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Archive for August, 2011

General Education Development (also known as GED) is an accumulative diploma issued as an equivalent to a high school diploma. Known by other names like General Equivalency Diploma, Graduate Equivalency Degree or General Education Diploma, this credential is obtained by taking the GED test in person. Online GED courses are offered, however, to give you the tools, information and preparation needed for passing the test. Having a nationally recognized document in lieu of a high school diploma is not only beneficial to your career path, but to your self-esteem and confidence as well.

It is a very common requirement to have a GED before entering college. There are a few exceptions, like having scored high on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (or SAT) or American College Testing (also known as ACT) which would grant you the option to participate in an early entrance program. However, for whatever reason you are without your high school diploma, it is generally needed for admittance into a higher learning institute. With help from online GED courses, you can gain the knowledge found in high schools and be prepared for not only taking and passing the GED, but for entering college as well.

There are several important factors to consider when choosing an online GED institution. While many may claim to be licensed, this is not the same as being an accredited institution. There is no regulation of schools that claim to be licensed. Truly accredited schools are recognized by the United States Department of Education. These institutions offer a substantial curriculum to facilitate your understanding and preparation for the GED test.

Another determinant of the online GED courses you choose is the promise of the institution. If they claim that you are able to earn a GED or high school equivalency in a short period of time (like days or weeks) or that there is little actual “homework” involved, these are false promises. Institutions known as Diploma Mills turn out worthless certificates to those who essentially believe they are purchasing a degree. To avoid being the victim of one of these scams, look for institutions with legitimate contact information, like a phone number and a physical address, and that they have authentic credentials.

The reason why you do not have you high school diploma is unimportant as the GED is viewed as a complete equivalent in the eyes of not only higher learning institutions, but employers as well. Through accredited institutes offering online GED courses, you will have the tools to learn and foster the understanding required to pass the GED test.

Lately it isn’t uncommon to see a story in the news about another failed company or one that is in its death throes. There are just as many reports claiming to explain why these companies have failed. Some may be right, some wrong, but I doubt any have done the research and study that has produced Jim Collin’s latest offering, How the Mighty Fall and Why Some Companies Never Give In.

I must confess that I did not get around to reading Collin’s From Good to Great until fairly recently and while I found that book to be well researched and full of terrific information, I was troubled by two of his “great” companies; Circuit City and Fannie Mae. Circuit City had gone bankrupt and out of business by the time I read the book and Fannie Mae, well, you know. So, I was pleased to see How the Mighty Fall would address these companies.

But, Fannie Mae and current economic issues are not the purpose of the book. In fact, Collins specifically mentions in the Preface that he purposefully avoided the 2008 financial situation. Instead, the book stems from his own “curiosity about why some of the greatest companies in history, including some once-great enterprises we’d researched for Built to Last and Good to Great, had fallen.”

Though it’s nice to keep a positive outlook, especially in today’s environment, study of failure is important too, if only to try to avoid other’s mistakes. Collin’s research revealed five stages of decline: Hubris born of Success, Undisciplined Pursuit of More, Denial of Risk and Peril, and Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death. Of course, as is mentioned, such things as fraud can also result in a company’s demise, but these five stages are a good framework for studying how failure happens.

It’s interesting to note that companies that found themselves in stage 1 and stage 2 did not seem to realize they were starting down the path to doom. Circuit City was a “great” company in 1997 but Collin’s more recent study indicates it had already entered the second stage of decline by then and had ignored the come-from-behind success of its primary rival Best Buy.

Unfortunately, my discomfort with Fannie Mae being listed as a “great” company in Good to Great was not eased by How the Mighty Fall, though perhaps Fannie Mae is an example of the sort of decline Collins mentions that doesn’t fit his model. There were plenty who were uncomfortable with both Fannie Mae and its sister Freddie Mac by the time they achieved their “greatness.” In fact, a 1997 article in the New York Times reported on increased concerns within some government circles. The fact is that Fannie Mae was and is subject to many influences from government that other companies do not (until recently anyway) experience. Reporting seems to indicate that both their rise and fall had a lot to do with political influence and maneuvering, all probably fitting the description of Stage 1; hubris. To his credit though, Collins does not include Fannie Mae in the study, citing the recency of the surrounding events. He does include a somewhat incomplete analysis in an appendix.

Collin’s portrayal of stage 5 is a little depressing — for good reason. His research shows that once a company enters that stage, it doesn’t recover. There are two manifestations of that failure. First is the company that gives up and dies. The other is the company that fights on in an effort that might have been successful earlier but is futile at this stage. This inescapable death spiral serves well to demonstrate the importance of early recognition of the preceding stages.

