5 Common WordPress Myths Dispelled (Heres Why They Arent True!)

WordPress is the most popular way to build a website – in fact, it’s used by over 31% of websites. This means a lot of people are aware of the platform, even if they havent used it themselves, which has resulted in a number of common WordPress myths.While WordPress has an excellent reputation, there are those who make negative assumptions about its quality and features. Some people believe that it’s not secure, while others will tell you it’s difficult to use. In reality, these couldnt be further from the truth.In this post, we’re going to set the record straight. We’ll introduce five common WordPress myths and discuss their origins. Then, we’ll show you why theyre all false. Let’s get started! E-commerce is just one of the many applications WordPress is perfectly suited for.This is probably the most common of the WordPress myths. What’s more, it’s based on a kernel of truth.Back when WordPress was first developed in 2003, it was first and foremost a blogging platform. Its design and primary features were created with the needs of bloggers in mind, although  even then it was also used for a variety of different types of site.However, the platform has grown and developed a lot over the past 15 years. Today, it’s not primarily a blogging tool. Instead, it’s a fully-functioning Content Management System (CMS), which means you can use to create any type of website. This is partly thanks to the flexibility of the core platform, but also to the vast array of plugins available, which encompass just about every feature or functionality you could imagine.Of course, WordPress is still used to create blogs. But it’s also used for business sites, portfolios, e-commerce stores, forums, knowledge bases, and much more. If you don’t believe us, just check out one of the many roundups of sites running on WordPress today.Myth #2: WordPress is only for smaller sitesWordPress is use d for a lot of large, popular sites – such as the New Yorker.In a way, this myth is an extension of the previous one. It stems from the fact that most of the platform’s original adopters used it to create fairly simple personal blogs. Plus, WordPress’ popularity and accessibility means that it’s frequently used by first-time website builders, who tend to keep their creations fairly small-scale.Therefore, it’s not uncommon to hear people say that WordPress isn’t ‘scalable’. In other words, it’s fine for modest sites, but won’t ‘scale up’ to work with more ambitious projects. As you can probably guess, this is one of the WordPress myths thats far from true.WordPress may seem deceptively simple at first, but that’s only because it’s been designed to be easy to pick up. It’s actually incredibly scalable, and able to provide a solid foundation for even the largest sites.Some of the fact ors contributing to WordPress’ flexibility are:The platform is stable and designed to perform smoothly. As such, it isn’t going to experience problems when you get a lot of visitors (as long as you choose a quality hosting provider).WordPress is highly customizable, which means it can be shaped to meet the demands of complex sites.There are many plugins available to help you address the demands of a high-traffic site. For instance, you can add caching functionality to keep speeds high, and even improve the search feature.If you’re looking to create a high-traffic site, start up a thriving online store, or develop some other ambitious site, you don’t need to worry. WordPress will be able to keep up with your site’s growing needs just fine.Myth #3: WordPress is difficult to useYou can find plenty of help for all your WordPress questions in the official support forums.This may be the most inaccurate of all WordPress myths. It is understandable that so me people believe WordPress is a difficult platform. Terms like â€Å"content management system† and â€Å"open-source† can be intimidating, after all. The fact that WordPress is a self-hosted platform can also make it seem more complex than it really is.In reality, WordPress was designed from the start to be beginner-friendly. Remember that it was originally meant to help people create simple blogs. While it’s much more powerful these days, WordPress is still simple enough for just about anyone to use.You don’t have to know anything about web development or design, and you don’t need coding experience. Instead, you can accomplish almost anything with your site through a user-friendly dashboard:You can do a lot of things here, such as create content, add plugins and themes to your site, tweak its settings, and customize its appearance. It’s possible to set up an attractive, functional, and fairly complex site quickly.What’s more, when you do need help there are lots of ways to find it. You can check out the comprehensive WordPress Codex, the official support forums, online courses, and blogs like ours. The WordPress community is vast and welcoming, and help is right at your fingertips.Myth #4: WordPress isn’t secureSecurity plugins such as Wordfence will keep your site locked up tight.If you pay attention to the news on the latest security threats and hacks, it’s not uncommon to see stories that involve WordPress. There have also been a few highly-publicized attacks that have targeted WordPress sites. This has resulted in another of the most prevalent WordPress myths – the platform isn’t a secure way to build your site.In reality, the main reason you’ll see WordPress show up in these types of stories is simply that WordPress powers almost a third of all the websites on the Internet. So even though most WordPress sites never experience issues, the sheer number of WordPress sites that exist make them  a target for hackers and bots.Naturally, no software is immune from attacks. However, WordPress is incredibly safe, even for sites that deal with sensitive data. This is due to a number of reasons, including:The