Recent Articles
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How to turn your brand into a phrase that pays
Fred Berns Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesBranding has become big business among interior design professionals as they strive to get heard above the noise and stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. There are nearly as many interior design "brands" out there as there are interior designers, but the most effective of these — the ones that create the most buzz and attract the most business — have one word in common: "Only." Nothing differentiates your design firm more dramatically and spells out your specialness more effectively than that word.
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How to encourage your ELLs
Douglas Magrath EducationThe success of students in acquiring a new language is related to the learning environment. As I wrote last June, in addition to classes and activities, the overall learning environment is a factor in retention and student progress. Students need to feel like participants in the program rather than just observers. Each student needs to be more than just a number. Giving encouragement and avoiding hurtful comments go a long way in keeping students on track in their ESL program. As teachers, we can lower the affective filter for our ELL students by making them feel safe, welcome, and comfortable in our classrooms.
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AI? Automation? How to use tech to improve marketing
Emma Fitzpatrick MarketingArtificial intelligence (AI) has the power to change everything. But only 18% of B2B marketers and sales professionals are currently using it, found a 2019 DemandBase survey. Of those with access, over 40% said AI is the most important investment to achieve better sales and marketing performance. Nearly 33% went so far to say that it’s revolutionizing their marketing and sales performance. But most marketers (55%) don’t have the budget to invest in AI. Yet, you can likely use marketing automation tools to accomplish much of the same.
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Smart injection machines and their adjustment principles under Industry…
Dr. Tober Sun ManufacturingTo attain accurate mold filling analyses, we must consider a machine’s movements, including screw acceleration and deceleration in the injection process; the machine reaction at the moment when filling turns into packing; and the machine’s protection behaviors for preventing injection pressure from being too high. Currently, the core of molding equipment is injection machines. Therefore, under Industry 4.0, smart machine applications will rely on injection machine design. In this article, we will discuss how injection machine manufacturers apply injection information collected from the injection process to enhance product quality.
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A journey on the Blue Ridge Parkway: Part 2
Steve and Diane Owens Recreation & LeisureAfter leaving Mount Airy, we drove to Pilot Mountain, a rugged mountain rock with walls rising 1,400 feet above the valley floor. To the native Saura Indians, the mountain was known as "Jomeokee," the Great Guide, or "Pilot." The mountain is noteworthy as it provided a guide to Native Americans and early European hunters in the area. Returning to the Parkway at Fancy Gap, we proceeded south into the rural heart of North Carolina. At MP 213, we arrived at the Blue Ridge Music Center, where from May through October visitors can enjoy the sounds of the time-honored South.
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America’s best beaches for couples and families in the spring
Connie Ulman Recreation & LeisureWinter has ended and, despite the occasional cold snap, spring is here. Many couples and families will be hitting the beaches this spring, and I hope to do the same. While most of my children are grown, we still have one adult child in the home who loves to travel and go to the beach. I’d like to share with you the best options for beaches in the spring whether you’re a couple or a family.
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Your personal brand: You are who people think you are
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIt happens every single time someone sees you, your name, or hears your voice. It is inescapable, and it plays a significant role in how people respond to you. For example, it's about 3 p.m. and your smartphone buzzes, so you look at your phone to see who is calling you. In an instant, you recognize co-worker Larry LeGarrett’s phone number and wham! — you brand him before you decide what you are going to do with the call. Whether you answer or let it go to voicemail depends largely on how you feel about the Larry LeGarrett brand.
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ED visits rise, along with their costs for everyone
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareEmergency department visits increased by nearly 10 million patients in 2016 compared to 2015 data, according to a recent report the from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The total of 145.6 million visits is the highest number reported. Even with the total number of visits increasing, patients who used the ED for regular care decreased. Per the report, the percentage of emergency patients with nonurgent medical symptoms dropped from 5.5% to 4.3%.
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Engaging students through events: A school counselor’s perspective
Sweety Patel EducationAs educators, we have many external expectations placed on us, which often makes it difficult to pursue projects we are passionate about. In school we get caught up in a routine, and our students can end up doing the same. Routines can be productive, but once they become monotonous, that can be the opposite of what the educational experience should be or could be. A planned (but for the students, unexpected) experience can provide an antidote. Such events are often the most memorable experiences that students have while in school.
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National bail reform includes controversial measures of judicial discretion
Michelle R. Matisons Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityIn late December, President Trump signed the First Step Act, which reforms aspects of the federal prison system and U.S. corrections culture. The legislation came after a prisoner’s strike earlier in 2018 urgently echoed ongoing reform efforts, including felony voting and measures to prevent harmful overcrowding. One way to avoid overcrowded facilities is cash bail reform. New York City and other large and racially diverse urban centers, like Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago, are involved in experimental bail reform efforts that ameliorate some of the worst aspects of the system, while retaining powerful, and potentially subjective, judicial influence.