#design is subject to spontaneous improvements <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[nombitenary]

EVERYBODY WELCOME GNARL TO THE BLOGGG

(Gnar for short! they/them)

[jace-snaps]

Life and Pictures: Entry #1

Starting as a Beginner: Exploring Photography Gear

In our first entry, we’re focusing on a crucial aspect for beginners: choosing and using the right gear. Whether you’re intrigued by the convenience of smartphones or the versatility of a DSLR, understanding your options can help you get started on the right foot. Let’s break down some popular choices and tips for getting the most out of your equipment.

1. Smartphones: Your Everyday Camera

Description:

Type: Point-and-shoot camera Characteristics: Light, convenient, user-friendly Suitable for: Casual users, beginners, and anyone who wants to capture spontaneous moments without carrying additional equipment.

Why Start with a Smartphone?

Always With You: Smartphones are incredibly convenient, making it easy to capture moments on the go. User-Friendly: Modern smartphones come with automatic settings that adjust for lighting and focus, making them perfect for beginners. Built-In Editing Tools: Many smartphones have robust editing features and apps, allowing you to tweak your photos directly on your device.

Tips for Smartphone Photography:

Use Grid Lines: Enable grid lines on your camera app to help you apply the rule of thirds, enhancing the composition of your shots. Tap to Focus: Tap the screen to focus on your subject. You can also adjust the exposure by sliding your finger up or down. Explore Apps: Play around with different photography apps to enhance your photos. Apps like Snapseed, VSCO, or Adobe Lightroom Mobile offer powerful editing tools.

Smartphones are equipped with built-in cameras that are perfect for everyday use. They are designed to be simple and intuitive, making them ideal for capturing quick and spontaneous shots. With the added benefit of editing apps, you can enhance your photos directly on your device.

Beginner Guide to Smartphone Photography:

2. Compact Cameras: Simple and Versatile

Description:

Type: Point-and-shoot camera Characteristics: Light, versatile, higher image quality than smartphones, better zoom capabilities Suitable for: Beginners and enthusiasts who want better image quality and more control over settings without the bulk of larger cameras.

Why Choose a Compact Camera?

Better Quality: Higher resolution and image quality than most smartphones. Zoom Capabilities: Optical zoom allows for better quality images than digital zoom. Manual Controls: More control over settings like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

Getting Started with Compact Cameras:

Learn the Basics: Familiarize yourself with aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Use Auto Mode: Start with auto mode and gradually experiment with manual settings. Keep It Simple: Begin with the built-in lens; as you gain experience, you can explore more advanced settings.

Compact cameras, also known as point-and-shoot cameras, are lightweight and easy to carry. They offer better image quality than smartphones and come with manual control options, making them a great choice for those looking to improve their photography skills.

Beginner Guide to Compact Camera Photography:

3. DSLR Cameras: A Step Up in Quality

Description:

Type: Professional camera Characteristics: Larger, heavier, interchangeable lenses, superior image quality, advanced features Suitable for: Serious enthusiasts and professional photographers who require high performance, versatility, and superior image quality.

Why Choose a DSLR?

Exceptional Image Quality: DSLRs feature larger sensors, resulting in superior image quality, especially in low light. Interchangeable Lenses: The ability to switch lenses allows you to tailor your gear to your specific needs, from wide-angle shots to macro photography. Advanced Features: DSLRs offer advanced features like fast autofocus, multiple focus points, and high burst rates, making them ideal for capturing fast-moving subjects.

Tips for DSLR Beginners:

Learn Your Camera: Take time to understand the different settings and how they affect your photos. Manuals and online tutorials can be incredibly helpful. Practice with Different Lenses: Start with the standard kit lens, but explore other lenses as you become more comfortable. A prime lens can be a great way to experiment with depth of field. Join a Photography Community: Engaging with other photographers can provide valuable insights and feedback. Consider joining local clubs or online forums to share your work and learn from others.

DSLR cameras are known for their excellent image quality and flexibility due to their interchangeable lenses. They offer a wide range of manual controls and advanced features, making them suitable for various types of photography, from portraits to landscapes.

Beginner Guide to DSLR Camera Photography:

4. Mirrorless Cameras: The Modern Alternative

Description:

Type: Professional camera Characteristics: Light, compact, interchangeable lenses, electronic viewfinder, silent shooting Suitable for: Enthusiasts and professionals who want high performance and quality in a more portable package compared to DSLRs.

Why Go for a Mirrorless Camera?

Compact and Lightweight: Mirrorless cameras are smaller and lighter than DSLRs, making them more portable without sacrificing performance. High-Quality Images: They offer similar image quality to DSLRs, thanks to their large sensors and advanced technology. Electronic Viewfinder: Many mirrorless cameras feature an electronic viewfinder that displays your settings in real time, helping you visualize the final image.

Tips for Using Mirrorless Cameras:

Explore the Features: Mirrorless cameras often come with innovative features like 4K video recording and high-speed continuous shooting. Take time to explore these functions. Invest in Good Lenses: The quality of your lenses significantly impacts your photos. Start with a versatile zoom lens and consider adding prime lenses as you progress. Stay Updated: The technology in mirrorless cameras is continually evolving. Keep an eye on new models and firmware updates to make the most of your gear.

Mirrorless cameras combine the image quality and flexibility of DSLRs with a more compact and lightweight design. They use electronic viewfinders, allowing you to see exposure adjustments in real-time, and are known for their silent shooting capabilities.

Beginner Guide to Mirrorless Camera Photography:

5. Vintage Film Cameras: The Nostalgic Touch

Description:

Type: Professional camera (vintage/analog) Characteristics: Heavy, manual settings, unique aesthetic, requires film Suitable for: Enthusiasts and professionals who appreciate the classic film photography process and aesthetic, and those who want to learn the fundamentals of photography.

Why Try a Vintage Film Camera?

Unique Aesthetic: Film cameras offer a distinct look and feel, with a unique color rendition and grain structure that digital cameras often lack. Learning Experience: Shooting with film encourages a deeper understanding of exposure and composition, as you have fewer chances to correct mistakes. Tactile Experience: The process of loading film, taking pictures, and developing prints adds a tactile, hands-on dimension to photography.

Tips for Shooting with Film Cameras:

Choose the Right Film: Different films have different characteristics. Start with a versatile ISO 400 film, and explore different types as you gain experience. Develop Your Own Film: If you’re up for a challenge, try developing your own film at home. It’s a rewarding process that enhances your connection to the art. Embrace the Learning Curve: Film photography has a steeper learning curve, but the rewards are worth it. Take your time and enjoy the process of discovering what works best for you.

Vintage film cameras offer a nostalgic feel and a unique aesthetic that digital cameras can’t replicate. They require manual settings and film, which teaches discipline and a deeper understanding of photography basics. These cameras are appreciated by those who enjoy the tactile process and classic look of film photography.

Beginner Guide to Using Vintage Film Cameras:

Starting with photography gear can be both exciting and daunting, but remember, the best camera is the one you have with you. Whether you begin with a smartphone, compact digital camera, DSLR camera, mirrorless camera, or vintage film camera, the key is to explore, experiment, and find what inspires you.

Happy shooting, and may your journey through the world of photography be as fulfilling and creative as possible!

[transfunnelconsulting]

Maximize Your Website Potential with HubSpot Themes: A Guide by Transfunnel Consulting

In today's digital scenario, a well-designed, responsible and high-performing website is important for companies, especially B2B SaaS companies. Your site is often the first point of contact for potential customers, and it is necessary to make a great first impression. This is the place where the HubSpot themes come in the game, companies give a simple but powerful way to produce and control their websites. But how do you choose the best Hubspot website template that matches the brand, goals, and customer experience? Let's find out how Transfunnel Consulting can help you unlock the entire capacity of the Hubspot theme.

Why HubSpot CMS Themes Are a Game-Changer

HubSpot has revolutionized website development with its HubSpot CMS theme offerings. These themes are designed to be user-friendly, flexible, and powerful, enabling marketers and business owners to create stunning websites without deep technical expertise. Here’s why HubSpot CMS themes are gaining popularity:

Customizability & Flexibility

With pre-made hubspot marketplaces templates, business color, fonts, layouts and materials can easily adjust a unique brand identity by customizing blocks.

SEO-Friendly & Performance-Optimized

HubSpot CMS Theme Seo is built with best practices and ensures that your site ranks well on search engines.

Mobile Responsiveness

With the mobile-first approach, these subjects provide a spontaneous experience in units, ensuring high commitment and conversion.

Drag-and-Drop Functionality

You do not need coding skills to create a website. With the drag-and-drop editor of HubSpot, you can easily create and change the pages.

How to Choose the Best HubSpot Website Templates?

When browsing the HubSpot marketplace templates, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options available. Here are a few key factors to consider:

Business Goals & Industry Relevance: If you are a B2B Saas company, it is a smart option to choose the B2B Saas HubSpot theme designed for technology and software companies.

Customizability & Scalability: A good theme should allow for extensive modifications and be scalable as your business grows.

Speed & Performance: Ensure that the theme you choose is lightweight and optimized for speed to enhance user experience.

Integration Capabilities: Your theme should seamlessly integrate with HubSpot’s marketing, sales, and service tools.

Transfunnel Consulting: Your HubSpot Theme Management Partner

If you want to benefit from HubSpot Theme Management, it is important to collaborate with a HubSpot Diamond Partner Specialist. Transfunnel Consulting is a large Hubspot Diamond Solutions partner, which specializes in helping, adapting, and managing Hubspot-operated websites. Why Transfunal stands here:

1. Expert Consultation & Theme Selection

Transfunnel helps companies identify the best Hubspot website templates based on their goals, industry, and target groups. Whether you need a single corporate website or a fully adapted B2B Saas HubSpot theme, they provide design recommendations.

2. Customization & Development

Choosing a theme is just the first step. Transfunnel ensures that your site is customized to reflect your brand identity, which includes customized design elements, features, and functionalities unique to your business.

3. Performance Optimization & SEO

From mobile liability to side speed optimization, Transfunnel ensures that your website has fully customized performance. Their SEO experts ensure that your site ranks higher, runs organic traffic, and improves lead generation.

4. Seamless Integration & Automation

With deep expertise in HubSpot integration, TF ensures that your site is initially integrated with HubSpot CRM, marketing automation, and analysis tools, which enables data-driven approaches to business development.

5. Ongoing Support & Maintenance

HubSpot website administration not only ends with the establishment of the subject. Transfunnel provides continuous support, updates and maintenance to run your site evenly.

Future-Proof Your Website with Transfunnel’s HubSpot Expertise

The digital landscape is constantly evolving and is a non-performance due to being a high-performance website. Whether you are launching a new website or preparing an existing one, you can take advantage of the HubSpot CMS theme and, with Transfunnel Consulting, establish yourself for long-term success. Their expertise in HubSpot Theme Management ensures that you get a visually fantastic, functional, and development-controlled website that fits your business requirements.

Are you ready to transform your website with HubSpot? Explore HubSpot marketplace templates with Transfunnel Consulting and take your online presence to the next level!

[visionaryvogues03]

How Education Consultants Are Driving Adoption of AR in Education?

The world is getting surrounded by augmented reality in almost every field. The technology is rapidly transforming the sphere of education in the United States. From interactive 3D models to immersive learning environments, AR in education is reshaping how students engage with material and how educators deliver lessons. However, widespread adoption of AR in education is not a spontaneous process. It requires strategic planning, expertise, and a clear-cut vision to integrate this technology effectively into curricula and school systems. This is where education consultants play a significant role. 

Education consultants are bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and traditional learning frameworks, enabling schools, universities, and education-focused enterprises to harness the full potential of AR in education. Their expertise is vital in overcoming challenges such as infrastructure readiness, curriculum alignment, teacher training, and budget constraints.

The Growing Importance of AR in Education in the U.S.

According to a recent report by MarketsandMarkets, the global AR in education market is expected to reach $5.3 billion by 2025, with the U.S. leading significant portions of this growth. A study by Project Tomorrow revealed that over 40% of U.S. educators believe AR can enhance student engagement and improve understanding of complex concepts. Yet, despite the enthusiasm, many institutions struggle with how to implement AR at scale effectively.

Education consultants step in as trusted advisors to schools, districts, and educational organizations, helping them develop actionable strategies that align AR adoption with educational goals, budget realities, and regulatory requirements. Their involvement is often the difference between pilot programs that fizzle out and sustainable AR initiatives that enrich learning outcomes.

