Home Authors Posts by James J. Williams

James J. Williams

1171 POSTS 0 COMMENTS
James is a professor in Science. His writing skills brought him to BelleNews. He enjoys writing articles for the Science and Technology category. James often finds himself reading about the latest gadgets as the topic is very appealing to him. He likes reading and listening to classical music.

President Joe Biden has decided to withdraw from the presidential race after weeks of mounting pressure from Democrats.

He says it’s “in the best interest of my party and the country” – but will stay on for the final six months of his term.

Joe Biden has endorsed his deputy Kamala Harris as his replacement for Democratic nominee. But that’s not a done deal and things will play out in the coming days.

A short time ago, Gavin Newsom was one of the names talked about as a potential successor to Joe Biden.

White House 2024: Joe Biden Withdraws from Presidential Race and Endorses Kamala Harris

Here are some of the other key names in the frame:

Kamala Harris

The vice-president has Biden’s endorsement – echoed by Bill and Hillary Clinton.

She proved to be a loyal deputy during the recent weeks of pressure. Since they took the White House in 2020, she has become the face of the administration’s campaign to protect reproductive rights.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Gretchen Whitmer

The Michigan governor is an increasingly popular Midwest Democrat who many pundits had been speculating as a presidential candidate for 2028.

She has campaigned for Joe Biden in the past and has not been shy about her political aspirations. But for now, she says her job “remains the same”.

Gavin Newsom

The governor of California has been quick out of the blocks to praise Joe Biden as “one of the most impactful and selfless presidents” America has known.

He, too, has been suggested as a potential candidate for the White House in 2028, having become one of the Biden administration’s fiercest surrogates who raised his national profile in recent years.

Pete Buttigieg

It’s no secret that the transportation secretary has presidential aspirations.

He ran for the White House in 2020 and is often touted as one of the Biden administration’s best communicators. He’s had to deal with a number of crises while in office.

0

Do you want to go back and finish your college degree? Maybe you want to go back to grad school and get your masters? Going back to school online can be a good option if you don’t have the time and money to attend classes in person on campus.

But the process of applying to school can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t been through it before. First, you need to decide what you want to study and whether you want to study part time or full time. Then you need to choose a good school and program, get your application in order, and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). While you’re working towards enrolling in classes, develop your time management skills, because you’re going to need them to succeed as a student in an online program.

Decide Whether to Go Part-Time or Full-Time

Before you even begin considering what degree you want to pursue, you should think carefully about how much of your schedule you can clear to make room for classes. Going back to school full-time will get you a degree faster, but going part-time can make it easier to fit academic work into an otherwise busy schedule.

If you have commitments like a family or a mortgage, it will be easier to go to school part-time while you work a full-time job. But if you have your evenings free, and you’re disciplined, you may be able to juggle the demands of a full course load with those of a full-time job. It’s up to you, but make sure you don’t take on more than you can reasonably manage. Remember that you’ll need to make time to nurture relationships and practice self-care.

Research Schools and Programs

What kind of credential will you need in order to reach your career goals? What skills will you need to learn in your degree program in order to get a job in your field? To make sure you get an education that will truly prepare you for work in your chosen field, make sure you only apply to accredited colleges and universities.

Research graduation rates for any program you’re considering and don’t forget to find out what percentage of graduates are employed in the field within six months after graduating. These statistics will tell you how likely it is that a particular degree from a particular school can get you where you want to go professionally. That way you can be more confident that your degree will actually be worth the time and money.

Fill Out the FAFSA

The FAFSA is free and available to students of all ages. It can help your school determine what financial aid you might be eligible for, including grants, scholarships, and subsidized federal loans. Each school will have its own deadline by which you must have filed to FAFSA, so that the financial aid office has time to put your aid offer together. Make sure you meet this deadline in order to qualify for financial aid. Do your best to apply to outside scholarships and grants you might qualify for, too.

Get Your Application Materials in Order

Applying to an online MAcc degree program is going to require all of the same documentation that you would need to provide when applying to attend classes in person. You will have to take entrance exams, like the ACT or the SAT, and you’ll have to provide your school transcripts. If you’re older and have been working a while, a resume can boost your application, especially if it shows work experience in a relevant field. You’ll also need to produce letters of recommendation and you may need to compose an admissions essay explaining why you chose your desired course of study and what you hope to accomplish in the field.

Develop Your Time Management Skills

If you want to succeed as an online student, you’re definitely going to need to develop strong time management skills. You will need to learn to use a planner, alarms, automated reminders, and tracking sheets to keep track of deadlines and manage your time wisely. Sit down at the beginning of the week every week and block out on your schedule the times when you’re going to need to be working on your coursework, then stick to it. Make time for yourself and your family and friends, too. Taking care of yourself can keep you healthy and on track with your academic and professional goals.

With so many online degree options available these days, anyone can go back to school. Online classes can fit into your schedule so you don’t have to rearrange your life to go back to school. Get a degree on your own terms, and advance toward your professional goals.

As college graduates, you’ve worked hard and put in the time to earn a degree that will help propel you into your next chapter of life. So, it’s no surprise that managing your finances post-grad can feel daunting, especially after a major move with the help of Black Tie Moving Dallas. But, never fear! Here are some essential budgeting tips for college graduates, designed to help set you up for success as you move forward into adulthood. From setting financial goals and tracking expenses to understanding debt management options, this blog post provides helpful and actionable advice for all recent grads who want to make sure they’re starting their adult lives off on the right foot financially.