As we’ve come to expect from a Collins offering, How the Mighty Fall is very well documented and the research is presented in a series of appendices containing a wealth of information about how the study and comparison companies were chosen. As a refreshing conclusion, Collins presents the case of three companies, IBM, Nucor, and Nordstrom who were in decline but were able to recover. Though his examples are a bit dated (the data is a few years old), the companies presented are still doing pretty well as of this writing (I checked).

Collins makes a significant comparison with the principles laid out in Good to Great. In fact, he shows that failing to follow those principles is how companies can progress through the five stages of decline. Again, he places heavy emphasis on leadership being a steady hand at the wheel and not a reactionary superstar: an important lesson for all leaders at all levels.

If you haven’t read Good to Great, you might want to before reading How the Mighty Fall. It isn’t essential though as Collins provides a summary in the appendix. In fact either way, read Appendix 7 first and you’ll be up to speed. But don’t wait too long to read the book. If you’re in stage one or two, you’ll want to know that now.

There’s not lots of training books that take on exact lengths of running events, such as full marathons, half marathons, 10K, and many others. Frequently, every one of these varieties of marathon running is compacted inside a singular handbook. You’ll find merely a couple of authors that commit a full publication to some very specific area in marathon running. That is why you will be slightly impressed by this instructional book this article is going to be critiquing.

The book is entitled “3 Months to Your First 5K” and with the label only, you can note that it’s definitely centering on a solitary subject, and that is 5K distance running. Furthermore, in the name itself, you’re provided a specific course regarding precisely how you are going to deal with the courses: for three months you’ll rigorously work out to show up at your very first ever 5K marathon running event. With the front cover itself it entices even the most focused couch potato to start out training since it gives tangible information about how it would be done.

Dave Kuehls, the author of this book, will act as your individual coach for the entire three months of your exercising. Within the guide he emphasizes that beginners will reap the benefits of this handbook greater than others given that his training schedules have been designed with the rookie runner in mind. He starts with speaking about the actual benefits of training, and not simply the cookie-cutter form of gains, but the important, appropriate explanations of just how your system will change after three months of education. Concerning the physiological benefits, he also provides just a little insight in this: how your own self esteem could be raised to newer levels, how you can boost your motivation plus more.

Common training suggestions are offered in “3 Months to Your First 5K”, just like the correct clothing, the right foods to eat, the way to accommodate your current way of living to marathon running. More to the point, it sets out whatever you need to do throughout the particular day of the contest in full clarity, an item that few guides do, as they definitely feel like the education is enough. It also gives you the promises of a future immediately after the 5K, for those who like to run extended matches.

Nevertheless, the guide fails to deliver with its training schedules because they are unfit for the newbie. Whilst it delivers to the novice the correct mindset for joining a 5K jogging event, the training is only good for experienced joggers as opposed to the completely inexperienced ones. For instance, for the 1st day you’re recommended to walk half a mile, and then run half a mile, and then walk half a mile, that’s genuinely physically demanding for the starter’s very first day. If you think maybe you’ll be able to complete this routine from the very beginning, “3 Months to Your First 5K” would be great for you.

Why do we love science fiction books so much? Is it the look into the future they present? Is it the ability to escape into another time or world for just a few hours at a time? Whatever a person’s particular reason for loving these novels, they have and always will be among the most popular of all genre’s of books. Looking at some of the latest releases, this is not a trend that will discontinue anytime soon.

Up Against It (M.J. Locke) – Space-oriented futuristic books have always flown off the shelves and Up Against It looks to lead the pack this year. Based 400 years in the future, it is an electric tail about a civilization existing deep in space. The group is faced with a disastrous explosion, which eliminates their only form of air, energy, and water. After reading of their tales, the title may be an extreme understatement.

Soft Apocalypse (Will McIntosh) – An apocalypse has been the basis of hundreds of sci-fi books, so why stop now. The latest tale is a story of how the world’s resources dry up and society as a whole has to figure out what they are going to do in order to have any type of existence on the planet. As we read on, we see the nature of humans and how they will literally tear each other apart in order to survive. The book takes us on a wonderful and exciting journey in the reorganization of society.

The Quantum Thief (Hannu Rejaaniemi) – This author only recently published his first book, but fans are already lining up for his latest installment. This sci-fi caper is fast-moving and very entertaining. Allow yourself to get lost in the world of Jean le Flambeur and you will go to places lawmakers fear. Inside this tale is the story of a thief who merely wants his freedom and is finally presented with the opportunity to have just that. If Rajaniemi’s future works are anywhere close to his first two releases, he will become one of the most popular sci-fi writers of our generation.