Education Consultants as Change Agents in AR Adoption

1. Strategic Planning and Needs Assessment

Education consultants begin by conducting thorough assessments of an institution’s readiness for AR in education. This includes evaluating existing technology infrastructure, teacher preparedness, student demographics, and curriculum requirements. With these insights, consultants develop strategic roadmaps that highlight how AR can be integrated to solve specific educational challenges, such as improving STEM learning or enhancing literacy programs.

A survey conducted by the Consortium for School Networking found that nearly 70% of U.S. schools reported needing expert guidance to implement new technologies effectively. Education consultants fill this gap by providing tailored strategies that reflect the unique needs of each institution.

2. Vendor Selection and Technology Integration

The AR in the education market is crowded with diverse platforms, devices, and content providers. Consultants help organizations navigate this complexity by recommending technology solutions that fit their pedagogical objectives and budget. Whether it is AR headsets, mobile apps, or interactive software, consultants ensure that selected technologies are scalable, user-friendly, and compatible with existing systems.

For example, when a large urban school district in California sought to adopt AR in education for science classes, consultants facilitated vendor evaluations and pilot testing, ensuring the chosen platform aligned with state standards and could be easily supported by school IT departments.

3. Curriculum Development and Teacher Training

One of the biggest barriers to AR adoption is the lack of curriculum materials and teacher expertise. Education consultants collaborate with curriculum designers and subject matter experts to develop AR-enhanced lesson plans that are engaging and effective. Additionally, they design professional development programs that equip educators with the skills to use AR technology confidently and creatively in the classroom.

A 2023 study by EdTech Research Group indicated that 65% of teachers felt unprepared to integrate AR into their lessons without targeted training. Consultants address this by organizing workshops, webinars, and on-site training sessions, which directly improve teacher adoption rates and student outcomes.

4. Measuring Impact and Continuous Improvement

Sustainable adoption of AR in education requires ongoing evaluation and refinement. Consultants implement metrics and feedback mechanisms to measure the impact of AR initiatives on student engagement, comprehension, and achievement. By analyzing data, they help institutions make informed decisions about scaling programs, adjusting content, or investing in new technologies.

In one instance, a northeastern university that integrated AR in education to enhance medical training used consultant-led assessments to identify gaps in student interaction and then iterated on their AR modules, resulting in a 20% increase in student performance on practical exams.

Overcoming Challenges to AR Adoption

Despite its promise, AR in education faces several hurdles: budget limitations, resistance to change, technical difficulties, and concerns over screen time and student distraction. Education consultants are uniquely positioned to address these concerns through change management strategies, stakeholder engagement, and risk mitigation planning.

They often work with school boards, parents, and community members to build support for AR initiatives, highlighting the long-term educational and economic benefits. Their expertise in compliance also ensures that AR implementations adhere to privacy laws and accessibility standards.

The Business Opportunity for Consulting Firms

The demand for education consulting services around AR in education is growing rapidly. According to IBISWorld, the U.S. education consulting industry is expected to grow annually by 5.2% through 2027, largely driven by technology adoption trends. Firms that specialize in AR integration are uniquely positioned to capture this emerging market by offering end-to-end services from strategy to execution.

For startup founders and C-suite executives in edtech, partnering with education consultants can accelerate market penetration and ensure solutions are tailored to real-world classroom needs. For corporate managers overseeing training programs, consultants provide insights on how AR can enhance employee learning and development, thus broadening the impact of AR beyond traditional education.

Conclusion

Education consultants will continue to be at the forefront of AR adoption in the U.S., guiding schools through the evolving technological landscape. As AR technology becomes more affordable and content more sophisticated, consultants will help ensure that investments translate into meaningful learning improvements. By fostering innovation, building teacher capacity, and enabling data-driven decision-making, education consultants are not just implementing AR in education; they are shaping the future of learning.

Uncover the latest trends and insights with our articles on Visionary Vogues

[jose-jeulandsg]

Photography classes with Jose Jeuland lets you embrace the world of photography in Singapore

The world of art constantly changes and one of the most impactful ways to tell a story is through photography. Photography has the special ability to save and present important moments. Singapore as an ultra-modern city fused with rich culture offers limitless chances to improve your photography expertise. For instance, if you are looking for a way to take your craft to the next level, the photography courses offered by Jose Jeuland in Singapore is ideal for you.

Is attending a Photography Course in Singapore worth the hype?

With the shift from black and white to digitization, Singapore has grown into an epicentre for photographers that embrace everything, ranging from stunning buildings to beautiful gardens, and lively shot composition. Nevertheless, a camera alone will not do the job; looking at these elements is only the beginning of the tale. Enrolling in a qualified photography course can: -

Enhance the efficiency of your camera: Understand how to minimize underexposure over and underexposure, manage equipment exposure, and use more sophisticated features quickly.

Polish your creative imaginations further: Learn how to use proper framing for your images, effectively incorporate lighting, and how to arouse emotions within pictures.

Gaining hands-on knowledge: Get hands-on experience from professionals in real-life settings enabling you to apply what you have learned in practice.

Meet Your Instructor: Jose Jeuland

Jose Jeuland is an in-demand commercial and documentary photographer whose clientele includes some of the leading brands and publishers globally. Thanks to his extensive experience, which includes corporate photography, fine art, and exhibitions, he will be exceptional in the courses offered. He is not only a photographer himself but does everything to inspire and aid aspiring photographers.

If you are looking to start your photography career or you are already a skilled photographer wanting to take your skills to the next level, Jose’s courses will fit your goals. He is a hand-on teacher that helps students take chances on creative projects so they leave each class feeling ready to try something new.

Why Jose Jeuland ’s Photography Course is Different?

Custom Designed Programs: Basic and advanced Jose provides short courses regarding the contemporary skills that best fit you.

Theory into Practice: His workshops are very practical enabling you to gain practical knowledge and walks away with practicality.

Professional Gear: Class is taken in advanced studios well equipped with highly rated cameras, lighting, and editing devices.

Constant Exposure: Get one-on-one attention to enable you to identify unique challenges that need addressing in your development.

Classes Available at Jose Jeuland ’s Studio

1. Crash Course on Photography for Beginners

Let’s start right at the beginning, camera details and basic functions as well as composition techniques in manual mode. Nothing too complicated, and participants will leave with the required foundation. All those who are thinking of venturing into photography can begin with this course.

2. Portrait Photography Course

Engage in the portraiture, specialising in lighting, posing, and directing subjects. On location or in a studio, whatever the setting, this module explains the tricky aspects of capturing human expressions in its many forms.

3. Street Photography Course

Now it’s time to hit the streets, Singapore and capture your candid special moments. The course is unscripted and focuses on detailing everyday imaginative scenes, it looks at creating a sense of spontaneity.

4. Photography and Videography for Corporate Use

This is a course perfect for professionals looking to improve the visual appearance of the business through headshots, coverage of special occasions, and creation of video and photo adverts. Which is great for business owners, professional marketers and any entrepreneur.

5. Product Photography Workshop

With the beginning of a new era of online marketing more and more businesses require product photography. In this workshop participants learn how to make a product appealing by showcasing its best features, therefore making it better than competitors within a marketplace.

The Ideal Learning Environment Jose Jeuland ’s studio goes beyond being a simple classroom, rather, it is a place that sparks learning. The studio is well-furnished with professional cameras, dedicated lighting systems, and editing applications which would allow you to get your hand on everything you need to exercise. Another feature of the room, includes: Several backdrops and props High-end lighting equipment Comfortable editing and reviewing spots The location of the studio being in the core of Singapore, gives it an edge to be easily accessible.

Benefits of Learning from a Seasoned Photographer

In case of enrolling for a course with Jose Jeuland, it does not just end with learning the techniques – you will have to master the art of photography too. Some important ones include: Professional Insights: Get an opportunity to study under a seasoned photographer who has collaborated with high-end global brands. Networking Opportunities: Interact with other photography enthusiasts and professionals in the industry. Exclusive Tips and Tricks: Get exposures that will set your images apart from the standards. Career Development Advice: Get constructive suggestions on how to build a portfolio, get clients, and promote various services.

Hear from Past Participants There are quite a number of people who have undertaken Jose’s courses and people have been actively posting positive reviews about their experiences: "Jose’s beginner course was exactly that thing, that I was missing: I better understood my camera and took better photos than ever before. Recommend!" - Michelle L

"I’ve enjoyed the portrait photography Workshop. All that hands-on practice and Jose’s critiques made me polish my skills more into a professional one." – Daniel K.

Conclusion

Photography does not remain a static art and does require studying in order to remain relevant. With Jose Jeuland photography courses in Singapore, you are not simply enrolling in a class—you are enrolling in volcanic evolution of an artist. There’s something for everyone from amateurs to professional photographers.

Without having attended the Jose Jeuland Photography Courses, it is impossible to say that you have grasped any of the relevant lessons of being a photographer dreaming of making it big in Singapore. Go through the various workshops available and take the first steps towards being an exceptional photographer.

[azeez-unv]

A BORN TEACHER OR A TRAINED TEACHER ?

A born teacher is an individual who possesses a natural ability to teach, inspire, and guide others. They have an innate talent for communicating complex ideas in a clear and concise manner, making them easily understood by their students. Born teachers are often characterized by their:

1.Passion for teaching: They have a genuine love for sharing knowledge and inspiring others.

2.Empathy and understanding: They can relate to students' struggles and adapt their teaching style to meet individual needs.

3.Patience and calm demeanor: They remain composed, even in challenging situations, creating a supportive learning environment.

4.Creativity and adaptability: They find innovative ways to present material and adjust their approach to engage students.

5.Ability to connect: They build strong relationships with students, fostering a sense of trust and respect.

6.Natural communication skills: They communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely.

7.Flexibility and spontaneity: They think on their feet, adjusting lessons to meet the needs of their students.

8.Encouraging and supportive nature: They motivate students to reach their full potential.

While formal training can enhance their skills, born teachers possess an innate gift for teaching that sets them apart. They inspire and motivate students, making learning a joyful and rewarding experience.

A TRAINED TEACHER

A trained teacher is an individual who has acquired the necessary skills, knowledge, and expertise through formal education, training, and experience to effectively teach and support students. Trained teachers possess:

1.Pedagogical knowledge: Understanding of teaching methods, learning theories, and curriculum design.

2.Subject matter expertise: In-depth knowledge of the subject they teach.

3.Classroom management skills: Ability to create a productive and respectful learning environment.

4.Lesson planning and delivery: Skill in designing and implementing engaging lessons.

5.Assessment and evaluation: Knowledge of various assessment methods to measure student progress.

6.Communication skills: Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, and colleagues.

7.Emotional intelligence: Self-awareness, empathy, and social skills to support students' emotional needs.

8.Adaptability and flexibility: Ability to adjust teaching methods to meet diverse student needs.

9.Continuous learning: Commitment to ongoing professional development and staying updated on best practices.

10. Reflective practice: Ability to reflect on their teaching, assess effectiveness, and make improvements.

Trained teachers have developed their skills through:

-Bachelor's, master's degrees or PhD in education or related fields

-Teacher training programs and certifications

-Workshops, conferences, and continuous professional development

-Mentorship and coaching from experienced educators

Trained teachers are well equipped to provide high-quality education, support student growth, and foster a love of learning.

[hooniee]

 — ꒰‧⁺paris run away  *ೃ༄

↷ heeseung x reader ⋯ ♡ᵎ

↷genre: fluff | comdey ⋯ ♡ᵎ

↷ warnings: not proofread | none! ⋯ ♡ᵎ

↷ synopsis: (y/n) just graduates from high school and feel incomplete but doesn’t know what’s missing. a trip to paris might be able to fix that ⋯ ♡ᵎ 

↷ author note: this is @enhypenwriters​ event of the month! strangers to lovers <3 i think this was my favorite to write out of the three pieces but i feel like it’s lacking some flare :( i think it still turned out okay though. i hope you enjoy <3 ⋯ ♡ᵎ

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

you should have listened to sunoo when he said that it wasn't a good plan to travel to a foreign country on impulse.

you wouldn’t say you’ve ever been the most courageous person in your life. determined to break that trend, you planned this super out of the blue trip without much thought.

yeah. maybe this was a bit TOO courageous.

you didn't comprehend what compelled you yet here you were, arriving at paris charles de gaulle airport.

you stared at the large windows of the airport, viewing the plane that you had just left.

the gate for the concluding passengers had been locked by the flight stewardesses.

one of the stewardesses obtained eye contact with you, before shooting a smile and lightly bowing her head.

you absentmindedly returned the gesture, mind elsewhere.

bustling throughout the airport were people hurrying to their connecting flight or slumping into their lover's arms

people carried two or more suitcases with various bags strapped on their bodies, nothing on you besides a petite sling purse and one small carry on suitcase.

as weaved your way through the mass of stressed travelers, you briefly thought to yourself

how the hell did you get here?