Image source Wikimedia Commons

Make a budget and stick to it – identify your income, expenses, and savings goals

Creating a budget can be a daunting task, but it’s an essential step in achieving financial stability. The first step is to identify your income sources and make a list of your expenses. Be sure to include any recurring bills, such as rent, utilities, and transportation costs. Once you have a clear picture of your income and expenses, it’s time to set savings goals. Do you want to save for a vacation, a down payment on a home, or an emergency fund? Whatever your goals may be, be sure to factor them into your budget. The key to successfully sticking to a budget is discipline and tracking your spending. With a little effort and determination, you can create a budget that works for you and puts you on the path to financial success.

Track your spending – use an app or spreadsheet to keep track of all of your payments and purchases

With all the financial responsibilities in life, it can be difficult to keep track of how much money is being spent. Luckily, technology has provided us with a useful tool to keep track of our spending habits. Whether it’s an app on your phone or a spreadsheet on your computer, tracking your payments and purchases has never been easier. By analyzing your spending patterns, you can begin to identify areas where you may be overspending and adjust your budget accordingly. A simple and effective method to stay on top of your finances, tracking your expenses is a habit that can lead to a more financially secure future.

Consider getting a roommate – this can help with rent expenses and other shared costs

Sharing a living space with someone else might seem daunting at first, but there are many benefits to having a roommate. Not only can you split the rent and other expenses, but you can also have someone to share household tasks with. When you’re feeling lonely or need help with something, you’ll have a built-in support system. This can be especially comforting if you’re living far away from family and friends. Having a roommate can also offer the opportunity to try new things and form a lasting friendship. So, while it might take some adjustment, consider finding a compatible roommate to ease the burden of living expenses and enjoy the perks of shared living.

India’s Moon mission has made history after becoming the first to land in the lunar south pole region.

With this, India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after the United States, the former Soviet Union and China.

The Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down as planned at 18:04 local time.

Celebrations have broken out across the country, with PM Narendra Modi saying: “India is now on the Moon.”

“We have reached where no other country could. It’s a joyous occasion,” he added. Narendra Modi was watching the event live from South Africa where he is attending the BRICS summit.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said the successful landing “is not our work alone, this is the work of a generation of Isro scientists”.

Image source: PTI

India’s achievement comes just days after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into the Moon.

The crash also put the spotlight on how difficult it is to land in the south pole region where the surface is “very uneven” and “full of craters and boulders”.

India’s second lunar mission, which also attempted to soft-land there in 2019, was unsuccessful – its lander and rover were destroyed, though its orbiter survived.

On August 23, tense moments preceded the touchdown as the lander – called Vikram after Isro founder Vikram Sarabhai – began its precarious descent, carrying within its belly the 26kg rover named Pragyaan (the Sanskrit word for wisdom).

The lander’s speed was gradually reduced from 1.68km per second to almost zero, enabling it to make a soft landing on the lunar surface.

In a few hours – scientists say once the dust has settled – the six-wheeled rover will crawl out of the lander’s belly and roam around the rocks and craters on the Moon’s surface, gathering crucial data and images to be sent to Earth.

One of the mission’s major goals is to hunt for water-based ice which, scientists say, could support human habitation on the Moon in future. It could also be used for supplying propellant for spacecraft headed to Mars and other distant destinations. Scientists say the surface area that remains in permanent shadow there is huge and could hold reserves of water ice.

The lander and the rover are carrying five scientific instruments which will help discover the physical characteristics of the surface of the Moon, the atmosphere close to the surface and the tectonic activity to study what goes on below the surface.

According to officials, the rover is carrying an Indian flag and its wheels also have ISRO’s logo and emblem embossed on them so that they leave imprints on the lunar soil during the Moon walk.

0

The Master’s in Business Administration is a powerful degree, especially early in a professional’s career. Even without any real-world work experience, an MBA-holder can qualify for management positions, catapulting them up their career ladder and radically increasing their earning potential. Yet, MBA programs tend to be broad, covering a large territory of business knowledge in their attempts to equip grads with appropriate management skills regardless of industry. Worse, the number of MBA grads is growing, weakening the impact of the credential and creating hiring competition that hurts job seekers.

If you know you want to return to school to improve your career, you might be interested to learn that there are several other business-focused graduate degrees that have even greater potential than the MBA. If you have the interest and credentials, you might consider applying for any of the following graduate programs:

Master of Management

An MBA isn’t the only degree that propels professionals into management. A Master of Science in Management (MiM) degree program is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and techniques for excelling in business leadership positions, with courses focused on business communication, negotiation, presentation and public speaking as well as strategic analysis, decision making, innovative design and organizational change. Often a one-year program, an MiM is an excellent degree option for professionals eager to enhance their credentials but loath to leave work or commit to more intensive study.

Master of Finance

Business students are often encouraged to enter the field of finance, and for good reason. Finance professionals are consistently in high demand, as business leaders rely on their expertise to understand and manage opportunities for growth. MS in Finance programs are appealing to a wide variety of finance professionals as courses build upon knowledge and skills gained in undergraduate finance programs. Students can expect to participate in courses such as financial modeling, financial reporting, corporate value management and more.