core platform is designed by a large team that’s committed to making it as secure as possible.Frequent updates  address the latest threats.There are plenty of excellent security-focused plugins that add additional protections to your site.If you have a WordPress site (or are thinking of creating one), we highly recommend installing one of the aforementioned security plugins, such as Wordfence or Sucuri Security. In addition, you’ll want to keep your site up-to-date at all times. These two steps are all you need to build a site that’s as secure as anything else on the web.Myth #5: WordPress websites all look the sameIn directories like ThemeForest, you can find themes to help you make your site look unique.The last of the WordPr ess myths on our list is a little different. That’s because it’s a belief more often held by those who are  somewhat familiar with WordPress.Those who know how approachable, beginner-friendly, and popular WordPress is might tell you that all WordPress sites look the same.However, anyone who knows the first thing about WordPress themes can tell you that this is not the case. Themes change the look and layout of your site, and there are tens of thousands available. You can find them in the official Theme Directory, or on sites like ThemeIsle  and  ThemeForest.In fact, one of the reasons this myth exists is that inexperienced users are likely to simply use the few default themes that are included with WordPress. This does result in some cookie-cutter sites – but yours doesn’t have to be one of them.What’s more, even individual themes tend to come with a lot of customization options. Therefore, sites built using the same theme can look very diffe rent. When you combine this fact with the sheer number of distinct themes and WordPress’ own flexibility, it makes it easy to create a site that is clearly different from any other built using the same platform.Dont be fooled by these WordPress myths!WordPress has only grown bigger and more popular over time. As such, it’s natural that such a common platform has attracted a number of easily-believed misconceptions.In this post, we’ve debunked five of the most prevalent WordPress myths. Contrary to what some may tell you:WordPress can be used to create nearly any type of site.The platform is suitable for small and large projects alike.Those with zero web development or coding knowledge can use WordPress easily.Security on WordPress sites is top-notch, especially with the right plugins installed.Websites built using WordPress can look radically different from one another.Are there any other things you’ve heard about WordPress that you want the true story on ? Let us know in the comments section below! Learn why these 5 common myths about #WordPress just aren't true

Prepaid Wireless Industry

Prepaid Wireless Industry Technology has totally revolutionalized the manner in which we carry our day-to-day activities. The communication industry seems to be one of the greatest beneficiaries of the advanced technology since there are so many changes that have taken place.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Prepaid Wireless Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Life has become easier and simpler with the technological advancements. The prepaid wireless industry is one of the industries that has emerged as a result of advancement in technology. This industry is highly competitive and this has seen many companies come up and stiff competition that is characteristic of this industry and has ensured that customers benefit greatly due to the high quality services being offered. The focus of this discussion will be on some of the key players in this dynamic and highly competitive industry. The companies in focus are epay worldwide.com. Emida.net and eurekarevenue.com. This discussion will also look at some of the advantages that each of these services has and which of the companies is stronger. Epay. Com is an international company whose main business is the distribution of payments solutions electronically. These services are instrumental in helping providers of various services reap maximally from the sales of their services as well as products. With more than half a million selling points in various countries of the world like Spain, Ireland, Italy, India and Germany, epay.com has continued to deliver highly innovative and specific tailored services as far as making of payment by electronic means in concerned (Epay 3). The advantage of the prepaid services provided by epay.com is that customers are able to access an array of gift cards which are branded. With this concept of prepaid, retailers are able to come up with categories and destinations that are fully supported by experts from epay. Retailers also hav e the advantage of being able to distribute their services throughout the network. Emida.net on the other hand is a company that operates globally whose main services include the making prepayments globally as well as value transfer market. This company operates in more than 30 counties in the whole American region and part of the African and Caribbean region.