2 days earlier

clusters of kids outfitted in blue gowns and caps could be recognized a mile away.

the graduation from high school to university.

your friend minji encloses her arm around your shoulder, your arm resting on her waist.

minji’s mom was stood in front of the both of you, gesturing wildly as she tried to take the ‘perfect graduation photo’ as she had put it

"okay pose! get a little closer, perfect. 1, 2, 3"  your friend's mom counts.

the camera shudders which creates a beaming light to flash, eyes faintly twitching.

shrieks could be heard throughout the campus as girls queued up to take their final photographs with the popular guys.

minji's mom draws back the camera and we check the picture.

"it's cute," minji exclaims, peering at it a bit more closer. you nod your head in approval.

you would miss minji, one of the friends you could constantly count on in math class when you neglected to do your homework from binging korean dramas.

"i'll send you the picture later (y/n)! don't forget about me alright? you have my socials and you can always talk to me," minji grasps your hands

you smile, feeling sad at the departure of your best friend, "of course minji, don't forget me either"

"i could never," she brings you into a secure hug.

"sweet pea perfume," you say and she chuckles. sweat pea was minji's preferred perfume and you would miss that aroma.

"i have to go now, but i'll see you around okay?" minji says.

you could notice tears well up in her eyes and she fans her eyes to prevent the tears.

"don't cry ji, i'll start crying," you joked. "i live near here and you can always visit me! my door will always be open."

she smiled, "the same goes for you." her mother shouts her name before she has to go.

"alright, see you around," you wave to her as she leaves.

on the opposite side of the garden, your mom signals to you with your bouquet of red roses in hand.

"are you ready honey?" she asks you and you smile, nodding your head.

the car ride was in pleasant quietness, light radio music fluttering in. you had taken off your cap and laid it in the car seat next to you accompanying with your bouquet. 

you had glimpsed outside to see your campus still arranged with your classmates, beaming and posing for additional pictures.

you bitterly smiled. 

for the first time, graduation didn't appear like one of those liberating scenes of a movie,

1 day ago

you sprawled on his bed, staring straight up. a fan in your hand, fanning the perspiration that threatened to come.

your eyes match the fan's speed directly above your neighbor and best friend, sunoo's, bed.

his air conditioner was broken. with the avail of those elementary paper fans and the only fan stationed in the house, you were able to find comfort

you questioned if he ever got frightened of it dropping on him when he slept.

sunoo occupies the bathroom that's joined to his room, applying some light powder.

your mind strays, more thoughts simmering in the back of your brain. you sigh for the 10th time and sunoo being exasperated, allows out a loud groan. 

it draws you out of your daze and you snap your head towards him."

"what is with you? what is on your mind sunshine?" he shuts his cushion, flinging himself on the bed.

"are you ever scared of the fan falling on you?" you felt the bed dip

"no, it's been like that for years, and don't change the subject. what's wrong?" sunoo retorted 

"what makes you say that? i'm fine, " you answer

"uh-huh," sunoo rolls his eyes

it's the blatant eye-roll rather than the hushed one, he implied business

"you've been sighing for the past ten minutes, spill," sunoo says

of course, sunoo could recognize your distress. what sort of best friend would he be if he couldn't distinguish your emotions?

you huff, " okay then"

"i don't know why but i just feel stuck? i just graduated high school and nothing feels different, i mean it doesn't have to, but what do i do now? maybe i just watched too many movies"

sunoo tsked, " (y/n). sweetie, i graduated last year and i'm still stuck here. i do nothing besides go out or stay in my room. no in-between."

"but you have something sunoo. you have a bunch of your friends, you're an instagram star and i don't know, it's just different, "

it was accurate, sunoo was extremely popular. he had a bunch of friends and acquaintances from being the vice president. 

sunoo inflated up on social media for his content from makeup to dance practices, a versatile instagram star.

you conceal your face with your hands before emitting a loud groan.

sunoo remarks, "i don't know how i can help you (y/n)? maybe you should try to rest a bit"

"easy for you to say, you, who isn’t dealing with a mid-life crisis, " you whine.

"this isn't a mid-life crisis, this is a post-graduation crisis which is totally normal. how about going out of town? obviously not to paris or whatever but maybe, what was her name again? minjoo's town!" sunoo suggested.

"obviously not to paris"

"not to paris"

"to paris"

"paris"

what about paris? paris was considerably away from your town and had a ring on the tip of your tongue. 

you had sprung up, grasping sunoo by the shoulder and shaking him, "you're a genius sunoo! paris is a genius idea."

sunoo's eyes widen and he shakes his head while attempting to pry your hands off of him.

"no, you have to think rationally-"

you released sunoo from your hold which let him stabilize his spinning head.

"and i am! i need something new. being in this town for my whole life makes me realize, maybe i just need a spontaneous trip. "

your words scarcely blur together, adrenaline rushing through your blood as you understood this could jolt you out of your post-graduation slump.

"but-"

"no buts! pass me my laptop,"

present-day

you are currently disliking your choice, anxiety rushing through your veins, but it's too overdue to have other opinions.

you had landed in france and this was a life-altering moment; a chance of a lifetime.

peering nearby, you squint at the tiny english translations of the signs. you pull out your phone.

you open up the camera to see if zooming in would improve it for your eyes. as if on cue, your stomach rumbles vaguely making you startled.

you panicked as the pocket that was previously supplied with snacks became loaded with empty wrappers.

maybe if you would be lost in this wonderful city, you might as well try some of their famous pastries.

your muscles had retracted, the result of finally getting some movement after being restrained in a metal machine that was adjacent to the fiery sun.

you stumbled across this petite bakery and enter, sparingly bowing your head. 

the owner was an older lady with her greying hair that designed it to resemble ashy highlights, pulled into a loose bun.

"que puis-je vous offrir?" she smiles.

"i'm sorry, i don't speak french?" you admit, embarrassed

as much as you assumed duolingo and rosetta stone could benefit you on a flight to paris, the only thing you could accomplish to say without messing up is "bonjour"

"that's fine mademoiselle! what can i offer you?" the lady shifts to englsih

you let out a sigh of relief, appreciative for blundering into this bakery.

"may i have your most popular pastry to go and a water bottle?" you smile, fishing out some euros.

you had looked down to the currency that you had exchanged before embarking on the plane.

"of course mademoiselle!" she says, reaching behind the counter and with her gloved hand, seizing a chocolate croissant.

"that will be 4.12 euros!" she rings you up in the cashier.

"is this the right amount? i'm not very good at counting euros," you revealed your hand where the money was.

she nodded her head and took the money, printing your receipt out. before giving you your receipt, she interviews you with a question that you weren't confident in answering"

"if you don't mind me asking, why are you here in france? not to sound rude! but i'm just curious"

you softly smile, sensing the kindness illuminating from her tone of voice. she wasn't rude at all and she was asking a simple question, but your brain struggled to obtain an answer.

"well, i would say i'm here to explore?  i just finished high school and life felt incomplete. my best friend jokingly said "go to paris" and so I booked a ticket."

you look back up at her to see her delicate gaze. the rustling of the paper bag stopped the moment of silence

"that's amazing mademoiselle! france is the city for that. you must visit the notre-dam cathedral while you're here, it's beautiful. and maybe even find some love?"

she winks at you and you engage with a small giggle.

just like the show "emily in paris," you could merely fantasize about living a life like hers but it was an altered universe. she was an employed woman and you; a fresh graduate from high school.

"maybe! but i'm not looking forward to dating right now"

it wasn't a lie nor the truth. you would love to date someone right now but dating someone from a foreign country with a language barrier? not the most desirable idea. the owner laughs, handing you your pastry and water bottle.

"thank you for dropping by here mademoiselle! please enjoy your time in france,"

"merci beaucoup" you stumbled out, providing a small wave out.

the airport seemed to be more crowded than before. slowly opening the wrapping, you take a bite of the chocolate croissant and let out an audible gasp.

unquestionably, one of the greatest pastries you have tried in your life.

you promptly pull out your phone, snapping a picture for your instagram story. it was an adorable picture with the bakery in the background with the chocolate croissant in hand.

with "just landed" as your caption, you posted it to your close friends story. almost a second later, sunoo request to video call you.

you were welcomed by a piercing shriek into the phone.

"YAH I WAS JUST GREETED BY YOUR PARENTS WHO SAID YOU WERE AT A SLEEPOVER FOR A COUPLE DAYS? SLEEPOVER MY FOOT? YOU'RE IN PARIS-" 

sunoo screeches over the phone and you timidly grimace, turning down the volume as people begin to stare.

"sunoo, i'm currently in a public airport with no earbuds plugged in, can you please STOP screaming?" you whispered audibly to him.

"OH, I FORG- sorry," sunoo sheepishly responds.

"my parents would never let me go this far so i just had to lie that i was going to a sleepover at minji's house which is out of town. plus i'm only going to be here for two days," you consult him.

"you saw me buy the tickets sunoo. why are you scolding me now? shouldn't you have tried to stop me while i was in the middle of buying the tickets?" you added.

"well now i want you to come back, who am i supposed to hang out with for the next 2 days?" 

though it was dark in the setting sunoo was in, you could practically see his pouting face.

"you could hang out with jake? or sunghoon? aren't they both your friends?"

jake and sunghoon went to the same school as sunoo and you're buddies with them. you've known each other since middle school but jake and sunghoon were always closer to each other just like you and sunoo.

"jake and sunghoon hyung are busy on a vacation together in the bahamas"

you stifled a laugh in, "good luck being alone for the next two days."

"not funny (y/n)! besides that point, what if you get caught?"

"don't worry, i won't get caught because you're the only one who knows about this .as long as you don't rat me out sunoo," you scowl at him.

"i won't, i won't, i promise but you have to buy me something? deal?”

you roll your eyes, "deal mr. sunoo-shi, i have to go now. i need to try to find my hotel"

"be safe, love you!"

"i will! love you too"

you sulk after the call ends. without your best friend on your side, you felt a little feeble and lost but it's not time to be pondering like that. 

paris awaits and you couldn't linger at the airport the whole day.

first challenge 

getting to your hotel was a struggling. wandering around a city with no basis of the language besides "hello" and "thank you so much", didn't do enough for you.

first, you had to find a taxi that could converse in english. most people had turned you down as you couldn't speak french.

thankfully, it was a fortunate day and you met this kind lady who had coffee-colored curly locks, gentle chocolate eyes, and light freckles scattered around her face.

"do you speak english?" you crisscrossed your fingers, your legs close to giving out after scrambling for taxi drivers

"yeah, i do mademoiselle! would you like to hop in?" she extended a friendly smile and you had never felt bricks lift off your chest faster.

she opened the back of the taxi and you scouted in, permitting your purse to lay on your lap.

the women examined both directions of the road, looking out for passing cars and entered the driver's seat.

"where are you heading mademoiselle?"

you swiftly pull out your phone to your notes, "hotel le walt paris?"

you corked your eyebrow, making sure it was the right name before she nodded her head. 

"a very famous hotel huh? right near the eiffel tower. i recommend that you wait till it gets dark and sit on the balcony to see the eiffel tower with lights. it's beautiful"

you smiled at the kind words of the lady, "i will surely try that! thank you miss..?"

"elena! elena is fine and you mademoiselle?"

"i'm (y/n)"

"it's nice to meet you"

"likewise"

the entire ride, you felt at some peace finally conversing with someone who understood english,

 after a 30 minute drive, you had arrived at your destination.

feeling a sad departure from this mellow woman, who turned out to be 19 seeking to make some pocket money in the summer, she was one of the first people that you had grown connected with throughout this ride.