Master of Accountancy

Many accountants opt not to return to school after earning their bachelor’s and achieving their CPA certification, but a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree is a useful tool for accountants looking to move to more advantageous roles in saturated markets. Often, students enrolled in MAcc degree programs choose between two tracks: auditing and taxation. By specializing, accounting professionals can become adept in a particular field and thereby rise to director and vice president positions. Students can expect to engage in study such as accounting theory, business law and advanced auditing and taxation techniques.

Master of Marketing

Marketing tends to be a relatively easy field for professionals to enter, but it can be remarkably difficult for low-level marketers to climb the career ladder without advanced credentials and expertise. Thus, the MS in Marketing degree is a valuable one for any professional interested in reaching high-level marketing positions. Marketing programs tend to be flexible, as marketing strategies shift with trends and evolving technologies. Still, marketing students can expect to gain skills in traditional areas such as market research, consumer behavior and statistics as well as in growth areas such as behavioral tareting, social media and mobile marketing.

Master of Entrepreneurship

Many business professionals have dreams of launching their own startup, but building a business requires a much different type of knowledge and set of skills from running an established business. Professionals with entrepreneurial goals should consider pursuing an MS in Entrepreneurship, which focuses on courses that can prepare students for the rigors of business ownership, which often cover many different fields of business operation, from finance to marketing. Many business schools allow entrepreneurship students to create their own degree program to suit their interests and needs.

Master of Health Administration

Business professionals interested in the healthcare sector would do well to enroll in a MS in Health Administration program, in which they will gain specialized knowledge and skill for building and maintaining a healthcare organization. Healthcare companies have unique concerns, such as more intense government regulations and ethical standards, and administrators running the business side of healthcare operations need to understand these issues. Fortunately, the specialization required for healthcare administration is well-compensated, as healthcare administrators boast strong earning potential.

If you want to differentiate yourself as a business professional, you have far better options than the basic MBA. You should look into your online master’s program options to advance your career today.

0
Image source: Twitter

The US Coast Guard said that more noises have been heard in the search for the missing Titanic sub.

News that noises have been picked up in the hunt for the missing submersible has offered a glimmer of hope that the five men on board are alive.

Capt. Jamie Frederick said they still don’t know what the noises are – but teams are looking in that area.

The search is being expanded – the surface search is now twice the size of the state of Connecticut, and the sub-surface search is 2.5 miles deep.

Today, an HC-130 Hercules aircraft has travelled 879 miles over the search area.

Aircraft from partner agencies are also scheduled to search.

Capt Frederick also told reporters it’s still a search and rescue operation, adding: “We have to remain optimistic and hopeful.”

The crew are thought to have less than 20 hours of oxygen left, based on a previous estimate.

Contact with the sub – which has five people on board – was lost on June 18 as it made a 3,800m descent to the Titanic wreck.

0

Image source: Twitter

A massive search and rescue operation is under way in the mid Atlantic after a tourist submarine went missing during a dive to Titanic’s wreck on June 18.

According the US Coast Guard, contact with the small sub was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive.

Tour firm OceanGate said all options were being explored to rescue the five people onboard.

Tickets cost $250,000 for an eight-day trip including dives to the wreck at a depth of 12,500ft.

Government agencies, the US and Canadian navies and commercial deep-sea firms are helping the rescue operation, officials said.

Titanic’s wreck lies some 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland, though the rescue mission is being run from Boston, Massachusetts.

The missing craft is believed to be OceanGate’s Titan submersible, a truck-sized sub that holds five people and usually dives with a four-day emergency supply of oxygen.

OceanGate said its “entire focus [was] on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families”.

“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible,” it added.

The company bills the eight-day trip on its carbon-fibre submersible as a “chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary”.

According to its website, one expedition is ongoing and two more have been planned for June 2024.

The submersible usually carries a pilot, three paying guests, and what the company calls a “content expert”.

The trip sets sail from St John’s in Newfoundland. Each full dive to the wreck, including the descent and ascent, reportedly takes around eight hours.

The OceanGate website lists three submersibles it owns, and only the Titan is capable of diving deep enough to reach the Titanic wreckage.

The vessel weighs 23,000 lbs and, according to the website, can reach depths of up to 13,100 ft and has 96 hours of life support available for a crew of five.

A vessel called the Polar Prince, which is used to transport submersibles to the wreckage site, was involved in the expedition.

Elon Musk’s mammoth new rocket, Starship, has exploded on its maiden flight.

The un-crewed SpaceX rocket took off from Boca Chica, Texas, on April 20.

After two to three minutes into the flight, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built started to tumble out of control and was soon destroyed by onboard charges.

Elon Musk has said his company will try again in a couple of months.

SpaceX engineers still class the mission as a success. They like to “test early and often” and are not afraid to break things. They will have gathered a mass of data to work towards the next flight. A second Starship is almost ready to take flight.

“Congrats @SpaceX team on an exciting test launch of Starship! Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months,” Elon Musk tweeted.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which licenses rocket launches in the US, said it would oversee a mishap investigation. A spokesman said this was standard practice when a vehicle was lost in flight.