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The retail points supported by Emida.com are estimated to be about 46,000 with annual payment of the dollar being estimated to stand at $1.4 billion with estimates of transaction transacted by the company being estimated to stand at 180 million. Some of the advantages that emida.com has included allowing international as well as domestic distribution of various products which are prepaid in nature and services that involve payments. Retailers, ISOs, service providers a nd carriers using emida.net also have the advantage of getting robust revenues. Currently, emida.net is said to be leading as far as proving prepaid services is concerned. One issue that distinguishes emida.net from other companies is the fact Eureka has partnered with most of the well established carriers throughout the world and this has enabled eureka to a great extent to create a reliable network which has proven helpful to clients throughout the world. This company also caters for long distance prepaid services and this has brought about convenience and customers are able to get value and the revenue goes up. Any retailer or service provider who has subscribed with emida will also be in a position to offer all their customers, cost effective, convenient and safe options that they can implement to ensure that their financial needs are well managed. Under the financial services provided by emida, your clients will comfortably be able to purchase stored value cards as well as prep aid debit and also foot their bills. Through these services, it will also be possible for them to make transfers of money to family and friends in convenient hassle free manner. The kind of services that you will receive from Emida will ensure that the portfolio of your products is well built (Emida 2). It is common knowledge especially in the world today that payment of bills especially if they are hefty can prove to be very risky.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Prepaid Wireless Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Besides the risk, the hassle involves is nothing to write home about. Having paid full recognition to the challenges that consumers experience in payment of bills Emida has come up with a way of making it easy for clients to foot their bills which is not only easier but also more reliable and convenient. The payment solution provided by Emida ensures that you gain access to numerous biller s from telecommunication to providers of utilities, insurance among others. With this pay bill solution, all one needs to do is to make payments at a local shop and this helps eliminate the risk factor as well as one is saved the hassle of making the payments and also one is able to save time that would have been wasted in making queues. For those customers who have subscribed to AT T services, you can also make it easy for them through emida.com. Just like the bills, these customers subscribed to AT T can also make payments through the local shops. Eurekarevenue.com though it has been in the market for a fewer years compared to its competitors, it has managed to create a niche itself. This company is dedicated to making life easier for those who prefer the option of truncating using cash as opposed to using credit cards and cheques. The platform created by Eurekarevenue has made it simple for customers the world over to enjoy prepaid services through electronic means and with a w ell established and robust network. The company has managed to partner with different well established and this has ensured that clients get convenient services within their reach. Eureka revenue has various products that they offer which include the ERI web and the ERI terminal. The terminal is an effective simplifies of selling airtime of prepaid wireless. These terminals are used as they are provided by the company without the need to buy additional equipments (Eureka 1).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The only requirement is a telephone line and you will be good to go. The ERI web on the other hand works pretty similar with the ERI terminal just that in this case, one will require a computer with internet connectivity to enjoy this service Comparing epay.com and emida. Net, it is clear that emida is stronger than its counterpart. This is not only in terms of the number of years that this company has been in existence but also the robust network that it has managed to establish ad the numerous reliable partners that this company has. In addition, this company has managed to penetrate in more markets than epay thus making emida stronger in terms of popularity and client base. Prepaid wireless industry has without a doubt grown tremendously the world over. Emida. Prepaid Wireless. 2011. Web. https://www.emida.net/en/home/ Epay. Welcome to Epay. 2011. Web. http://epayworldwide.com/en-US/ Eureka. ERI helps retail stores increase their revenue and foot traffic through prepaidwireless solutions. 2011. Web.

Gender Difference In Exercise Addiction And the Possible Roles of Lab Report

Gender Difference In Exercise Addiction And the Possible Roles of Eating Behaviour, Anxiety And Reason for Execise In Undergraduate Students - Lab Report Example This paper stresses that existing studies do not clearly differentiate between primary exercise dependence and problem exercise addiction as an associated feature, so predictions for exercise addiction may be possible. In case of female students who exercise, if there were no associated comorbid psychologic disorders, the personality profile and psychological morbidities do not differ from healthy controls. This study will recruit free living adult volunteers as participants and they do not have any bond with the investigator. Further this study does not involve any medical treatments, restrictions or biological sample collection. Therefore participants will not carry any serious risk. Participants are briefed about the survey and their written consent is taken just before they are given the questionnaires. They will be asked to give a personal code for confidential reasons. Their personal data will be handled confidentially throughout the survey and the final outcome of the research is explained. The participants will be told of the deadline for which the data collected will be used and they will also be made aware of the fact that they are free to withdraw their data at any time for any reason. They will be given a debriefing form which will also contain information on support services or websites they can go to for help if they have been in anyway affected by this or need more inform ation. The form will also have the researcher and supervisors contact details if needed.