"elena, though it was a short time, thank you for keeping company"

you present her with a warm smile as she unlocks the door for you. you exit the taxi, clasping at your phone.

"here, give me your phone."

you softly planted it in elena's hand. you were perplexed about why she showed you your home screen until you realized you had a password.

you enter your password, giving it back to her. she did a bit of clicking and you could see her hands typing something in before returning the phone back to you.

"that's my instagram, stay in contact with me alright?"

you felt the sides of your lips curve into a slight smile. you dragged her into a soft hug.

"thank you elena"

she visibly hesitant before easing into the hug. she softly rubbed your back.

"i have to go, i might get fired if i stay here too long"

you bided her a fare-well. thirty minutes was an extended time to get a know a person.

and that was the first friend you met in france.

second challenge

checking into your hotel wasn't as difficult. most people could speak english and besides the uncanny looks that you received from the clerk, check-in was pretty smooth.

"here you are mademoiselle" the bellman lowers your suitcase in front of your hotel door.

"merci beaucoup,"  you smile and he returns the gesture before leaving you.

you look down in your hand where you are grasping the card tightly. you scan the card against the door meter and it flickers twice. 

red, green

the door clicks before you push on it and reveal your hotel room.

at first glance, your mouth dropped.

the hotel room seemed better than it did on the online photographs which was a rare possibility.

though it was a small room, it was renovated beautifully.

overhead the king-sized bed, there was an extensive painting of the eiffel tower. a blue chair that held a place directly by the bed along with a little wooden table.

the hotel was fine but you definitely weren't

"(y/n) shut down in,"

"3"

"2"

"1"

before thinking, you throw yourself on the bed having the jet-lag kicking in. the bag offers a 'thump' sound as it connects with the ground.

'ouch that hurt'

you fish through your pocket, pulling out your phone. it was hardly twelve pm and you were already fatigued.

what was your strategy? you were in france for two days and you don't have a plan to do anything.

first things first, you needed to sort out this jet-lag.

 1) taking a shower

showers are always a great way to awaken and could shake you from this daze. you endured a scream as your water turned to be ice cold. someone must be utilizing the hot water. that shower unmistakably woke you up

2) skincare

after getting out of the shower, skincare was the secondary way to wake up. cleansing with toner, dropping essence into the skin, and implementing a nice coat of moisturizer to lock-in.

3) fueling with food

food can beat anybody out of slumber if they're fueled with enthusiasm but you didn't have any food on you? that indicates it's time to go out and explore france.

unfastening up your suitcase, you drabble on what you can wear.

reconciling with a simple pair of denim shorts and a light pink tank top, you catch a fast mirror selfie.

being content with the ultimate product, you smile to yourself.

"phone, key, wallet," you whispered, securing the thoughts of having everything. 

everything was arranged to go and it was time to tour paris.

third challenge 

cruising through paris would be by notably the toughest challenge while you were here.

you had your phone to navigate solely with wifi and you couldn't be that favorable to be able to meet people who could speak english all the time. 

you had entered a small restaurant, where you worked to communicate with people in defective french but they moderately understood what you wanted.

after that fiasco trying to order a chicken frricassee, you were able to appreciate your time there along with sending a picture to sunoo who reacted with,

"can that be the souvenir you bring back to me TT?"

you chuckled at the message, knowing typical sunoo, and finished up eating.

eating wasn't the one exclusive thing available in france. there were various activities but you were too afraid to venture any future for the hotel. getting lost too was easy.

that being said, eating after eating all you could do was roam around the city. it was around 2pm and you could spot a diverse crowd of people.

you could see kids. in uniforms that just got out of school or a cute couple that was experiencing their date.

you slightly squint and cover your eyes as the sun is at its highest point.

yes, paris was lovely and you would prefer to travel more but but you didn’ toriginally have a plan

for a couple of hours, you completed wandering around the area where your hotel is. you wished at moments like this that you would have jungwon, sunoo's friend, with you to help navigate you.

 jungwon was also a friend you guys met in middle school but he went to your school. very mature for his age and great at preparation.

before you knew it, the sun had died down and it was time to retreat to the hotel.

'ah right! elena told me to look out at the eiffel tower as it gets darker'

you softly tread back to your hotel, observing the blisters at the back of your foot.

you could clearly sense the entire day of walking take a toll on your body.

you scan your key card and fling your bag to the floor as soon as you get inside. you open up your suitcase to change into suitable sleeping clothes.

you briskly cleansed your face and tied your hair back.

you had approached the balcony, guessing how to cautiously open the glass door.

you gradually shift the handle to the right and the door made a scanty creek. you gingerly put more stress on it, opening the balcony wide.

a distinct gasp could be heard from you.

subsequently taking a step onto your balcony, the frail breeze made you quiver in the long black tee that adorned your top half and the sweatpants that settled on your waist.

the balcony was small, barely able to move besides staying still.

you had peered to your right, glancing at the eiffel tower.

elena was correct. the eiffel tower was breath-taking at night. for the first time when landing in france, you could feel in harmony. below you was a crowded street.

it was only 8 pm yet you could feel your eyes droop as opposed to the bouncy pair of kids that ran through the moobs of people.

the radiant yellowish glow of the eiffel tower was able to save you from dozing off. you softly hum 'fly me to the moon,'

'fly me to the moon,' didn't have significance, it felt appropriate in the second.

you hadn't regarded it but a figure had gently peeked out of the other balcony, attentively listening to the silky melody that you were humming.

"nice song"

a voice interrupts and your humming had come to a halt, eyes widened.

you had turned to the origin of the voice and discovered the culprit

the balcony alongside you.

"thank you"

you glanced over, granting him a slight smile before he returns it.

"new to paris?"

he questioned, now you guys facing each other.

"yeah, just arrived this morning, and you?"

you asked before he softly smiles.

"not really, i've been here multiple times but the feeling is something i'll get used too."

you hum as a response

"how did you know to speak english to me? do i really act like a foriegner?"

you were growing more drowsy but this stranger was fascinating. who else could say they met someone and talked to them from a balcony romance?

"english song, random guess"

you nodded your head, not certain if he could see you but that was all you could muster up.

there grows stillness beside the bustling street below until the stranger breaks it.

"i know this sounds weird but since you're new here, would you like to go out with me tomorrow to travel the city?"

that question felt like ice water was just splashed onto your face. the proposal startled you. 

the stranger didn't appear like a bad person. been to paris varied times, can acknowledge good music and good at conversation.

as much as this stranger flatter you, how could you trust him?

"as much as i would love to, how do i know that you're not trying to kidnap me, even worse, kill me?"

he stifles a laugh.

"hey knock it off, this is a very serious question, balcony boy"

you snicker, desiring to know the answer than anticipated.

"i promise you that i won't try to kidnap OR kill you. i'm just offering and you can even pat me down before we go out together."

this was by far one of the most peculiar offers you had received but this was THE stranger offer you came to france seeking.

you know sunoo would not advocate for numerous reasons and you can hear his voice already 

"number one, dangerous"

"number two, dangerous!"

"number three, DANGEROUS!"

but sunoo isn't here right now. you chose to grab the opportunity. france had provided you luck today.

"alright then"

a moment of silence goes by before you hear him clearing his throat.

"you're serious right?"

he glances at you and your eyes lock. though you can't see that well due to the absence of light, you nod.

the eiffel tower gave you enough light that you could make our curious eyes, tall nose, fair skin that radiated in the soft lighting, and full lips that were curved into a smile

"i'll see you at the lobby at eight,"

next morning

to say you were nervous was an understatement, you were terrified. you agreed to a stranger who claimed to know paris like the back of his palm. you met him off your balcony and now you were agreeing to go a date with him? 

"you must be out of your mind!" sunoo exclaimed through the phone.

"well yes i must have been at 8 pm last night when fatigue was hitting the hardest but how can i say no now?"

"i don't know maybe, I DON'T KNOW YOU STRANGER DANGER?" sunoo shouts

and like you foretold last night, sunoo was not a big supporter of this idea. over the course of fifteen minutes, you had been continuously scolded by him.

you cringe, " sunoo, i promise that i'll be fine. i just need you to help me pick out an outfit"

sunoo rolls his eyes, "what are your options?"

though sunoo wasn't supportive of this, he couldn't let you go on a date without style.

you held up two choices; a blue floral dress that settled to your mid-thigh and a pink tennis skirt with a white cami shirt.

"well do we like this guy or do we like LIKE this guy?" sunoo questioned.

"what- well i literally met him last night? so i don't even like him, we're just going out for this one day since he offered"

"uh-huh, then the blue floral dress, it's hot there right?" sunoo says

"super hot," you groan.

you glance at the time, 7:00 am.

"i have to start getting ready sunoo, i'll update you later alright?" you smile

"alright, try not to get killed but have fun too! love you"

"love you too," you say back before hanging up.

you quickly hop in the shower and make sure to not take too long.

doing skincare, putting on the outfit, and spraying a little bit of perfume, you are ready to head out the door.

one last check to make sure you have all the things.

7:58 am

you quickly head down to see several people in the lobby.

a bellman, a pair of teenage girls who seemed like they were dragged here, a couple around the mid-40s trying to check-in, and a teenage boy that rested on one of the lobby seats.

it was evident who the balcony boy was but you just called out to be safe.

"balcony boy," you say.

the teenage boy that was seated turns around before flashing you a smile. 

"miss singer,"

you airly chuckle at the nickname.

observing him in person was a lot different. you could see his long body proportion, bright eyes, sharp jawline, with fair skin that complimented his rich brown hair.

a distinct experience from seeing him on the balcony.

"i'm (y/n)! and you?" you ask

"i'm lee heeseung"

[7r0773r]

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, translated by Richard Philcox

The colonized world is a world divided in two. The dividing line, the border, is represented by the barracks and the police stations. In the colonies, the official, legitimate agent, the spokesperson for the colonizer and the regime of oppression, is the police officer or the soldier. In capitalist societies, education, whether secular or religious, the teaching of moral reflexes handed down from father to son, the exemplary integrity of workers decorated after fifty years of loyal and faithful service, the fostering of love for harmony and wisdom, those aesthetic forms of respect for the status quo, instill in the exploited a mood of submission and inhibition which considerably eases the task of the agents of law and order. In capitalist countries a multitude of sermonizers, counselors, and “confusion-mongers” intervene between the exploited and the authorities. In colonial regions, however, the proximity and frequent, direct intervention by the police and the military ensure the colonized are kept under close scrutiny, and contained by rifle butts and napalm. We have seen how the government’s agent uses a language of pure violence. The agent does not alleviate oppression or mask domination. He displays and demonstrates them with the clear conscience of the law enforcer, and brings violence into the homes and  minds of the colonized subject. (On Violence, pp. 3-4)

***

A world compartmentalized, Manichaean and petrified, a world of statues: the statue of the general who led the conquest, the statue of the engineer who built the bridge. A world cocksure of itself, crushing with its stoniness the backbones of those scarred by the whip. That is the colonial world. The colonial subject is a man penned in; apartheid is but one method of compartmentalizing the colonial world. The first thing the colonial subject learns is to remain in his place and not overstep its limits. (On Violence, p. 15)

***

The colonized intellectual has invested his aggression in his barely veiled wish to be assimilated to the colonizer’s world. He has placed his aggression at the service of his own interests, his interests as an individual. The result is the ready emergence of a kind of class of individually liberated slaves, of freed slaves. The intellectual calls for ways of freeing more and more slaves and ways of organizing a genuine class of the emancipated. The masses, however, have no intention of looking on as the chances of individual success improve. What they demand is not the status of the colonist, but his place. In their immense majority the colonized want the colonist’s farm. There is no question for them of competing with the colonist. They want to take his place. (On Violence, pp. 22-23)

***

The people discover that the iniquitous phenomenon of exploitation can assume a black or Arab face. They cry treason, but in fact the treason is not national but social, and they need to be taught to cry thief. (Grandeur and Weakness of Spontaneity, p. 94)

***

In these poor, underdeveloped countries where, according to the rule, enormous wealth rubs shoulders with abject poverty, the army and the police force form the pillars of the regime; both of which, in accordance with another rule, are advised by foreign experts. The strength of this police force and the power of this army are proportional to the marasmus that afflicts the rest of the nation. The national bourgeoisie sells itself increasingly openly to the major foreign companies. Foreigners grab concessions through kickbacks, scandals abound, ministers get rich, their wives become floozies, members of the legislature line their pockets, and everybody, down to police officers and customs officials, joins hands in this huge caravan of corruption. (The Trials and Tribulations of National Consciousness, p. 117)

***

A country which really wants to answer to history, which wants to develop its towns and the minds of its inhabitants, must possess a genuine party. The party is not an instrument in the hands of the government. Very much to the contrary, the party is an instrument in the hands of the people. It is the party which decides on the policy enacted by the government. The party is not and never should be merely a political bureau where all the members of government and dignitaries of the regime feel free to congregate. Alas all too often it is the party which makes up the entire political bureau and its members reside permanently in the capital. In an underdeveloped country the leading party members should flee the capital like the plague. With the exception of a few, they should reside in the rural areas. Centralizing everything in the capital should be avoided. No administrative pretext can justify the bustle of the capital already overpopulated and overdeveloped compared with nine tenths of the territory. The party must be decentralized to the limit. This is the only way to revive regions that are dead, the regions that have not yet woken up to life. (The Trials and Tribulations of National Consciousness, pp. 127-28)

***

But can we escape vertigo? Who dares claim that vertigo does ot prey on every life? (Colonial War and Mental Disorders, p. 185)

***

Comrades, have we nothing else to do but create a third Europe? The West saw itself on a spiritual adventure. It is in the name of the Spirit, meaning the spirit of Europe, that Europe justified its crimes and legitimized the slavery in which it held four fifths of humanity.