Image source: SpaceX

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch aborted

Elon Musk had tried to temper expectations before the launch. Just getting the vehicle off the ground and not destroying the launch pad infrastructure would be considered “a win”, he said.

Starship cleared its launch complex on the US-Mexico border and picked up pace as it headed out over the Gulf of Mexico. But it was evident within a minute or so that not everything was going to plan.

As the rocket climbed higher and higher, it could be seen that six of the 33 engines at the base of the vehicle had been shut down or had flamed out.

And three minutes into the flight, it was pretty obvious the end was near. When the two halves of the vehicle should have been separating, they were in fact still connected – and veering off course.

At launch-plus-four-minutes, as Starship was losing altitude, a large explosion ripped across the blue sky, the result of computers triggering the vehicle’s Flight Termination System (FTS).

The top segment of Starship, also known as the ship, had taken flight previously on short hops, but this was the first time it had launched with its lower-stage.

This immense booster, called simply Super Heavy, was fired while clamped to its launch mount in February. However, its cluster of engines on that occasion were throttled back to half their capability.

Starship may not have destroyed its launch pad but later pictures indicated the forceful departure had done a fair amount of damage to concrete surfaces.

0

As a parent, one of the most important decisions you can make is enrolling your children in extracurricular activities. When it comes to participating in sports, many parents agree that there are a plethora of benefits for children. Not only is playing sports fun and a great way to make new friends, but physical activity has become increasingly important as technology continues advancing and more kids spend time inside glued to the computer or television. From increasing discipline and focus to building your child’s self-confidence and self esteem, learning how to be part of a team, and teaching valuable lessons about handwork and setting goals that can come in handy later in life when planning a move with Black Tie Moving, there are countless reasons why your child should play sports—and here are just three!

Photo by Kampus Production

1. Physical Activity

As a parent, it is important to encourage your children to stay active. Playing sports is an easy, fun way to get your child involved in physical activity which can help reduce the risk of developing diseases later in life. Research has found that physical activity releases endorphins, which can improve mood and mental health as well, making sports a great way to boost your child’s overall wellbeing.

2. Learning Discipline and Focus

Through sports, children learn the importance of discipline and focus, which can help them in many aspects of life. Participating in organized sports also encourages kids to practice self-control and decision making as they learn to manage their time and energy. One of the best ways to teach your child lessons about the world around them is by encouraging them to play sports.

3. Building Self-Confidence

Participating in sports can help children build self-confidence and a positive self-image. As kids work to improve their skills, they feel proud of their achievements, which can boost their self-esteem and set the foundation for lasting success. If your child is in need of a confidence boost, enrolling them in sports is one of the best things you can do as a parent.

Playing sports can be beneficial to children in many ways, from increased physical activity and improved mental health to learning important life lessons and building self-confidence. Whether it’s football, basketball, or another popular sport, encourage your child to get involved in playing sports and watch as they grow in more ways than one!                 

0

Traveling abroad can be one of the most rewarding experiences a college student can have. Aside from gaining valuable life experience and exploring new cultures, studying or working abroad can offer exciting educational opportunities that you may not find in a traditional classroom setting. With so many benefits to traveling overseas during your college years, it’s no wonder why so many students are taking advantage of international excursions. In this blog post, we’ll discuss three key reasons why every college student should consider traveling abroad during their university years.

Photo by Pixabay

1. Opportunities to Enhance Your Education

Traveling abroad provides the perfect opportunity to learn in an immersive environment, allowing you to gain valuable experience and knowledge that you can’t get from a classroom or textbook back at home. Whether you choose to participate in an international internship in your field of study or a general study abroad program, the real-world skills and knowledge you can gain from these experiences are invaluable. Not only will they make your resume stand out to potential employers, but they’ll also give you a well-rounded education that you can’t get at home.

2. Personal Growth and Development

Traveling alone or with a group of peers can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only will you have the opportunity to break out of your comfort zone, but you’ll also gain invaluable life experience. From meeting new people to exploring unfamiliar places, traveling abroad can help you develop your interpersonal skills, confidence and independence.

3. Career Opportunities

Traveling abroad can open up a world of career opportunities that may not be available to you at home. From internships and volunteer opportunities to job shadowing and language exchanges, there are plenty of ways for you to gain valuable professional experience while studying or working abroad. Even if you don’t find a job abroad, the skills and knowledge you gain while traveling can greatly enhance your resume, making it easier to land your dream job and relocate for work with the help of www.blacktiemoving.com after college.

No matter where you are thinking of traveling, having the opportunity to live and study overseas during your undergraduate college career has numerous benefits. From personal growth and development to the opportunity to enhance your career, studying abroad is one of the most personally and professionally beneficial and rewarding experiences that any student can have.

0

Cherokee County and Union County were separated by taking territory that the Cherokee People had previously given up. The only established town in Union County is Blairsville, founded in 1835. Blairsville was named after a Revolutionary War hero, James Blair. Due to its location, the town was a hub for gold mining until 1910. The town’s early landowners/settlers were mainly impoverished Scotch-Irish mountain people from the Appalachian Mountains. If you’re seeking a place to get away from it all, go no further than the mountain estates Blairsville offers. In the mountains, you can find stunning cottages that offer seclusion, peace, and quiet in addition to the clean air of the country and breathtaking views of the landscape and sky.