Volcanoes and Earthquakes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Volcanoes and Earthquakes - Research Paper Example Earthquakes have caused widespread damage to human life over the years. There have been earthquakes that have wiped away generations, cities; only to be found later by geologists and historians. With the advanced technology, it has become easier to measure the magnitude and the origin of the earthquake with immense accuracy. Predicting earthquakes is still a mystery and they always catch the human race by surprise.Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of tectonic plates that are present under the Earth’s surface. The ground we consider rock solid, is made up of plates that constantly keep shifting, occasionally shifting rapidly, causing earthquakes in that region. This movement of plate’s releases stress along the geologic faults. These fault lines are considered the boundaries between two plates. It is along these fault lines that earthquakes occur. Interestingly, Earthquakes can also be caused by human activity such as mine blasts and nuclear testing. The epicenter b eing the exact point on the earth’s surface, under which at the hypocenter is present; hypocenter being the exact point where the movement took place (Caroll, 1997). The thought of volcanoes, brings a mountain with erupting lava in our minds. Volcanoes are almost always associated with fascinating destruction of nature and their blinding rage of destroying everything that comes in their way. However, geologically, a volcano is any opening on the planet’s surface, from which the molten lava can make its way to the surface. From fissure vents to submarine volcanoes; all openings in the earth crust the spew out lava are termed as volcanoes. There is classification based on the kind and composition of lava that comes out of the fissures or openings (Sengupta, 2007). Volcanoes are also classified on the basis of their activity; they are active, dormant or extinct. Active volcanoes erupt regularly with many eruptions scripted in the human history; these eruptions may be mont hs apart, years apart or centuries apart. Dormant volcanoes are the ones who have been quiet (no eruptions) for a long period of time, with no written records of their activity until the day the activity starts again. Extinct volcanoes, as the name implies, are the volcanoes that were active some time but have no activity happening as there is no lava supply (Carol, 1997). Volcanoes and Earthquakes: Relationship? The relationship between the volcanoes and earthquakes is pretty significant. On the face of it, there might not be enough evidence, however, when one studies closely it is evident that one of these surely can trigger the other (Rafferty, 2010). Earthquakes generally occur at tectonic plates and most of the eruptions occur in these volcanic regions only. The movement is caused by

Londons urban transport from the Victorian era

Londons urban transport from the Victorian era Over the past 200 years the geography of London has changed dramatically. No better has this change been reflected than in Londons urban transport systems. The Victorian era saw mass migration to the capital as industrial progress both at home and abroad, and by 1800 London was the grandest city in the West and probably the world, with almost a million inhabitants. By 1881 the population has soared to 4.5 million and by 1911 to over 7 million [Porter 1994, pp 220]. To deal with these patterns of population growth London has seen large changes within its urban transport systems, on both land and water, and some have even attributed the growth of London itself to increased migration promoted by changes to public transport [Roberts, 1996 pp 322]. London is a scattered city, its past not attributed to coherent Government led development (as with other global cities such as New York or Paris). Instead, the most significant technical development which affected the size and functioning of London was the development of mass public transport, which was dictated not only by technological advances, but also the ways in which firms invested in the new forms of conveyance and competed with each other and alternative forms of travel [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 227]. When looking at urban transport, it is important to consider that, during the 19th Century the most common form of travel remained on foot. A traffic survey of the city in 1854 showed that almost 70 per cent of people travelling in and out of the City daily were doing so on foot. Even as late as 1897, when extensive public transport systems had been developed, less than a quarter of South London trade unionists were regular users of these systems as prices remained fairly high for other forms of commuter transport [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 228]. In a scattered and geographically condensed city (in 1825 the built up area of London still only stretched for four miles north to south and six miles east to west) it remained the best way to get quickly and efficiently from a to b. As today, traffic congestion was a problem for London during the Victorian era, and walking was often the most rapid form of travel. Pedestrian travel was also aided by new technologies that improved road safety for those travelling on foot. Road conditions began to show improvements (with drainage improved), street lighting was introduced through the 1830s, and the extension of the police force made travelling alone safer. The development of Londons road systems throughout the century also reduced journey times [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 229]. Changes in Water Transport: At the start of the Victorian era, the River Thames provided a faster and often more desirable way to travel across the city with Watermen offering to taxi people in small rowing boats known as wherries. The development of paddle steamers would displace these wherries, and by 1850 they were carrying