Yes, the European spirit is built on strange foundations. The whole of European thought developed in places that were increasingly arid and increasingly inaccessible. Consequently, it was natural that the chances of encountering man became less and less frequent.

A permanent dialogue with itself, an increasingly obnoxious narcissism inevitably paved the way for a virtual delirium where intellectual thought turns into agony since the reality of man as a living, working, self-made being is replaced by words, an assemblage of words and the tensions generated by their meanings. There were Europeans, however, who urged the European workers to smash this narcissism and break with this denial of reality.

Generally speaking, the European workers did not respond to the call. The fact was that the workers believed they too were part of the prodigious adventure of the European spirit.

All the elements for a solution to the major problems of humanity existed at one time or another in European thought. But the Europeans did not act on the mission that was designated them and which consisted of virulently pondering these elements, modifying their configuration, their being, of changing them and finally taking the problem of man to an infinitely higher plane.

Today we are witnessing a stasis of Europe. Comrades, let us flee this stagnation where dialectics has gradually turned into a logic of the status quo. Let us reexamine the question of man. Let us reexamine the question of cerebral reality, the brain mass of humanity in its entirety whose affinities must be increased, whose connections must be diversified and whose communications must be humanized again.

Come brothers, we have far too much work on our hands to revel in outmoded games. Europe has done what it had to do and all things considered, it has done a good job; let us stop accusing it, but let us say to it firmly it must stop putting on such a show. We no longer have reason to fear it, let us stop then envying it. 

The Third World is today facing Europe as one colossal mass whose project must be to try and solve the problems this Europe was incapable of finding the answers to. 

But what matters now is not a question of profitability, not a question of increased productivity, not a question of production rates. No, it is not a question of back to nature. It is the very basic question of not dragging man in directions which mutilate him, of not imposing on his brain tempos that rapidly obliterate and unhinge it. The notion of catching up must not be used as a pretext to brutalize man, to tear him from himself and his inner consciousness, to break him, to kill him. 

No, we do not want to catch up with anyone. But what we want is to walk in the company of man, every man, night and day, for all times. It is not a question of stringing the caravan out where groups are spaced so far apart they cannot see the one in front, and men who no longer recognize each other, meet less and less and talk to each other less and less.

The Third World must start over a new history of man which takes account of not only the occasional prodigious theses maintained by Europe but also its crimes, the most heinous of which have been committed at the very heart of man, the pathological dismembering of his functions and the erosion of his unity, and in the context of the community, the fracture, the stratification and the bloody tensions fed by class, and finally, on the immense scale of humanity, the racial hatred, slavery, exploitation and, above all, the bloodless genocide whereby one and a half billion men have been written off. (Conclusion, pp. 237-38)

[hr-labs]

How to recognise and reward your employees?

Do you understand the importance of praising an employee for a job well done?

During a very challenging year, we learned a lot about the positive impact that fun and easy employee recognition can have on employee motivation and team morale.

To acquire and retain the top performers, you must build a workplace culture where employee recognition is the everyday norm. This essential guide provides the basics of employee rewards and recognition and how to support a culture that engages and retains employees.

Even though employees receive a salary, they still get a spark of joy and excitement when offered a genuine and spontaneous gift and appreciation.

Here are some compelling findings from research and industry surveys on employee rewards and recognition:

1. According to this study, 37% of employees consider recognition is must.

2. 94% of HR professionals agreed that an effective rewards and recognition program helps drive business results and increases employee retention. (Source)

3. Well-designed rewards and recognition programs can drive an 11.1% increase in average employee performance. (Source)

4. 83% of HR Leaders say an employee recognition program benefits organizational values. (Source)

5. 53% of people said feeling more appreciation from their boss would help them stay longer at their company. (Source)

6. According to Cicero, 69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better appreciated.

7. When asked what leaders could do to improve engagement, 58% of professionals endorsed giving recognition. (Source)

8. According to Gallup’s research, lack of recognition is one of the most common reasons why employees leave an organization.

9. 59% of employees feel they’re not being rewarded effectively. (Source)

10. A survey found that 47% of employees want to receive a personalized reward spontaneously. (Source)

Employee Reward and Gift Ideas

1. Reward points

Create a point-based reward system for ongoing recognition. Employees are awarded points for every time they do a great job. Also, allow employees to redeem their points for gifts. You could offer a variety of rewards for the employees to select from.

2. Gift cards

There is no end to the choice of gift cards that you can give to your employees. Be it Amazon, Flipkart, or beauty brands like Bodyshop, etc., you can choose from any of them depending upon the preferences of your employees. Alternatively, you can also gift them a meal voucher or a spa coupon that could make it a perfect day for them.

3. Surprise gift bag

You can make the whole gift-giving fun by curating a few combinations of gift hampers for your employees. The hamper can have items such as gift vouchers, office essentials, phone covers, water bottles, chocolate, cookies, etc.

4. Company swag

Company swag kits are a great way to build team culture and engagement. What can you include in this kit?

– T-shirts

– Water bottles

– Socks

– Mugs

– Tech Accessories

– Sneakers

– Notebooks

– Stickers

(Company branding logos on all the products)

5. Online classes

There’s a plethora of online classes and courses out there for every subject under the sun. Offering sponsored online classes of their choice to employees make for a great corporate reward option.

6. Cab credits

If your employees travel to work or otherwise, offer them cab credits. Help them cut down on their commute expenses.

7. Free event tickets

Event tickets are another great, custom-tailored reward you can offer to your employees. A cricket match being organized in your employee’s city? Give them free tickets to witness the thrill and craze with their own eyes.

8. Vacation benefits

You can offer vacation stipends to improve an employee’s long-term health and well-being. Vacations allow employees to spend quality time with family and friends and return to work recharged.

9. Subscription

We live in a world of subscriptions, right from Spotify Premium to Apple Music Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Zomato Gold, and many more. Everyone these days has a playlist that is jarred by the occurrence of an ad. Or, they are missing out on some great content in their free time.

10. Book club

Have a few bookworms on your team? Having a book club can bring coworkers together in wonderful ways. Let them choose the book format — whether it’s an audiobook, ebook, or printed book.

11. Pet at the office

Having a pet-friendly office has a ton of benefits for employees. Banfield’s PAWrometer™ shows that 67% of employees believe pets help increase productivity. Allowing pets in the office can help in reducing stress and making people friendlier.

Employee Recognition Ideas

“Take time to appreciate employees, and they will reciprocate in a thousand ways.” –Dr. Bob Nelson

Here are some employee recognition ideas that your employees will love:

1. Thank you note or card

One of the easiest and effective ways to recognize great work is by handwriting a thank you letter. Or just leave a sticky note saying “Thank you message” on their desk.

2. Celebrate employee anniversaries and birthdays

If you want your employees to have a sense of belonging in your organization, you must make their journey valuable. One of the best ways to do this is by celebrating their birthdays and anniversaries. Send them personalized emails or arrange a small team get-together to cut the cake.

4. Wall of fame

How about a wall of fame with pictures of your top-performing employees? You can either arrange this for individual teams or an entire floor. Pick a board and just put it over a wall. Now, put up the pictures of your top-performing employees either in a team or from the entire office. This employee recognition idea works by the power of social influence.

5. Performance-based recognition

Performance-based awards have continuously proved to be a compelling source of recognition for a long time. For example, some of your team members might have helped improve social media engagement rate significantly. Therefore, they must be rewarded for their due efforts.

6. Appreciate non-work achievements

Sometimes non-work achievements must also be recognized by the organization. They might be creating something, helping an entire community get educated, volunteering, or anything else. Let everyone know about these people by celebrating their achievements at work.

FAQs

Why are employee recognition and rewards important?

Employee recognition and rewards acknowledge an employee for their contributions and promote motivation, job satisfaction, self‐esteem, and other positive outcomes.

What are the key elements of a successful recognition program?

Here are some key elements of a successful recognition and reward program: – Timely and specific recognition – Involvement of top management – Peer-to-Peer recognition – Integration of core company values

What are some guidelines for providing recognition feedback?

When providing recognition feedback, this model –   As Soon – Timing is important; don’t delay praise As Sincere – Do it because you are truly appreciative As Specific – Give details about the achievement As Personal – Do in person (or handwritten note) As Proactive – Do not wait for perfect performance

Hope this quick guide helps!

[antoine-roquentin]

Wendy Brown, In the Ruins of Neoliberalism:

Of all the neoliberal intellectuals, Friedrich Hayek criticized most systematically the notion of the social and society and offered the most sustained critique of social democracy. Hayek’s hostility toward the social is overdetermined, one might even say over the top, as it seeks epistemological, ontological, political, economic, and even moral grounds. He deems the very notion of the social false and dangerous, meaningless and hollow, destructive and dishonest, a “semantic fraud.” Concern with the social is the signature of all misbegotten efforts at controlling collective existence, the token of tyranny. Hayek deems “society” a “makeshift phrase,” the “new deity to which we complain . . . if it does not fulfill the expectations it has created.” 15 At best, he says, the term carries nostalgia for ancient worlds of small and intimate associations and falsely presupposes “a common pursuit of shared purposes.” At worst, it is a cover for the coercive power of government. 16 Social justice is a “mirage,” and attraction to it is “the gravest threat to most other values of a free civilization.” 17 How can society and social justice be all of these things? And what is the taproot of Hayek’s animus toward society and social justice?