History

The original draw for settlers to Blairsville, Georgia, was gold. In the 1820s, the Mountains in Blue Ridge were awash with gold, swiftly attracting immigrants looking for a new place to call home. By 1832, Blairsville had grown into a small settlement with a population of around 100 individuals, most of whom had come to mine for valuable gold. Blairsville was named after American Revolutionary War veteran James Blair. According to legend, the gold discovered in the highlands of northern Georgia was the “yellowest gold” or purest ever discovered. Most of the region had been stripped bare and mined by 1910 when the gold rush finally ended.

A route connecting Cleveland, Georgia, with the North Carolina border was under construction in 1922. The project was finished in 1926, making this road the county’s first paved road. The Georgia National Forest was created after the United States acquired significant amounts of land in northern Georgia. Since 1937, this region has gone under the moniker Chattahoochee National Forest. The National Forest in Chattahoochee has become a key component of Georgia’s tourism industry throughout the years by attracting many visitors to the region. Before World War II, Northern Georgia was a remote and rural region. The Authority of Tennessee Valley chose the Nottely River, which flows straight through Blairsville today, as one of its projects in 1942. The Nottely River was walled, resulting in the creation of Lake Nottely to build a reservoir to produce hydroelectric power. This contributed significantly to Blairsville’s development and made it possible to electrify rural areas.

The original county courthouse in Blairsville was constructed in the middle of the city in 1835. However, it was destroyed by fire not once, but twice: in 1859 and again in 1898. It underwent renovation in 1989 and continued to function as the courthouse until its successor was built in 1976. The original courthouse, which had been left to the Union County Historical Society, was utilized in the construction of the Old Courthouse Museum. Blairsville is the only place in Georgia where sorghum is specifically grown for the purpose of producing syrup, and as a result, its sorghum is famous all over the world. The Blairsville Sorghum Festival will serve as Georgia’s official sorghum celebration since the state has chosen it.

Real Estates in Blairsville

For comfort, tranquility, and calm, Blairsville offers the best of the best. Homeowners enjoy spacious backyards, so if you are looking for houses for sale in Blairsville, be sure of the abundance of open space, no noise pollution, and almost no traffic during morning commutes. The locals are among the friendliest groups of individuals you will ever encounter. With time to slow down, sit back, relax, and enjoy nature’s beauty right in your backyard, Blairsville is the ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of major cities.

Homes close to the city center and in the neighboring rural districts cost a few hundred thousand dollars to a few million dollars in Blairsville. Looking at the breathtaking mountains surrounding Blairsville, many cottages and homes cost significantly more. These estates provide breathtaking vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains, several acres of idyllic privacy, and stunning views of the night sky, which is open due to the area’s sparse light traffic and reveals an astonishingly large number of stars. These expensive properties are well worth the money for the stunning views alone.

Forms of Education

The well-regarded Union County School District oversees the education provided in Blairsville, Georgia. UCSD is a relatively small district that oversees five schools that enroll pupils from Blairsville and the surrounding areas. Prekindergarten through grade twelve classes are held in all the schools and residences of thousands of students. Schools in Blairsville include:

  • First Grade Union County School
  • Elementary School in Union County
  • Counties Union Middle School of Union County
  • Union County Senior High
  • Primary and high school in Woody Gap

These educational institutions provide a wealth of engaging extracurricular activities and enrichment opportunities for students around the neighborhood. Blairsville has one alternative school, Mountain Center High School, which provides evening classes. A few possibilities are close for people who want to pursue private education, even though they are not physically located inside Blairsville.

Art and Culture

The people of Blairsville, Georgia, are pretty pleased with their history and themselves today. The city has made it a priority to honor its history and support local talent in art and craft. Finding a city more proud and committed than Blairsville would be difficult. The Union County Historical Society is based in Blairsville; it was founded in 1976 to document, interpret, and share Union County’s history. Union County has three significant historical buildings: the 1899 Courthouse, the 1906 Grapelle Butt Mock House, and the 1861 John Payne Cabin. The public is welcome to visit these places to gain insight into the local heritage.

The Union County Historical Society also organizes the Mountain Heritage Festival, which attracts between one hundred and eighty and two hundred artisans and craftspeople each year to demonstrate and sell their wares. Together with the wonderful selection of food provided by local restaurants, the festival also has live music, wine tasting from local wineries, craft beer, and more. At the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, you’ll find the Sundance Gallery, a local artisan business. This cute little gift shop has a wide variety of items, so it should appeal to many customers. Everything in the Sundance Gallery, from the intricate pottery to the unique jewelry to the hand-stitched rugs, coasters, and more, are created in the community.

Shopping and Restaurants

Blairsville’s eateries consistently serve up hearty, traditional southern fare. Real southern comfort food, often prepared with farm-fresh ingredients, is never in short supply. Blairsville, Georgia, is home to some of the state’s best restaurants, from rib spots to modest family cafes known for their incredible food and kind hospitality. Granddaddy Mimm’s Distillery is located on the outskirts of Blairsville, right next door to Pappy’s Trading Post. A visit to this one-of-a-kind bar, which sells only the highest quality, genuine moonshine, and freshly released vodka, will undoubtedly leave you with fond memories and, who knows, maybe even a new favorite drink to enjoy in the warm weather.