several million passengers a year. These steamboats began offering services down the River Thames in 1815, unburdened by mileage duty and able to carry hundreds of passengers at a time in 1830 a regular service operated between London and Gravesend, Woolwich and Richmond [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 234]. Despite this, they remained unable to operate in bad light or weather, difficult and dangerous to board and leave and were involved in regular collisions. Water transport thrived during this time, dependent on the influence of the powerful river-using industries, which had restricted river bridges. During the early part of the 19th Century, however, their influence began to decrease, and new bridge crossings were. Vauxhall (1816), Waterloo (1817), Southwark (1819) and London (1824-31) all reduced the need for river transport on a commuter level, and also stimulated further road constru ctions south of the river through the latter half of the century [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 229]. By 1890, the development of the road and railway networks had all but decimated the steamboat trade. The Horse and Carriage The Horse and Carriage as a means of transport was indelible throughout the Victorian era, and despite growing congestion throughout the 19th Century (along with the escalating costs of keeping and feeding horses in London) there were still 23,000 private carriages travelling through the city in 1891 [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 229]. Road network developments and improvements were implemented throughout the Victorian era, all of which had to take into account the very particular needs of horse and carriage transport. The avoidance of steep gradients and limitations in the manoeuvrability of the carriages may have contributed to the levels of congestion seen throughout London throughout the Victorian era, and perhaps even up to today (with the maintenance of many of the road networks from the past century). This reliance on forms of horse drawn transport, not only encouraged walking in the lower classes (who couldnt afford the maintenance of a horse and carriage), but was also perhaps responsible for maintaining the compactness of London and restraining the outward movement of industry. Though gradually replaced by other means of public transport up to the First World War, the horse and carriage has remained the dominant means of road transport for a very long time. The upper classes had their own carriages, hackney carriages The rich had their own carriages, hackneys were available, and hansom cabs were introduced in 1834. Some got to work by short-stage coaches (four or six passengers inside and a handful outside). Horse and Carriage also remained the main form of transport in the movement of good around London (on the eve of the First World War most of Londons good vechicles were still horse drawn) [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 229]. The Omnibus and Commuter Transport One thing that has defined patterns of social change within a transport context in London over the past two centuries has been the establishment and growth of the commuter and associated public transport. The very term commuter came into being during the 1850s as more and more people were able to travel to work from greater distances, and the average Londoners journeys on public transport increased from 20 in the late 1860s to almost 140 in 1902 [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 230]. In the early 18th Century, short-distance stagecoaches, known as short-stagers appeared throughout Londons streets. These coaches carried four to six passengers inside and up to seven outside on the roof, and were used to provide regular services from the centre of London to the outskirts. This means of transport was introduced to serve the better-off when they moved out to the then desirable suburbs. By 1825, stagers had become commonplace, with probably around 600 such vehicles making around 1,800 journey s a day [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 233]. These most popular of these coaches was the Hackney Carriage, which had a monopoly on the central areas of London up to 1832. Another idea developing at the time was the idea of the omnibus, which many believe single handed began the commuter revolution. The service was first established in July 1829 by George Shillibeer, running from the Stingo public house, Paddington, to the Bank, along to the New Road. Shillibeers omnibuses were long three-horse vehicles with benches for twenty passengers [Porter 1994, pp 237]. The idea was to increase the numbers of passengers that were able to travel by stage-coach, thus lowering the fares for the daily commuter. Because of the Hackney carriage monopoly of the central areas of London, however, the venture failed by 1831. This stimulated the Stage Carriages Act of 1832 which allowed the omnibuses and all other types of vehicle into the central areas, freely plying the streets for trade. The Stage Carriages Act also stimulated the advent of the omnibus back into the world of commuter travel as they could now access the central areas. The cheaper fares (they were nearly half the price of the Hackney Carriages) and their increased speed made them more convenient for the middle class commuter. There were also considerable negative impacts associated with the development of Londons public transport during this period. A paradox quickly arose as thousands of extra vehicles took to the streets improving public transport, whilst simultaneously exacerbating congestion issues in the city. It should also be noted that despite this rise in use of these services, the fares of public transport remained fairly high and prohibitive for most working-class people until the introduction of subsidised services towards the end of the century [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 228]. As a result of this, combined with the service hours (they generally ran from eight in the morning when the majority of the working class workers were in work), the service remained, like the stagers before them, a largely middle class service. They proved effective, however, in permitting suburban living among tradesmen and clerks, and gave the inner suburbs a crucial boost during the 1830s and 1840s [Porter 1994, pp 240]. The success of the omnibus continued and was encouraged by low taxation (taxes on public transport were cut by up to a half in 1839) and competition and 1851, the year of the great exhibition, omnibuses carried around 20,000 passengers daily [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 236]. The closure of this however brought rapid growth to an end and fares plummeted as many firms went bankrupt. One success story however was the London General Omnibus Company, which, by 1900 owned nearly half of the 3,000 horse-drawn buses and trams, carrying some 500 million passengers a year [Porter 1994, pp 240] stimulated by rising incomes and a suburban migration during the late 1800s. The loss of monopoly during the 1832 Act had also led to a doubling of the number of hackneys and investment in new equipment and innovations, with the hansom cab eventually becoming the norm [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 234]. Eventually competition from other means of transport put an end to the days of horse drawn public tr ansport with the last known service in 1914. Railways The great material transformations of the 1800s, combined with the physical and social geographies of the city led to a major transformation in the railways of London. From the 1830s the cuttings ploughed into the northern suburban areas on their routes into Euston, then Kings Cross and St Pancreas [Porter 1994, pp 230]. These developments reinforced east/west social divides, devastating some areas while bettering others, however Londons traffic problems were becoming ominous, as a result of the vast increase of traffic and the absence of any policy. For these reasons, the coming of rail transport, overground and underground was critical in keeping the metropolis moving and in permitting the city to expand. But if the railways brought benefits these were purchased at a high cost. The downwards shift of some of these neighbourhoods is mainly attributable to later railway building that destroyed many inner-urban neighbourhood environments and made it possible for their more prosperous residents to move further out [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 233]. Underground Road Improvements In 1800 Londons road infrastructure was generally main thoroughfares running from east to west above the River Thames. These were often narrow, poorly maintained and blocked by street markets and other local activity, and little inner city road improvement was undertaken before the Commercial Road development in 1810 which sped transport to the dockland areas [Porter, 1994, pp 235], which seemed to stimulate a spurt of road networks. Major developments in the central area included Regent Street (1817-23) and Moorgate, cutting north-south thoroughfares through the traditional east- west pattern, and the major trunk routes constructed to the north of the built-up area including New North Road (1812), Archway Road (1813), Caledonian Road (1826) and Finchley Road (1826-35) [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 231]. There were also a number of new river crossings introduced during this period including Vauxhall (1816), Waterloo (1817), Southwark (1819) and London (1824-31). This period also saw road conditions beginning to be improved via increased expenditure on widening, paving and drainage, and on new routes [Ball and Sunderland, 2001, pp 240]. Cycling Cars and Buses As previously discussed, the horse and carriage remained the dominant form of road transport throughout the Victorian era. Despite the many drawbacks of motorised transport, it has been rightly quipped that the invention of the motor car saved large cities in the nick of time from being engulfed in mountains of horse dung [Ball and Sunderland, 2001 pp 229]. Hackney motor cabs were first introduced in 1903 and proved immensely popular, particularly after the 1907 introduction of the taximeter. Ball pp 233. The growth of the bus use amongst the middle classes preceded the major change in motive power, from the horse to the petrol engine and the emergence of underground and electrified tram services and it was the petrol-driven motor buses that were to revolutionise public transport from their first introduction in 1899. The first bus service was operated by Motor Traction Co, who, for a short while ran two double-deckers between Kensington and Victoria. Cumberson, uncomfortable and generally unreliable they were initially unsuccessful. However, their advantages quickly became apparent they had greater carrying capacity than their horse-driven counterparts and travelled at somewhat higher speeds (though these were restricted by legislation), enabling routes to be longer. Running costs were lower and less variable and their success encouraged further investment in 1905 with the establishment of the London Motor Omnibus Company and Vanguard [Ball and Sunderland 2001, pp 239]. In the 1900s competition grew (from 1906 to 1907 the number of buses nearly quadrupled from 242 to 808) and many services saw a period of consolidation as congestion grew. New regulations lead to the development of the B-type bus in 1910 and by 1914 the public had taken the new motorised bus to heart with 757 million passengers. Today cities are designed on the premise of the car, on an autologic which underlines policy and planning in large parts of the world [Brudett, 2008]. Overview of Victorian Era: After centuries that had brought little alteration in ways of getting about, the Victorians created a transport revolution that changed not just the face of the town but the status map of the metropolis [Porter 1994, pp 235].