The first clue rests in Hayek’s frustration with the ambiguity of the modern meaning of “society.” The fact that it denotes so many different kinds of human connection “falsely suggests that all such systems are of the same kind,” and Hayek sees more than mere sloppiness in society’s semantic slide from small chosen groups to nation-states. 18 Noting that the Latin origin of the term (societas, from soctus) implies a personally known fellow or companion, Hayek detects a danger- ous romance with a lost past in its contemporary usage, where “society” is inappropriately used to denote impersonal, unintentional, and undesigned human cooperation on a mass scale. Complex interdependence in modernity, Hayek says, does not arise from fellow feeling or organized common pursuit, but from individuals following rules of conduct that emanate from markets and moral traditions. 19 To call this “society” wrongly conflates “such completely different formations as the companionship of individuals in constant personal contact and the structure formed by millions who are connected only by signals resulting from long and infinitely ramified chains of trade.” 20 More than merely being wrong, however, this conflation reveals the “concealed desire” by social justice or planning advocates to model modern orders on intentional, organized notions of the good— the stuff of totalitarianism. Hayek spies a second dangerous illusion in the idea and idealization of society. The concept, Hayek says, is based on a false personification of a collection of individuals and a false animism in which “what has been brought about by the impersonal and spontaneous processes of the extended order” is imagined to be “the result of deliberate human creation.” 21 Both the personification and the animism generate the conceit that certain things are “of value to society” and ought to be sup- ported by the state (legitimating its extended reach and coercive power), things that can be valued only by individuals or groups. 22 Personification and animism also lead to the belief that society is more than the effects of spontaneous processes and can there- fore be manipulated or mobilized as a whole; this is the basis of totalitarianism. 23 And they lead to the belief that society is the product of design, improvable by a more rational design, one that would trammel the evolved traditions and freedoms that are the true basis of order, innovation, and progress. 24 Above all, false personification and animism wrongly produce society as a tableau for justice. If society is imagined to exist apart from individuals, and if its order is thought to be the effect of deliberate construction, it follows that it ought to be designed by designers in a justice- minded way. This opens the door to unlimited state intervention in both markets and moral codes, which, Hayek argues, have “a peculiar self- accelerating tendency”: The more dependent the position of the individuals or groups is seen to become on the actions of government, the more they will insist that the governments aim at some recognizable scheme of distributive justice; and the more governments try to realize some preconceived pattern of desirable distribution, the more they must subject the position of the different individuals and groups to their control. So long as the belief in “social justice” governs political action, this process must progressively approach nearer and nearer to a totalitarian system. 25 Hayek’s alternative to state- administered planning or justice is not, as is commonly said, free market capitalism. Rather, as chapter 3 will elaborate in more detail, morals and markets together generate the evolved and disciplined conduct to “create and sustain the extended order.” Evolved conduct “stands between instinct and reason” and cannot be submitted to rational justification, even if it may be rationally reconstructed. 26 Although we can retrospectively articulate the function of both markets and morals, they are not the product of a functionalist design; indeed, their evolutionary emergence and inchoate operation are fundamental to Hayek: “If we stopped doing everything for which we do not know the reason, or for which we cannot provide a justification . . . we would probably very soon be dead.” 27 Markets and morals, then, are neither commensurate with nor opposed to reason, neither rational nor irrational. Rather, they endure and are valid because they arise “spontaneously,” evolve and adapt “organically,” knit human beings together independently of intentions, and establish rules of conduct with- out relying on state coercion or punishment. Both markets and moral tradition generate a dynamic, rather than static order and bring into being new human “powers that would otherwise not exist.” 28 Both propagate felicitous conduct in large populations without relying on the overreach of human intention or the fallacies of human reason and without employing the powers of the state. Markets and morals, for Hayek, also reveal the true nature of justice— its exclusive concern with conduct, rather than with effects or results. Justice is only about correct principles, universally applied, not conditions or states of affairs. 29 Justice also has nothing to do with rewarding effort or the deserving. Hayek even considers the Utilitarians erroneous in this regard, especially John Stuart Mill, whom he criticizes for writing that a just “society should treat all equally well who have deserved equally well of it.” 30 Most significantly, he attacks Horatio Alger for popularizing the idea that capitalism’s best defense is its rewards for the hard-working. 31 In fact, Hayek declares repeatedly, markets reward contributions, nothing more. 32 Such contributions, like wealth or innovation, may or may not be the fruit of great effort and, conversely, long and intense labors may come to little. 33 Hayek knows this may be disappointing, but claims it is not unjust— conflation of the one with the other is the great mistake of social democrats. Traditional moral systems parallel markets in many ways, Hayek adds, especially in their provision of order without design and their location of justice in rules, rather than in outcomes. Moral traditions generate an “inherited system of value,” which is “a device for coping with our constitutional ignorance,” an ignorance comprising both the vast unknowability of the world and all the consequences of our actions. 34 If we knew every- thing, could anticipate all effects of action, and could agree “on the relative importance of . . . ends,” Hayek says, “there would be no need for rules,” including those of moral conduct. 35 Moral rules are ultimate values, then, not because they solve the problem of unknowable facts and unshared ends, but because they provide codes for action despite this problem— they are a peculiar kind of deference to unknowability. As such, however, they can only guide moral conduct; they cannot themselves generate a moral order. In the same way that effort may be incommensurate with reward in the economic domain, “moral conduct will not necessarily gratify moral desires” for particular outcomes. 36 This may seem woefully unfair and even unreasonable, just as repeatedly losing at a game of chance does. “We understandably dislike morally blind results,” Hayek writes of moral- economic arrangements generated by spontaneous order and protected from political interference, but they are the hard truth of free and progressive human history in a world where we are too ignorant to plot predictable collective outcomes or agree on common values. Moreover, “the fruitless attempt to render a situation just whose outcome, by its nature, cannot be determined by what anyone does or can know, only damages the functioning of the process itself.” 37 And then, Hayek darts past the claim that the morally upright or the hard- working may not be rewarded for their virtue to declare that “inequality is essential to development” and “evolution cannot be just” in the popular sense of the word. 38 True justice requires that the rules of the game are universally known and applied, but every game has winners and losers, and civilization cannot evolve without leaving behind the effects of weakness and failure as well as chance. Thus, he describes the “game” that will advance civilization, satisfy wants, disperse information, feature liberty, and is wholly “undesigned’ while still being capable of improvement: It proceeds, like all games, according to rules guiding the actions of individual participants whose aims, skills and knowledge are different, with the consequence that the outcome will be unpredictable and that there will regularly be winners and losers. And while, as in a game, we are right in insisting that it be fair and that nobody cheat, it would be nonsensical to demand that the results for the different players be just. They will of necessity be determined partly by skill and partly by luck. 39 Now we are in a position to understand what Hayek considers so dangerous about the “social justice warriors” who would remake the world according to a rational plan or grand moral calculus. They draw on the “fatal conceit” of society and wrong- headed principle of equality to attack the twin pillars of civilization, traditional morality and competitive markets. They are spirited by a form of social and intellectual primitivism that imagines a director behind “all self- ordering processes” and lacks the maturity to fathom historical evolution and social cooperation that exceed intentional design. 40 They are childlike as well in demanding equality of outcomes. They inappropriately submit morality to rational standards and conflate market and moral justice with outcomes, rather than rules. They intervene in markets in ways that damage innovation, development, and spontaneous order. 41 More than being merely misguided, social justice attacks the justice, freedom, and civilizational development secured by markets and morals. If belief in the social and political stewardship of society is what takes us down this path, then society must be dismantled.

[guruji]

What colour combination should I use in my website and how it will help your visitors on the long run

To some people, the more colourful it is the merrier it is. However, in a more general definition of a well balanced website appearance, it is not always the case. Words such as nice, wow or beautiful can be very subjective when it comes to evaluating the appearance of a particular website. For some, a colourful, flashy and bright website can be appealing while a darker theme could be better for others. So the main question now is - how do you go about choosing the right colours for your website?

The biggest and most widely practised concept of web colour implementation is the RYB approach. Being the main three colours, Red (R), Yellow (Y) and Blue (B), hence RYB, these 3 colours are known to have a great impact on how web visitors react and interpret messages on your webpages. You'll realize that most of the links on the web are underlined in a default blue. Error messages are usually in red. Yellow provides a nice light addition which compliments dark backgrounds really well. Orange (red + yellow) texts for example is extremely popular with black backgrounds. Try it and you know why. Take a look at www.microsoft.com for example. It has an excellent application of the primary and secondary colours together with the support of black and white. Apply this technique to your web designs and you'll improve the overall layout appearance significantly, if not greatly.

Different classification of websites require different approach. In most cases, you don't want to have a corporate website with a black or any extremely dark background. Apparently a white background seems to signify formality and a certain level of layout cleanliness. Not that a dark background can't have a clean cut look, it is just a typical mental translation of human observation that the colour white is in fact the cleaner one or simply easier on the eyes. Black background in the other hand, frequently portrays something which is fancy, elegant, playful yet has a reasonable level of seriousness in it.

A majority of designers or rather webpage creators believe the role of emphasization by utilizing light and dark colours. For example, a dark background combined with a light content area, simply attracts visitors to emphasize more in the middle, which happens to be the content area. It simple works too if you have a light coloured background with a dark content area. Alternatively you can add patterns or images into the background to spice things up. Just don't get these additional items to change the original apperance of your colours. The only issue with background with exceptionally large images is that it might kill some of the attention that you want your visitors to have on your main content.

There's nothing wrong with having a website with either a light or dark background, provided that it looks good, and of course if it is nicely presented together with a readable content with a friendly user interface. How do you know if it looks good is simply something that can't be measured by words, but rather by simply looking at it. If you look at it and by some spontaneous self agreement, that you think the colour fits perfectly with everything else, then you've hit the big jackpot. If it works otherwise, and you just feel like there's something wrong, play around with the colours till you have that comforting feeling that you've done a great job.

You might be thinking right now, which colour goes with which colour? You can either browse all over the net, looking at websites and noting down good combination of colours as you go or you can simply go to http://www.colormatch.dk. This website is extremely simple and easy to use, yet very powerful in terms of features. Simple and straightforward, you simply choose one dominant colour for your website and it'll simply chooses for you 6 other colours which compliments your main colour, together with the colour codes. Simple as 1-2-3. Note that colormatch.dk only works in Internet Explorer browsers. Try googling for colormatch and get enhanced and modified versions of the original.

Additionally, always try not to get your website too dark or too bright. You can use either one or both of them at the same time, but not too excessively, and try to find a supporting colour which compliments or enhances your initial choice. Try to balance up usage of colour tones all over your website too. If you think that the upper right of your website is too bright compared to the rest of your page, then either you reduce the brightness to equal the overall layout or simply brighten up the rest of the website, in a controlled manner of course. If you're adventurous, replicate that bright top right area to the bottom right area, making the right area somewhat a "bright coloured zone". The key point here is to maintain the balance of your colour usage. You don't want to drive a car with one of the door being slightly and yet obviously darker or lighter.

Lastly but not least, try to limit the number of colours to a reasonable amount. 2 to 4 are good amount of colours, not counting black and white. Black and white are just simply too important to not to be used. If you really need to use extra colours, try to use a darker or lighter version of your main colours. If your main colour is red, wine red, crimson or even maroon are good alternatives. Even certain tone of brown could actually look like red sometimes. Try to "recolour" your graphics or get some graphics which tally with your overall selection of colours.

Another good concept to follow is to apply a colour scheme according to your logo. If you logo has orange and black for example, try to enhance that colour by applying those same colours as well as the same colours with different tones throughout your whole website. Some designers even select their colours based on the pre selected images they have for their website. Certain images are just tend to be too exceptionally perfect to be omitted, thus explaining such occurrences.

I hope this guide will help you to get your colours right and have a better understanding of what to choose and what not to do in any of your future web design works. Nevertheless, try not to limit your creativity and imagination based solely on this article. Get your ideas flowing and experiment with your ideas constantly. Good luck!

Thanks and regards,

https://gurujisoftwares.com

[bstcanswerkey2020]