In Blairsville, a large number of shops and boutiques offer one-of-a-kind, handcrafted goods that were created by local residents. The proprietors of the store are constantly excited to see customers, and they maintain engaging conversations with those customers while they browse the merchandise. The local grocery store, Sunshine Grocery, was named one of the area’s “Most Charming General Stores” by Southern Living, making it an absolute necessity to pay them a visit. The downtown area of Blairsville features an abundance of shopping choices, with a variety of establishments providing a wide range of products, from apparel to home furnishings.

Outdoor Fun

Brasstown Bald Mountain, at an altitude of 4784 above sea level, is Georgia’s tallest peak, and it’s located in Blairsville. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Atlanta and the tops of the tallest structures there. The mountain’s peak is accessible by car from Georgia State Road 180 Spur. Brasstown Bald Mountain’s unusual moniker comes from its location. The Cherokee were the first to make their home in this area.

Vogel State Park is one of the oldest and most cherished state parks in Georgia, and its acres of beautiful parkland are among the best in the state. The Bear Hair Gap loop, a 4-mile favorite among hikers, is just one option among several. A hiker of any level can enjoy Bear Hair Gap, located near the lake and leads to the stunning Trahlyta Waterfall. The Coosa Backcountry Route is a challenging trek for experienced hikers. Several cottages, campsites, and “roughing-it” backpacking sites are available for people who want to explore the park more. Vogel State Park has a 22-acre lake where visitors can use kayaks, paddle boats, canoes, and other non-motorized watercraft throughout the summer. Hiking routes in Chattahoochee National Forest lead to pristine waterfalls. The beautiful scenery of water rushing over rock is perfect for a family outing, a couple’s stroll, or a photographer’s dream. There are a plethora of waterfalls in the area, including Sea Creek Falls, horse trough Falls, DeSoto Falls, Helton Creek Falls, and Sea Creek Falls, all of which can be reached by separate paths, campgrounds, or parks.

Neighborhood

Blairsville has several great neighborhoods, but the Lance Mill/Bethlehem area is consistently ranked among the city’s best. Studios, two-bedroom homes, three- and four-bedroom homes, and mobile homes predominate in this neighborhood. Senior folks make up a large percentage of the homeowners in this area, making it a great place to settle down in retirement. The Blairsville City Center is a desirable area on the city’s outskirts. Most of the houses in this neighborhood are small or medium-sized single-family homes, while there are also a few mobile homes. Fishermen, foresters, and farmers populate City Center, with many retiring to the area to spend their golden years in solitude. Compared to the rest of the United States, Suches/Gaddistown has one of the lowest population densities. It would help if you greatly valued wide-open spaces, low traffic volumes, and peace to consider making this your permanent residence.

Fun Activities to Do

At Blairsville and the environs, there are an infinite number of indoor and outdoor activities to choose from. Many folks enjoy getting away to the treks for beginner to challenging treks or riding through the winding hills with a mountain bike to get fresh air because of its accessibility to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lake Nottely’s tranquil, mild waters offer the chance to brush up on watersport abilities like kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding. The waters make for a nice swim, even if they can sometimes be very cool. Anybody interested in buying products made in the area must visit the Union County Farmers Market. The market is crowded with booths selling the freshest fruits, vegetables, handmade furnishings, and artwork, and it is open from June through October. The Union County Farmers Market is a lovely place to spend a morning, whether you’re explicitly seeking something or just out and about to browse the beautiful products and meet the fascinating people who sell them. Pappy’s Trading Post, which is located on the outskirts of Blairsville, has been an important part of the community for a very long time. This warm and inviting shop is crammed to the gills not only with furniture and antiques but also with a variety of other unique finds. Pappy’s Trading Post enjoys a prime location right next to a rushing river, which provides visitors with the best possible circumstances for tubing. A delightful afternoon can be had by people of any age by tubing down the river and seeking treasures in the shop, respectively.

Blairsville, Georgia, is a peaceful and relaxing place to live. Blairsville has such a low population that you won’t find a more welcoming place. Blairsville, Georgia, in Union County, is a picturesque town in the northern part of the state. It is known for its proximity to lush forests, several winding waterways, lakes, and rivers, and the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, which earned it a name as a gold-mining hub in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Blairsville is ideal for retirees searching for a quiet community because it is home to a few young families and college/university students. Blairsville is home to kind, easygoing people who warmly welcome visitors and those considering making the town their permanent residence.

0

A number of factors go into consideration when choosing to pursue a degree at a higher institution or picking an institution to attend. Aside from the foundational interest in the degree and educational environment, prospective students and guardians also consider the required length of time, the cost of tuition, and the different benefits of attaining that particular degree.

For a number of people, the cost of education is a major hindrance to acquiring higher education. For others, it’s the length of time that such a degree requires.

Thankfully, there’s a non-traditional degree program option that provides a pathway to higher education, even without cutting out the major benefits of a conventional degree program. This is the accelerated degree, which simply aims to get students out of school as fast as possible to begin or continue pursuing their careers.

An accelerated degree program is a non-conventional course that offers prospective students the same degree, but in a shortened period of time when compared to traditional degrees. In recent times, accelerated degrees have become more popular than ever. In this article, we highlight the reasons why this is so and why it may be a great learning choice for you.