The Unabomber: Is He Serious? Essay -- essays research papers

The Unabomber: Is He Serious?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There comes a time when everyone has something to say. The next step would be to find someone to listen. If that doesn't work, I suppose you just have to make them listen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Unabomber's Manifesto was probably one of the most interesting and thought provoking points of view that I have read in a while. It's just too bad that every time he made a point that I could relate with, he would contradict himself before I was finished with the paragraph. In my opinion, the entire manifesto and every viewpoint expressed therein, was a strange mix of confusion, fact and storytelling. Although written with an abundance of detail and many strong convictions, I finished reading the selection without being able to see the purpose behind it all and what he stood to gain. I'm sure that wasn't exactly his intentions when he wrote it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel there is one thing the author deserves credit for right from the start; his uncanny ability to set a pessimistic mood. From the minute you glance at the introduction, he, assuming the author is male, begins to paint a picture of destruction and demise of the world in which we live. What could cause such a catastrophe? According to the author, it would have to be industry and technology of all things. He was convinced that due to the industrial- technological system in which we live, ultimately humans are going to be subjected to world wide suffering and inevitably a total shut down of humanity. Now at this moment I felt a little disbelief. I had heard he was actually an intelligent person, but I was starting to wonder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His whole theory was based on the fact, that at one point or another, the human race will be taken to the point of complete break down. He feels that if it's bound to happen, we should make it happen now. The longer we wait, the more people will suffer. Now, I know our sun will eventually burn out, so does that mean that it should be the concern of everyone on the planet to devise a method to destroy it immediately and save us the trouble of having to do it later? I guess I wasn't too surprised when I read how he intended to induce an early break down with a revolution, but the next thing I read left me a little confused. I was interested in how and when he planned to d... ...here who actually make a difference.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Technology was a turning point in man's struggle in life. When we were first learning to use it, we used it for the wrong reasons. I believe we're moving past that now. We don't fear technology like he does any more. More and more people, including older generations are learning to use it. Not because they have to, but it's only natural for the majority of us to try something new. When everyone begins to use it, working together, that's what advances us into tomorrow. If everyone was as pessimistic as he, where would we be? Sometimes it takes someone like him to remind us what we used to be and how we used to think. It helps us all stay on track. In the long run, he just becomes someone who wouldn't change and society will forget him. It's ironic to think that we already have. People don't want war, revolution, or violence. We don't need to be the aggressor and more. Our survival isn't assured, but at least we have the means to provide it, to really harvest it when that need arises. People like the Unibomber only give us the motivation to keep on going. And what do we have to thank for our advancement? Technology.

Developing yourself as an effective Human Resources practitioner Essay

Briefly summarise the HRPM and comment on the activities and knowledge specified within any one professional area, at band two, identifying those you consider most essential to your own HR role The HRPM is a working tool that underlines behaviours, knowledge and skills that the CIPD understand are needed for the personal and workplace development on all levels of the HR profession, and how it will add value to yourself and your organisation. It looks at improving things not just at the present time but looks forward at how improvements can be made in the future. It has been created to be of use to all levels of professionals in all sectors in any part of the world. The HRPM is set out over ten professional areas; there are 8 specialist Professional areas that specify the activities and knowledge that are needed to provide HR support to your organisation. They are Service delivery and HR, employee relations, performance and reward, employee engagement, learning and development, resourcing and talent planning, organisation development and organisation design. There are also two core professional areas, ‘insights, strategy and Solution’ and ‘Leading HR’, they are at the centre of the map and are professional areas that are considered relevant to all HR Professionals at any stage in their career. The ten professional areas cover what you need to do and what you need to know at all four bands and the behaviours you will need to carry out your activities. The eight behaviours identify how professionals should be carrying out their daily work activities to ensure that they achieve success for themselves and their organisation . The eight behaviours are Role model, Curious, Decisive thinker, skilled influencer, courage to challenge, driven to deliver, collaborative and personally credible. The behaviours are all about helping you to identify how to carry out your professional activities in order to benefit your organisation; each behaviour comes with a contra behaviour which outlines the negative impact. The behaviours are then split out into four bands, (The relationship between professional and customer, where they spend their time, the focus of the activity what services are provided, how  their contribution and how their success is measured) they set out the competencies you need at each level of the HR career, and it also has guidelines to help move from one level to the next. I have chosen the professional area of resourcing and talent planning at band two. I believe that the most essential activities and knowledge of my role within band two is advising and managing individuals or teams based on HR issues and problems. I help managers to identify