Challenges in Introducing Value Education at Higher Education in India

Valuation Education is the much debated and discussed subject in the plethora of education in India. Of course it can be true that the main purpose of any education will go with Value orientation. More concentration on Value education may be given at the primary and secondary level of school education than in higher education in India. Values may be effectively imparted to the young minds rather than to the matured ones. It may be the important reason for this prime relevance given at the school level. There are so many modules designed with the help of agencies like NCERT and others for properly imparting the value education to the school students. In this context, many innovative educational practices are being identified by way of the experts. Good number of experiments and studies are being conducted in the recent days on the effectiveness of showing value education at school level. Some schools have very innovative and radical course designs to help you impart the values. Effective teaching practices in imparting value education ranges from story telling, displays, skits, one act play and group discussions to various other formats. New methods have been evolved just by educationists to create an effective learning sphere. The usage of electronic gadgets also gains importance in the teaching-learning practices about value education. But at the higher education level, due to various reasons, the importance given to value education is not even though it is given at the school level. The curriculum and the teaching methods also could be subjected to scrutiny. It can be true that colleges are meant for a kind of specialization in some field of education. But in the Indian societal context, the youth require direction and counseling at this stage. They have been exposed to various challenges at this stage which necessitates the intervention of educationists for his/her betterment. His/her character building also strengthens at this juncture. Students' perception on various life factors and events are getting shaped at this stage. On the whole they evolve their own approach of life. Their sensitivity and knowledge are getting direction at this stage. Hence, an effective value orientation becomes certain to the students of colleges. Keeping this requirement in mind, States like Tamilnadu introduced a compulsory paper/course on value education to undergraduate students of all colleges in the State under the choice based credit program. Though this kind of effort is made with the good intention of imparting values to the youth, many limitations around bringing out the expected outcome could be identified. The problem mainly begins with the definition of values. Defining the concept 'value' poses a challenge to all scholars. The term value is loaded with varieties of meaning. Each meaning reflects its very own philosophical position. Generally the term value is spontaneously associated with religious values. It is believed by many Indians that values are nothing but the religious and spiritual guiding principles of life. Hence, it is thought that the path is already been laid for the life journey. But in the context of modernity and modernism there rises a fundamental question of whether value education is required at all in a modern state. There are people argue that modern life is based on science and technology, and both are value neutral. They see that the values are bugbear held out by people living in the past, glued to outdated religious basics that have no relevance to the 21st century. At this point, there is also another group of modernist who propagate the necessity connected with value education at learning centres in order to safe guard the democratic state and its values. The beliefs they wish to cultivate are modern secular values such as honesty, respect to other, equality, collectivity, democracy, improving the human rights, sharing equal space in the public sphere and so on. These values are considered as the solutions of enlightenment period. Hence, four positions could be arrived at on the basis of the above understanding. The are: 1 . There are actually religious values which are very much essential for every one and must be included in the curriculum. 2 . The religious values should never find place in the educational system. They may operate at the private sphere. 3. There are nonreligious secular figures and they must find space in the education. 4. There is no need for teaching value education in the academics as they cannot be cultivated through formal learning and such value cultivation will make the individual biased. In consequence so that you can these positions, following questions arouse. 1 . Whether value education should find place in the educational product? 2 . If it is required, then what sort of values should be given preference in the curriculum? 3. What is the importance being given to the religious values which are primarily developed on the basis of scriptures? 4. Can modern values alone are generally sufficient enough or is there any possibility of blending the values of modernity with religious values? 5. If religious values are to be given importance in the curriculum, which religion will find prime place? If there are actually contradictory propagation on a single virtue by two religions, then how are they to be handled? 6. Equally religions differ on the practices also. Right from eating patterns, dress mode, marriage systems, war tactics, destroying, punishments to various other aspects, religions differ on their outlook. In this situation, what sort of perceptions need to be taught? Furthermore these questions, another billion dollar question would be raised on the methodology of effectively imparting those worth. Then again as it is mentioned earlier, the school education can very well include this education easily because the model itself is advantageous for it to accommodate. But at the college level, the system finds it very difficult to work out. Which means this study could analyse the theoretical problems relating to the identification of values to be included in the curriculum with the one side and the problem of effective designing of the curriculum and imparting those values on the other side. II The necessity for imparting values to the students of all levels has been felt by everyone. The world today is usually facing unprecedented socio-political and economic challenges. Problems of life are becoming increasingly intense and complex. Standard values are decentered. 'An environment of strife pervades all countries and broken homes have become well-known. An insatiable hunger for money and power, leads most of people to tension and absence of peace of mind and a myriad of physical and mental ailments have become common place" 1 . In the present day context of frequent and often chaotic social upheavals, we have to look at the problem of restlessness of the youth, their frustration born out of futility health of their search for meaning of life and the purpose for which they are living, often leading to evil and wickedness. The following calls for a new approach to, and a new vision of education. It is obviously felt that the present educational procedure promotes rat race and keep the student community in a sense of insecurity. Educational institutions have become the pressure cookers building pressures in the minds of youth. Also a loft sided educational pattern which insists with instrumental and technical rationality for the successful life in terms of gaining money and power has invaded this educational system of India. The person who is deemed to be unfit for this survival race becomes disqualified along with ineligible to live in this market economy based life. The spate of industrialization and economic growth inside developed nations has brought about a perceptible change in this scenario. And developing countries including India are experiencing the ripple effects of this development. Values earlier considered essential by all societies have been eroded and get given way to unethical practices around the globe. Where honesty and integrity were loved and appreciated, greed, problem and red tapism have come in, bringing in their wake, unethical responses which have pervaded all walks for life and are thwarting efforts of a few enlightened individuals to promote value based society. 2 Hence, guidelines of well structured education is the only solution available with all states. With growing divisive energies, narrow parochialism, separatist tendencies on the one hand and considerable fall in moral, social, ethical and even national values both in personal and public life on the other, the need for promoting effective workshops of value orientation in education has assumed great urgency. Development of human values through knowledge is now routinely seen as a task of national importance. Value education though supposes to be the part not to mention parcel of the regular education, due to the market influences, it could not be so. Hence, it has become a particular inevitable need to include an exclusive curriculum for value education at all levels. Now the next question would be concerning nature of value education. What sort of values should be given preference in the curriculum is the prime problem inside introduction of value education. This problem surfaces because we can find varieties of values prescribed on the basis of various scriptures and theories. Sometimes they are contradictory to each other. This issue has been thoroughly discussed earlier. But the solution to the problem in the nature of value education is primarily dependent on the social conditions that prevail in the state. Truth be told there need not be an imported value educational pattern to be prescribed in India. The burning social factors would demand the required value education. Though India is considered to be the land of divinity and perception, the modern value system throws challenges to the ancient value pattern. Right from the Gurkula pattern to the varna ashrama values, all values are under scrutiny by modern rationality. Hence, the relevance of the senior values prescribed by the then society is questionable in the present situation. On the other hand, the so called modern character which have been listed earlier also subjected to criticism by philosophers like post modernists. They question the very dynamics of the rationality of the enlightenment period. Because critics of modernity strongly declare that the modern rationality 's the reason for the deterioration of human concern in the world and they paved the way for inhuman killing and escalation in values. The reason of the modernism is considered as the root of power politics which leads to inhuman behaviour of the electrical power system, according to them. Hence the modern values like democracy, civil rights, environmental ethics, professional ethics, concentration and all such values are found useless in bringing harmony in the society. The values like control, tolerance, peace bears the negative connotation in this context. Hence, what sort of modern values are to be included in the resume is a challenge thrown towards the educationists. At one side the fanatic and fundamentalist features of religious values and on the other side the modern values based on the market economy and other factors are to be excluded and a well balanced curriculum using genuine worthy values suitable to the society has to be identified and included in the educational system. In this context, the idea becomes obvious that there cannot be any universal pattern of values to be prescribed in the system. Each time a suitable blend of religious and modern values is to be done, the designing of such course demands some sort of unbiased, scrupulous, intelligent approach on the part of the academician who designs such course. Thus the spiritual principles of sensitizing the youth for happy world and rational values for a just world are very considerably required. Religious values can be taken but not with the label of any particular religion, democratic values need to be included but not with its dogmatic inhuman approach. Thus there need a perfect blend of both. This is the real test thrown to the Indian academicians. After the identification of these values, they need to be inculcated not to be informed to your students. Mostly listing the values is done very easily, but imparting them effectively requires genuine spirit and also innovative educational practices. In the Vedic period, the gurukula system prevailed in which the student has to thoroughly undertake a pattern life with the guru shishya hierarchy. Whatever the guru declares are the values of life. , in the modern context, which is supposed to be the democratic sphere, a sense of equality and freedom has to prevail the training situation. Also the values identified cannot be preached on the basis of the religious faiths. So the teacher has to see effective working module to internalize the values in the minds of the youth. The teachers' understanding for the values prescribed and his/her commitment in imparting them also play a crucial role here. How to sensitize the teacher before carrying the values to the students is also a challenge to the educationists. The value education category room, if it is dealt with full seriousness and sincerity would be very interesting and challenging sphere for scholars and teachers. At times they need to sail at the same level with the students. The hierarchy may get disappeared. Price education demands a total responsibility from the teachers. They become more accountable. On the other side, a teacher who is committed to a few values would always like to preach and impose them on the young minds. That extreme should also to become avoided with a balance of mind. Value education cannot be done by just delivering lectures and screening flicks. It requires a strong interaction between the students and the society. A lot could be experimented at this sphere. For which the better value 'integrity' is expected from the educator. It is observed that many modules of teaching values have been engineered and tested. Some are seemed to be very effective. In Tamilnadu, especially in aided colleges, with just about all good intention the government has introduced the value education as a compulsory scheme at the undergraduate level. But just about every university has its own syllabus for the same. The scrutiny of those syllabi also reveals a lot of variations for conceiving the value education. In some universities, some religion based institutions are given the responsibility of designing and even conducting the course. Similarly the teachers who have not been exposed to any such type of training in value education get the responsibility of teaching values. The introduction of value education for all under graduate courses is done for the cost of a core paper of that course. The teachers who have been handling their hardcore subject papers must meet the shortage of workload due to this programme and to solve this problem, they have been entrusted with the job of illustrating value education paper. This is done with the aim of avoiding the workload problem of existing teachers. The most vital and sensitive part of education has been made like a mechanical dogmatic part. At this juncture, the fate regarding value education at the college level could be imagined. How to solve this issue is again a challenge to the educationists of Tamilnadu. The same fate could be observed in many other states of India. Hence, two important problems floors here, one at the syllabus level and the other at the teaching level. As it is discussed earlier your syllabus could be designed by way of paying attention to all aspects but imparting the same requires not only innovative teaching options, but also innovative training method of the educators. It is as good as training the driver to drive the car; the educator needs to be trained in imparting the values. The technical education employs teachers with sound knowledge in the issue, similarly it is essential to have teachers with sound mind and creative teaching skill to teach value education. Significance education is definitely not to be dealt with compartmentalization but it should be taken as a part of the whole educational system. As Nietzsche puts it, the society requires masters to create and impart values, not the slaves who take all the values imposed on them without any critical understanding.

[archatlas]

Any suggestions for hand drawn representations and rendering techniques? First year student here🙈

Maybe this will help.

10 Essential Freehand Drawing Exercises for Architects

Excerpt from Natascha Meuser’s Construction and Design Manual: Architecture Drawings (DOM Publishers)

Architectural drawing is like photography: it is no good having a high-end, feature-packed camera if you lack the ability to compose images and to capture the essence of the subject. Having the technology to generate preliminary architectural and design ideas does not necessarily mean that the final result will be convincing. 

The choice of medium, be it 6B pencil, drawing pen or watercolor brush, is no guarantee of good architecture, which demands a basic understanding of proportion, perspective, form, and color. The ability to connect the eyes, mind, and hand when designing details, buildings and cities also requires familiarity with a wide variety of architectural cultures, periods, and styles. It entails knowing, based on practical experience, that ideas build on one another, and -being able to absorb and develop traditions and use one’s own outlook and ideas to create distinctive buildings for clients that can be highly valued.

Such is the nature of architecture: it is very rarely created in a vacuum and is usually part of a context of variety and difference. Take away the sharp edges of architectural space, and you are left with nothing. The architect’s penstroke brings it together and gives it form, which assumes an ability to imagine the space and give it proportion, structure, and beauty. Only the architect can take these decisions. Like all talents, architectural imagination and creativity are God-given, but also born of practice and experience. People who have seen, understood and adapted other people’s ideas are more easily able to come up with ideas of their own, drawing on a rich menu of visual and spatial ingredients. A person who uses drawing to explore the built environment sees its variety in a different light, and perhaps with greater respect, than someone who can imagine nonexistent space only by donning 3D spectacles. Architecture and the art of drawing are inseparable – and people who are good at drawing usually make good architects.

Exercise 1 Point and Line: Points, lines and planes are the architect’s means of expression and are combined to create the three-dimensional spaces of architecture. This exercise uses only points and lines to build, first, basic geometric shapes, and then landscapes and places.

Exercise 2 Proportion and Order: This drawing exercise trains the eye by analyzing the dimensional relationships between geometric solids, and also provides a basic introduction to architecture with relation to elements, construction, and composition.

Exercise 3 Geometry and Space: All variety of form depends on identifying measured relationships. This exercise, too, is based on simple geometric forms: the triangle, square, circle, pyramid, cube and sphere, cutting them up and reassembling them in new ways.

Exercise 4 Perspective and Space: The purpose of this exercise is to learn the principles of freehand perspective and spatial construction.

Exercise 5 Composition and Space: The purpose of this exercise is to build up a composition step by step, creating tensions using hierarchies of detail and whole, center and periphery, front and back, top and bottom, dark and light. 

Exercise 6 Man and Space: The relationship between man and space will form the content of this exercise. In the process, the aim is not only to analyze the proportions of the human body but also its proportionality in space. Here it is less significant honing drawing techniques but developing a feeling for a composition of man and space that matters.

Exercise 7 Light and Colour: Light and color are closely related, and play a mutually reinforcing role within the design process. The purpose of this second exercise is to discover the basic elements of color theory, and learn the main color mixes.

