.

My main point was that this was not so much a debate between an Arab and a Jew, as one between a modern mentality and a medieval one. Modern thinking, I explained, recognizes both the inherent rights of individuals as human beings and the rights of self-defined peoples to national self-determination. Medieval thinking, on the other hand, relies on holy texts and symbols, and conceives of people not as individuals and groups of individuals, but as fixed categories in a divinely ordained hierarchy. Though he was born in New York, Ha’ivri really believes that he possesses many rights in Palestine that Palestinians do not.

While I recognized the deep Jewish attachment to the land, neither Ha’ivri nor most others in the room showed any signs of acknowledging the deep Palestinian history, attachment and presence in it. His arguments, such as they were, boiled down to this: We have returned; we are not leaving; God is on our side. The organizers were distributing a pamphlet entitled “This Land is My Land,” which says it all.

Yes, I told him, you are there and you are a reality everyone must deal with rationally. But Palestinians are also there in equal and growing numbers, and they have the same rights you do, but you do not factor them into your thinking in any realistic manner. I noted neither he nor anyone in the audience would ever agree to be denied their basic rights, as he was suggesting Palestinians should, and that they would fight to restore them if they were taken away. To this, he offered no answer.

The whole conversation was, not surprisingly, deeply reminiscent of a debate I once had on Iranian TV with a leader in Gaza of Islamic Jihad. Nonetheless, some audience members plainly were listening to me and left with at least some challenging and unfamiliar ideas to grapple with.

Ha’ivri was amiable enough, but his mentality is extremely dangerous to Palestinians and Israelis alike. If mindsets like his guide Israeli policy, it would probably drag both Palestinians and Israelis, much of the region and possibly the world, into an apocalyptic cataclysm. This, sadly, is what some of Ha’ivri’s Evangelical friends, intoxicated with fantasies of a “second coming,” are gleefully anticipating.


Repatriate Games - Can Portfolio Rebalancing Explain the Dynamics of Equity Returns, Equity Flows, and Exchange Rates?

Following the tremendous growth in international equity flows over/of the last two decades, is it time to reassess the impact of asset allocation on global equity markets? INSEAD Associate Professor of Finance Harald Hau and Princeton's Hélène Rey examine the symbiotic relationship between exchange rates, equity flows and market performance, to examine causes, effects and some unacknowledged motivations behind portfolio rebalancing between the US and major equity markets across Europe and Asia.

by Harald Hau, Hélène Rey
Last Updated: 23 Jul 2013

Rapid expansion of global hedge fund products and the increasing prominence of international finance have combined to lead tremendous growth in international equity flows over the last two decades. As a result of this heightened activity, equity flows have arguably become an important determinant of short-run supply and demand of foreign-exchange (FX) balances. In this journal article, INSEAD Associate Professor of Finance Harald Hau and Princeton's Hélène Rey argue that global portfolio rebalancing, motivated by efforts to limit exchange rate risk exposure, has a significant impact on FX rates and equity market returns. The study examines these effects through performing empirical analysis on bilateral equity flows between the United States and five equity markets: France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The first hypothesis argues that equity price changes motivate portfolio rebalancing. When, for example, foreign equity markets outperform US markets, geographic asset weights automatically shift, increasing FX risk exposure for US investors. To manage risk, foreign holdings will be reduced to restore previous levels and comply with investment mandates. Repatriation of foreign equity wealth increases demand for dollar balances, appreciating the dollar, given a price-elastic currency supply. This effect is most applicable to equity portfolios where FX risk is typically not hedged. In the second hypothesis, portfolio rebalancing occurs as a response to FX rate innovations.

When foreign currency appreciates, foreign asset values (as measured in home currency) increase. Again, higher FX risk exposure will induce foreign outflows to restore pre-shock levels of FX risk. This effect is similar to the first hypothesis, with the key difference being that excess foreign gains are currency-based, instead of resulting from differential market performance in base currency terms. The third hypothesis argues a reciprocal effect, where FX rate changes and excess foreign returns are also caused by increased equity flows. Equity inflows into the home country lead to demand-based appreciation of home currency, and also induce excess market returns of the home equity market. This argument assumes again a price elastic supply of currency balances and equity, which results from limited arbitrage in the FX and equity markets.

The data confirmed the role of equity returns as a catalyst, as excess foreign equity returns were consistently followed by equity flows from foreign countries to the United States. Investors reduced FX exposure after foreign wealth share increased in all countries examined, supporting the first hypothesis. The exchange-rate impact was immediate and positive in each case, with the US dollar appreciating as equity funds flowed into the United States. A 4-percent excess return in French equity brought an average 5-percent equity outflow from France to the United States, leading to a 2-percent dollar appreciation. The second hypothesis was supported by the fact that a positive shock to the dollar (USD appreciation relative to foreign currency) led to US equity outflows to each of the five countries studied. Here, portfolio balancing could be observed as equity was reallocated away from markets after excess returns occurred. The third hypothesis also found support, as international-equity portfolio shocks were found to impact exchange rates and influence excess equity returns. Equity flow innovations produced persistent excess returns in foreign equity markets in each of the five countries. The FX rate impact was also persistent as portfolio flows from the United States to the five foreign markets examined, depreciated the dollar significantly. Variance decomposition revealed that equity-flow shocks and relative equity-return shocks explain between 10 and 20 percent of the FX variance, increasing to 20 percent for all five countries during the period 1997-2004.

As such, international data on equity-market returns, equity portfolio flows and exchange-rate returns prove to be consistent with effects of dynamic rebalancing of foreign equity positions by global investors, demonstrating that portfolio rebalancing plays a very significant role in the supply, demand and price levels of FX and equity markets worldwide. As the importance of international equity flows grows further, we can expect these channels of asset price determination to become even more prominent.

American Economic Review, May 2004

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Ashley Spero

Hendersonville, NC

“I believe ancient, indigenous and futuristic archetypes exist within all of us; morsels from past lives, love and new experiences, waiting to be unearthed and explored. I hope that upon viewing my work, the viewer experiences a moment of child-like awe, an arousal, and a reminder that the universe cradles endless layers of magic and mystery waiting to be revealed. I want to bring alive tribal dances, occult secrets, talking animals, sexual flowers, primitive love, plant medicine, eternal playfulness, and a unique, tiny porthole into the boundlessness of beauty, creation and imagination.

My work is all about color, vibrancy, energy, and most of all, growth. Art as a tool for spiritual and emotional growth is what keeps it a part of an infallible string tying us forever together. I believe in this process, I am uncovering a visual aesthetic to express an indescribable, intuitive, emotional world and share it.

Energy is my muse and art is my ceremony. My paintings and sculpture are crafted from hand-cut wood and intricately painted with bright, vibrant acrylics. Through these works, I strive to create a tangible form that serves as a shrine, homage, and humble tribute to the beauty of life and the magnificent intricacies of our Universe. Each piece providing segue to an emotional experience, and becoming a totem in the process of weaving together a language for our collective spiritual consciousness.”

-Ashley Spero


Treasury Bill: Money Market Instrument - QS Study
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Treasury Bill

A Treasury bill is principally an instrument of short-term borrowing by the Government maturing in less than one year. Treasury bills are issued in the form of a promissory note. They are highly liquid and have assured yield and slight risk of default.

T-bills are well accepted with institutional investors because, being backed by the government’s full trust and credit, they come adjoining to a risk free investment. They are issued at a price which is lower than their face value and repaid at par. The difference between the price at which the treasury bills are issued and their redemption value is the interest receivable on them and is called discount. These debt obligations are issued in maturities of four, 13 and 26 weeks in various denominations as low as $1,000.