They save more learning time

This is the most popular reason for choosing an accelerated degree today. Unlike traditional degree programs that are structured into semesters that typically run for 16 weeks and require 12 to 17 credits per semester, accelerated programs run differently.

Accelerated degree programs typically run for shorter periods and are referred to as quarters or terms. During these terms, students don’t have the long breaks in between that conventional degree programs have. As a result, the amount of time spent learning is significantly compressed.

Accelerated degree demands are high and require a higher level of dedication. As a student who gets into accelerated programs, you have a chance of finishing your degree faster than the traditional learners, and doing this in a swift manner makes it worth it.

They offer several financial benefits

Of course, you will expect that because less time is spent in school, the tuition will be lower than that of traditional programs. This is true, and in fact, it offers other financial benefits. Investopedia records that because accelerated degree students can trim at least six months off their program schedule, there’s a high chance of saving more than $15,000.

Another perspective on this is that it is possible to avoid student loans, taking off a good amount of financial responsibilities from students. Students take loans because they cannot afford the quality education they want. However, with the same quality education becoming more affordable, it’s no surprise that these non-conventional degrees are becoming more popular.

They make faster career progression possible

For most people, their career plan is to get the education and required training, get accredited or qualified, and get a job that pays reasonably well. For others who are already treading on a career path, they require a level of advanced training that will advance their careers.

An accelerated program makes the possibilities of employment and career progression much faster and more attainable. Not only this, but you also get a good understanding of how the competitive market works.

Getting into and sustaining an accelerated degree program can be an intense process, as the requirements are typically demanding. However, the good side of it is that the entire process can give you a head start in your chosen career path.

They are a good option for those trying out career paths

Today, not everyone in college is going to follow the path of the course they’re studying. People choose to study different courses for different reasons, and it’s not until the end of some degree programs that some students begin to ask the right questions and realize that they would rather walk another path.

Accelerated degrees can offer students the opportunity to gain the required knowledge about a career path before deciding that it is the path they will truly follow.

Today, we have a number of accelerated online degrees, such as the UIndy ABSN program, that offer accredited and high-level curricula that prepare students for future career opportunities in the marketplace.

Following these benefits, an accelerated degree program can be your access to a career path or progression that you’ve always dreamed of.

0

Education is incredibly important, and while many people do complete high school, not everyone chooses to continue their academic journey to college. There are many reasons why you might not be interested in pursuing this path, and it isn’t right for everyone. Choosing to enroll in a college degree program can be a big commitment, and it will take determination and patience throughout your studies to achieve your goals. It’s understandable why some people might want to take a break between their high school experience and higher education, and if you’re not sure what you would like to study or do with your future, taking some time out to think things over can be a sensible move. However, there are numerous benefits to getting a degree or equivalent qualification, even if you choose to do this later in life. If you are someone who is thinking about returning to school but you’re not sure if this pursuit will be worthwhile, below are some of the key benefits to gain from higher education that might persuade you.

Image source: PxHere

Developing Your World View

You might choose to study a specific topic, and this will certainly expand your knowledge of the subject in question. While this can be beneficial if you want to specialize in a specific career, engaging in higher education can help you develop your ideas and perceptions in other areas, too. Engaging in conversation with your fellow students and tutors can expose you to different ways of thinking, improve your social skills, and perhaps even introduce you to new cultures and other interests. This can not only be beneficial to you from an academic viewpoint but help with personal growth as well.

The Opportunity to Make New Friends

As you will meet new people on your course and in your educational surroundings, choosing to pursue higher education can also allow you the opportunity to make new friends. A lot of people who meet in college form life-long friendships and relationships, and this can be incredibly rewarding. Furthermore, you might find that you have the chance to network and make professional connections while you study, which can put you in a better position when it comes to starting your career once you graduate. Even mature students can benefit from higher education in this way, and it can be one of the best parts of going to college.

Challenging Yourself

Another excellent benefit of higher education is that it can be a great way to challenge yourself. The demands of studying for a college degree or equivalent qualification program are greater, so students must learn to manage their time effectively and push themselves to do research for their various assignments and exams. It also requires more in-depth thinking and can help you develop creative problem-solving skills, teamwork if you have group assignments, public speaking if you need to make presentations, and written communication skills, as a few examples. All of these things can benefit you when you enter into the world of work and can also benefit you in everyday life, too.

More importantly, these challenges can show you what you’re truly capable of and push you to reach your full potential. This can help you feel more confident when you graduate, preparing you for various challenges in your professional and personal life.

Introducing You to Other Options

A lot of people choose to get a higher education because they want to improve their career prospects. This is certainly an attractive benefit to further study, especially as certain roles might not consider candidates who do not have a degree or equivalent qualification. While you might already have a career path in mind, higher education can also introduce you to other career options that you might not have previously considered. You will likely learn about other roles in an industry that you would like to work in, or discover other possible career paths that you weren’t aware of that might be better suited to you. This could result in you following a more rewarding career journey, one that without higher education, you might not have discovered or been able to get an entry-level role in.

You may even find that you want to continue with your higher education if you want to specialize in a particular discipline, achieving a master’s degree or Ph.D., as part of your academic and career path.