the skills and capabilities they need to deliver current and future work and support them in making the right choices to fill the need. I manage and resource talent, ensuring they are fit for purpose and can deliver required out comes. I have the knowledge on how to execute a recruitment plan to agreed standards and deadlines and I know how to deliver effective talent and succession solutions whilst working with managers needs. I can also use a variety of induction and transitional tools as an outlined below. I have just finished a module on Resourcing talent in my CIPD level three; I have used the knowledge gained to improve the recruitment and talent management process in my organisation. I arranged meetings with directors and managers to discuss a more effective way of recruiting, and suggested ways to train and develop the staff that we already have. I also created more effective exit interview and appraisal forms, improved the induction process and brought in sifting tools and interview documents. Outline how an HR practitioner should ensure the services they provide are timely and effective As the sole HR practitioner in my company, I deal with many varied customers. I need to ensure that I deal with them in a fair, timely and efficient manner at all times. I have given three examples of customers as per below; Payroll/finance I assist the Payroll/finance department in many ways but mainly I provide them with reports on sickness and absences or changes to pay/salary due to overtime, pay rise or a promotion as an when required. Managers/Line managers I assist Mangers and Line mangers to support their staff and help keep them informed of any changes to policies and procedures. They also require my assistance when the need arises to take on new staff. Recruitment Agencies I assist recruitment agencies when managers/line managers inform me that they are looking for new staff. I will prove the agencies with a good brief of the job and all necessary information they will need. Then keep an open communication with them regarding interviewees. Prioritising conflicting needs Often customers will need help information or reports from me at the same time. As I am the sole HR practitioner in my work place it is important for me manage my time effectively. I will make a list of the jobs I need to get done and then check the deadline for each and prioritise in order, often there are conflicting needs, when this happens I contact the customers involved and let them know that I have other jobs that need doing with equal importance often talking this over resolves the problem and deadlines are moved or I am able to send parts of reports over and send the rest at a later date. Effective communication in my workplace In my organisation I tend to use the following methods of communication; I have given examples below:- Verbal – Telephone or face to face This method of communication works well for me when I need to inform a manager if I am unable to meet a deadline or if there is a delay with  sending a report, speaking to them face to face or over the phone I will be able to get much better feedback with regards to rescheduling the deadlines and what they require of me. The disadvantage of this is that I would have no record of the conversation and details can be forgotten, with this in mind I always follow up any conversation with an email to reiterate. Written- Email I find that in my organisation an email is best for communication when you need to give managers or staff information or reports as you can ensure that all the information is passed across and none is missed as could be the case if you were to tell them face to face. The disadvantage of this method is that sometimes emails go missing, so I will always call and check the managers have received the email and also use a read receipt on the email. I would also use email to invite attendees to interview; I will be able to send them a list of documents required and information of the date and time. I would also call and speak to them to get confirmation of attendance in case they do not check their emails regular or do not have a lot of access to a computer. The company intranet The company intranet is great for letting staff know about up and coming changes in the work place or staff social functions as it is open to view but all members of staff. The disadvantage of using the intranet is that not everybody may use it, or check it regularly. I would always send a backup email with updates via email or make sure that it is communicated to staff through their line managers. Effective Service delivery Delivering services on time It is important in my job that I respond to all requests from customers in a timely and efficient manner, I am the sole HR Practitioner in our  organisation and I cannot delicate or ask advice. With this in mind I need to spot problems early, isolate and solve before it becomes an issue. I also need to prioritise my work load and deal with each job as efficiently as possible, it is important for me to communicate clearly with each person requesting work from me regarding the urgency of the job, sometimes line managers will issue a job as a priority when in actual fact they do not need the requested report until next week. Delivering services on budget I am not asked to comply to a budget, but I am always aware of funds and I make a conscious effort to keep costs low where possible. Dealing with difficult customers I have to deal with negative employees in my organisation; I deal with this by listening to the employees’ complaint. Sometimes that is all it takes to resolve the issue, as they feel that their grievance is being listened to. I always make sure to ask relevant questions, this lets them know that I am listening and helps me to decide if they have a valid complaint, or if they are just sounding off. I will always follow this on by asking if they would like my help or support in the matter. Most of the time they just wanted somebody to listens to them. Handling and resolving complaints I don’t see complaints as a bad thing in my organisation; I think that I can learn from them so that things can be done better or I can put in place things that are missing. Feedback is a good thing regardless of whether it is positive or negative. I have set up a suggestion box in the kitchen so that employees can give feedback or complain anonymous. If an employee makes a serious complaint I will always defer to the directors and line managers.