Exercise 8 Nature and Design: This exercise, in which nature provides the inspiration for the design process, involves drawing an open flower at the final stage of growth and then using its geometry as the basis for various floor plans. 

Exercise 9 Two-minute Sketches This exercise aims to encourage- spontaneity by imposing a time limit; the act of producing a rapid initial sketch forces us to decide how much visual information we want to convey.

Exercise 10 Freehand Drawing In this exercise, a single motif is depicted using a variety of techniques, with the choice of drawing medium and color playing an important role.

As you practice with your preferred medium your technique and style will be defined and refined, don’t fight it, embrace it and improve upon it by experimenting with different mediums or combinations.

[lisacatara-actress]

Almost Lisa : Pt 3 “Almost Superstar”

*I retain all rights to my photography and story, story details, biographical information, fashion designs, art work, and anything and everything I have posted which is my own creation*)

"Do that one thing that makes you feel the most vulnerable and uncomfortable. Because that is the space where you actually figure out who you are"

Months passed without work as the Writers Strike all but shut down production across Hollywood. Now, without any agency behind me, my momentum stopped. Where I’d been booking alongside name talent in reputable roles, I was only finding employment via commercial and print work (having begun a modelling career at the ripe old age of 28, that window was closing, quickly). I attempted to reintegrate into background jobs, but the competition was fierce. Everyone was struggling.

Just before my NBC stint, I began training with a group of fellow performers in a local gym. Our workouts were unique as the class was comprised of athletes and stunt performers. I came to enjoy these sessions and the community. Over time, I found myself learning boxing, martial arts, fights and falls, gymnastics, driving, tactical... There was a never ending amount of skills to be learned. When theatrical work came to a grinding halt, there was time to devote to these sessions and improve. A year later, I landed my first contract stunt jobs. One on a TV show, the other a doubling job, driving for a commercial featuring Jennifer Lopez.

Flashback: Back in NYC, I'd attempted to venture into the world of pop. My degree from Eastman (being coveted and revered) was somewhat a calling card for interviews and auditions. On one such occasion, I remember walking into the offices of FHM Magazine, just as Jennifer Lopez was exiting with an entourage of at least 13 people alongside her. One of us won that interview. It wasn't me. I was on Jlo's heels a bit at the beginning of my career. She always seemed to be two steps in front of me. Now, I was on the same set, doubling her. And each time I did, the sensation was that I was standing on the outside, watching someone else live my dreams.

After a few such jobs, as coordinators began to acknowledge my skills and trust me more, these stunt opportunities broadened and became more frequent. I was earning a solid (though modest) income again. As much as I enjoyed being on set, painting these scripts with “physical acting”, it never replaced the desire or passion I had for acting. I craved that energy and connection. But the business had changed. You Tube stars and influencers were “acting” in guest stars and costars. Hedge fund money and private equity began to fund and float projects. Production became “content”. Talent became “stocks” and investment opportunities. The jobs I booked were smaller, though frequent. I relied on these costars, stunt gigs and even modelling/ print work to keep me industry-relevant. It felt like I was rolling a tractor tire straight uphill most of the time. I was tired, physically and spiritually. But I was in the Game.

In order to have an outlet for displaced creative energy (I'd turned so many into vocations already) I picked up a new creative hobby. A spontaneous purchase of a Nikon DSLR camera led to endless opportunity to explore the world I saw on a regular basis with different perspective. To reinvent my reality and find beauty in everything, even in broken things. As with anything creative, I quickly excelled and soon adapted a trademark style to my work. Specifically with cars.

My automotive photography offered a new, artistic perspective which lead to countless car shows and commissions for personal and corporate collectors. Including a couple of magazine covers for the president of an automotive club of which I’d become an honorary member. But it wasn't just cars which held my photographic interests. I branched out to other subject mater and was inspired to take my first ever vacation (those are trips you take for no reason other than to travel and explore a new part of the world. Crazy, I know. I’d never allowed myself to rest. It was time).

In May of 2014, I traveled all the way to the other side of the planet to land on a postage stamp (95 miles wide) in the middle of the Indian Ocean. My intention was to shift perspective, see something beautiful and rest my mind. And there was plenty to distract me on the small island. On one perfectly clear day, I sat on top of a mountain, overlooking a volcano, accompanied by a guide who spoke English and smoked Camel cigarettes. He explained to me about Hinduism and the beliefs of Balinese people which were - unsurprisingly- in line with my own. I quickly became inspired by Bali’s magic, its people and its culture. Before I knew it, I’d documented the entirely of my trip in photographs. Later, I would organize these images into an educational travel book and self publish it for my parents, so they could experience a part of that journey. Today, I have many of these self-published books of my photographic art and research from the places I’ve visited. And a growing bucket list of places I’ve yet to see (while I can).

I returned to the States with renewed appreciation and focus, continuing to establish myself as a working actress (and stunt woman) across multiple creative mediums, earning a positive reputation with casting directors and constantly working on my crafts. But no matter what I did, I could never seem to regain the momentum I had prior to the strike. It haunted me. I tried everything I could think of: new acting classes with specific instructors, networking events, lending my time and effort to others film projects, producing writing and casting my own... There was never traction. And every year, more and more new prospective talent landed in Los Angeles with Hollywood Dreams of their own. The pool was crowded. My jobs now now leaned more in favor of stunt work and stunt acting roles which were generally cast via stunt coordinators with approval by casting. Not the other way around. So now I was not only auditioning against name talent, but stunt people who could “do dialog”. If you weren't known or favorited by the stunt coordinator, your chances of getting those auditions were slim, not matter how suited for the role you are.

I was constantly close to moving the needle forward, but too often a 2nd choice. It was a never-ending string of “Almosts”.

(to be continued)

(PS If you like what you're reading, I welcome contributions to the efforts via Venmo @LTarantinoDesigns)

[lilystravelblogs]

touch Van Gogh's paintings?

How might we help visually impaired visitors enjoy their museum visit experience? How might we make museums and galleries more welcoming spaces? These are the questions Van Gogh Museum's curation team tackled for their Inclusion Program.

Picture 1-5 is a little section in the museum called "feeling Van Gogh." The museum took one of the most liked Van Gogh's works Sunflowers and turned it into a multisensory experience for the visitor. Picture 1 is a 3D printed reproduction of the original painting. The thick and thin brush strokes and the texture of the painting are now not only visual but touchable for the visitors. Picture 2 is a tactile image of Sunflowers to provide a structural image of different objects in the painting, for people with low or no vision, and the labels are in braille. Picture 3 is the vase, a 19th century Provencal pot, depicted in Van Gogh's Sunflowers. The bottom part of the vase has a rough texture, while the upper part, covered with yellow paint, feels very smooth. The yellow box in picture 5 contains the smell of the painting, which is warm and flowery. This is such a good example of how museums use innovative designs to uplift the experience of every visitor to interact with art. It improves the accessibility of the museum experience not only for vision impaired visitors but also for kids, and everyone else. They made artworks more approachable, playful, and enjoyable for everyone.

Picture 4 is a touchable 3D model of the museum's floor plan. It is worth mentioning that the labels are represented not only in little icons and symbols but also in descriptive words in both Dutch and English, as well as in braille. This is something I have not seen in other museums, and I think this innovative model helps visitors to navigate through a big and crowded museum space. Having both a visual 3D model, paper brochure, audio tour device, information desk, and staff, the museum fulfills visitors' different needs.

A current exhibit on display, called "Why so serious," was my favorite part of the museum. Here is a quote from the curator introducing this exhibit:

"The museum often deals with difficult subjects, with art that has a profound message or with problems that artists struggle with, as in the case of Vincent van Gogh. It explores his difficult periods, his quest, his doubts... but here we want to talk about the lighter aspects of art. About the pleasure of painting and the holiday feeling that artworks give us. About the unexpected things that make us happy or even make us laugh."

This exhibit is curated by a group of young adults with bicultural backgrounds, who call themselves "Reframers," with the goal of lowering the threshold for visiting museums and enjoying art. They picked their personal favorite piece from the museum's large collection that is not on display, and they share their personal connection with the piece they chose and their own interpretations. They even curated a song playlist on Spotify, with a QR code for visitors to scan at the beginning and to listen to while walking around the exhibit.

For example, Picture 7 is Sara's selection of Van Gogh's painting Exterior of a Restaurant in Asnieres. Right beside the artwork itself, a yellow paper is casually stuck to the wall with blue tapes. Sara noted the spontaneity in painting the restaurant and the nice, warm, and welcoming feeling of the painting. Some other "Reframers" talked about how the paintings reminded them of personal memories of family, community, and landscape of their hometown.

The exhibit room is fully carpeted, painted yellow, and furnitured with lamps and sofas for visitors to rest. It was not something easy to do, according to the person who led our tour, because they had to be careful in choosing carpets and sofas with material that won't easily be caught on fire.

Budget, accessibility, aesthetics, and safety... There are a lot of factors that a curator has to consider when curating an exhibit. I think that's the fun part of the job - the feeling of accomplishment when the visitors are enjoying their experience.

Picture of a band playing in the museum square when we came out of Van Gogh.

Picture of a mini museum outside of one's house that Tina saw on our way back.

Picture of a bike decorated with sunflowers by the canal.

[riiishab]

Basics of network automation

What is network automation? What It Does?  

Technically, Network Automation automates configuring, managing, testing, deploying, and operating of physical and virtual devices within a network. Network-based tasks in our everyday life and repetitive processes controlled and managed automatically, availability of network services is improving day by day.  

Any type of network can use network automation. Hardware- and software-based solutions enable data centers, service providers, and enterprises to implement network automation so, that they can improve efficiency, reduce human error, and lower operating expenses.  

Here is the reason why one should automate network?  

Network managers faces a lot of problems due to growing IT Costs for network operations. The growth of data and devices is starting to outpace IT capabilities, making manual approaches nearly impossible.  

up to 95 percent of network changes are performed manually, resulting in operational costs 2 to 3 times higher than the cost of the network. Increased IT automation, centrally and remotely managed, is essential for businesses to keep pace in the digital world.  

Manual changes lead to configuration errors and inconsistencies in the network.  

Expanding network changes at scale can be problematic.  

Network downtime and nonremote troubleshooting time are detrimental.  

Find the path to automation that’s right for you  

With network automation, you’ll quickly and easily design, provision, and apply policy across your network. And in your journey to automation, you choose the path and the pace. Work with existing network and policy definitions, migrate as fast or slow as you’d like, or start from scratch.  

Whatever your path, the Solve the Network Customer Experience team can help you strategize, deploy, and manage your network. Automate your network with STN, and get a free network analysis report now.  

Why you should Choose STN for Network Automation?  

Solve the Network has a team that can deliver everything you need in such a way that helps position your network for now and later. STN gives IT time back from time-consuming, repetitive network configuration tasks so you can focus on the innovation your business needs.  

Top Reasons to choose Network Automation: –  

REDUCTION IN NETWORK DOWNTIME: – By removing the chance for human errors, companies can offer and deliver a higher level of services with more consistency across branches and geographies. For example, Juniper Networks’ Service Now is a remote, automated troubleshooting client that enables Juniper to detect quickly and proactively any problems in a customer’s network before they become aware of them.  

LOWER COSTS:- Because automation reduces the complexities of your underlying infrastructure, dramatically fewer person-hours are required for configuring, provisioning, and managing services and the network. By simplifying operations, consolidating network services, reducing floor space, and cycling underutilized devices off, you need fewer staff to troubleshoot and repair, and reap power savings.  

INCREASED NETWORK RESILIENCY: – By removing the need for the manual interruption in case of an event, companies can offer and deliver a higher level of services with more consistency across branches and geographies.  

REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF ISSUES: – By leveraging low-code and playbook-powered workflows, and with the efficiency of closed-loop, intent-based operations, common network issues are resolved spontaneously. The potential for manual process-related errors like configuration errors, typos, and more is reduced.  

INCREASE STRATEGIC WORKFORCE: – By automating repetitive tasks subject to human error, companies increase productivity, which helps drive business improvements and innovation. As a result, new job opportunities arise for the existing workforce.  

GREATER INSIGHT AND NETWORK CONTROL: – Automation helps make IT operations more responsive to change through analytics. You gain more visibility into the network and understand precisely what is happening in your network with the ability to control and adapt as needed.