Heaven’s Shadow (David S. Goyer) – If the author’s name sounds familiar, it should, as he has penned Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and the Blade trilogy. The book is not due out until early July, but one cannot help but get in line for this release. The plot of the book is based upon on unknown object that is hurdling towards Earth. Sounds familiar, but we can only hope Goyer’s creative genius kicks in and takes us on a journey we have not yet lived in previous science fiction books.

First and foremost, reading this book is beneficial for the soul. It is a very interesting book of poems written by Professor Susan Firer. It won the 2001 Backwaters Prize, and is divided into four sections: Proem, Peonies, Blacklights, and Ghost Poets. By virtue of the title, The Laugh We Make When We Fall, one should obtain a new realization regarding life as expressed by such words. Who would laugh upon falling? Normally, there is a cry of pain and something in the line of agony is uttered from the lips. Unless one is in a playful mood where laughter is being enjoyed, one would expect to share such joy upon falling; however, that may not be the case. Most of the time pain is associated with falling, or a cry of despair normally comes from the lips.

Secondly, this book of poems has a new perspective on life to share. It espouses the concept from the title alone that we ought not to stay down upon falling. As humankind we are resilient people who are expected to get up, shake off the dust, and get right back into the game. The act of crying my only last a short moment internally or externally; however, we are expected to drive on with life, enjoy the process, do the best we can, and achieve the utmost. Furthermore, at the same time we should be able to show others that we are capable of enlightening many while we are falling and getting back upon our feet. This is the essence of The Laugh We Make When We Fall. Can you do it? The answer should be in the affirmative!
 
Next, the introductory poem “Permission Slips” has a lot to offer about life. One could look at this poem and equate it with the singing of the sparrows; the beautiful sunflower reflecting golden memories; a night in Venice floating on a Gondola; and cheerleaders determined to make this performance the best yet while dancing with the hula hoop. Wow! This is just a whole lot of energy and lots of fun to read about. What a wonderful way to start this book and it gets even better upon turning the pages.
 
Some of the most memorable times we have lived were during our youthful days. The love of mom and dad, the sheltering of their wings, and the warmth of their loving arms protecting us through life bring refreshing memories. The poem “Every Thing A While” brings back such wonderful experience. For example, imagine the days of sea butterflies, contraception museums, tootsie roll pops, movie popcorn, wish bones, zafu crescents and other great stuff just oozing from the memory bank of wonderful words. In some ways, such wonders of life have diminished when we transitioned to adulthood. Now when we fall our parents may not be there to pick us up, kiss our knees, elbows or forehead. We have to make our own music. As a result, we learn how to sing and laugh while falling, and getting back up to drive on with the expectation of achieving.
 
Additionally, the poem “Peonies” has such a wonderful fragrance stimulating the senses. This is the kind of poem where one has to relax and enjoy the essence of the theme. Just imagine the art of a holy-trinity peony buds, the double-flowered Longfellow peonies, ruffled silk slippers with peonies and unfurled dropping petals packed with such elegance and grace. Above all rub a peony petal between the thumb and index finger, and experience a wonderful feeling smoother than magnolia and sweeter that yellow cake, which is just like a fragrance flower whispering sweet songs in the ear. This is such a wonderful experience to touch, see, smell, as the senses are aroused from the turning of the pages.
 
Furthermore, the poem “All Souls’ Day” is truly packed with reverence. The comparative analysis of All Souls’ Day with Corpus Christi, Ascension Day or Trinity Sunday should leave you thinking holiness. The essence of the pure eye of God as a golden sunray should move the reader.  Additionally, one is able to relax with some Motown remembrances. Reading the words regarding the Supremes and Martha Reeves and The Vandellas is memorable and moving. I have listened to their spiritual recordings, and believe me they certainly hit those high notes a Pipe Organ would have to stretch to reach. After kneeling, praying, and being blessed with incense and candles, the saints in this poem should be ready for a heavenly trip with this book.
 
In conclusion, the symbology of water is cleansing to the soul of many as in the poem “Opening The Rain.” Additionally, one is able to feel the soothing touch of water in the poem “Bathing With Birds.” The combining of water and the singing of birds together as an entity, should give the soul a moving sensation. Additionally, a fragrance bunch of lilacs in the poem “Lilacs” should extend such rhapsody to another level. The Laugh We Make When We Fall is such an inspiring book of poems with uplifting thoughts awaiting the soul to experience, which includes getting up, dusting oneself off and get right back into the game. One must read it to appreciate it.