It’s More Flexible Than You Might Think

A lot of people might be put off higher education because it can be a big commitment, and they might not want to relocate to attend a college or have to drop to part-time working hours to attend classes. While this might have been a problem a few decades ago that was keeping people from pursuing higher education, in the modern era, it is much easier to access learning online, like the SBU Online communication masters degree. Although it will require a time commitment to study like this, an online learning approach can be much more flexible, allowing students to fit their education around their careers and other commitments that they might have. In some cases, online learning can also be a more cost-effective approach to getting a degree, as they are often more affordable than attending college in the traditional sense.

It Can Give You Purpose

It can be easy to find yourself stuck in a rut and struggling to find a way out of it. When you feel like you’re just going through the motions, day in and day out, you might find yourself craving a sense of direction and purpose. This might be due to feeling unsatisfied in your career, or something else that is going on in your life. Whatever the reason, higher education could be a good solution for you. If you are finding yourself in a career slump, learning new skills or exploring other possible career options through study can help to revive you and give you a new sense of direction. Even if it’s nothing to do with your career, pushing yourself to learn new things and focus on a topic that interests you can help to give you a sense of purpose and more structure to your routine as you make time to study.

Boosting Your Confidence and Self-esteem

As you develop your knowledge and other life skills through higher education, you may notice that it helps you to feel better about yourself, too. It can be an excellent way to increase your confidence and self-esteem, and this might happen without you noticing at first. Getting a degree or equivalent qualification is an incredible achievement and something that you can be proud of, and this can help you to feel good about yourself and what will come next for you. Meeting other people and forging those friendships can also contribute to this, encouraging you to try new things and learn more about yourself as an individual.

It Can Help You Become More Disciplined

Even if you do choose a more flexible approach to your studies, like taking an online course, you will still need to make sure that you are setting enough time aside to dedicate to your studies. This can help you become more disciplined as an individual and highlight the importance of this in your daily life. For those who do feel like they are coasting, this can be greatly beneficial, as it can help to adjust your mindset and get more focused on what you want out of life. This can also help you figure out how to achieve your goals and have the motivation to follow through with your plans. Improving your self-discipline will benefit you both in your professional and personal life, so this is certainly something worth working on.

A Chance to See New Places

You might choose to study online at home or attend classes at a college in your hometown, but that doesn’t mean further education can’t present you with the opportunity to see new places. The most obvious way this can happen is by choosing to go to a college or other educational institute in another part of the country or even studying abroad. However, this is not the only way education can take you to new places. As degrees or similar qualifications tend to improve your career prospects, this can also open doors for you when it comes to applying for jobs, too. You might find that you’re more confident or an ideal candidate to apply for a role located in another city or another country. This might not be something that everyone is interested in, but for those who would like to see more places and experience other parts of the world, higher education could help you achieve those goals in some ways.

You don’t have to go to college straight after high school, and there are students of all ages who have decided to pursue higher education for the reasons listed above and more. If you have been thinking about furthering your education to improve your prospects, think about these other benefits and see if they can persuade you to follow through with your plans.

0

Teachers have the chance to be role models in their classrooms and at school. But what does it imply to be a leader who is conscious, heart-centered, and aware of the varied needs of their pupils? We live in a diverse society, and so does the classroom. Students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds, and it is critical to know how to deliver culturally responsive instruction.

There are many ways to be a better teacher, but being culturally responsive is one of the most important things that you can do. If you are planning to raise the topic of cultural diversity in the class, you can use the comic maker from www.storyboardthat.com which will allow you to interest pupils right away. But of course, it is essential to make everything correctly. Here are some tips on how to be culturally responsive in your teaching:

1. Be aware of your own cultural biases and assumptions

This is the first step in being culturally responsive. You need to be aware of your own biases and assumptions in order to avoid unintentionally passing them on to your students. Be honest with yourself about where you come from and how that might influence the way you see the world.

2. Acknowledge and celebrate diversity in the classroom

Make an effort to learn about the different cultures represented in your classroom. This will help you create a more inclusive environment where all students feel welcome. Acknowledge and celebrate diversity through your words and actions.

3. Use culturally responsive teaching strategies

There are a variety of teaching strategies that you can use to be more culturally responsive. Some of these include incorporating diverse perspectives into your lesson plans, using culturally relevant materials, and incorporating students’ cultural backgrounds into your teaching. One way to make your lessons more culturally responsive is to incorporate diverse perspectives into them. This can be done by using a variety of different teaching materials that come from diverse cultures. Additionally, you can invite guest speakers into your classroom who can share their own unique perspectives with your students.

4. Be open to feedback

It’s important to be open to feedback from your students in order to ensure that you are being culturally responsive. Ask for feedback and let your students know that you are open to hearing what they have to say. Use this feedback to inform your practice and make necessary changes.

5. Continuously reflect on your practice

Reflect on your teaching practice on a regular basis to ensure that you are meeting the needs of all your students. Consider what is working well and what could be improved. Make changes to your practice as needed.

6. Incorporate technology into your lessons

Use technology in the classroom to teach about different cultures and to connect with students from diverse backgrounds. There are a number of ways that you can do this, such as using online resources, incorporating multimedia into your lessons, and using social media.

7. Be an advocate for change

Work to create systemic change within the education system so that all students have the opportunity to succeed. Be an advocate for policies and practices that are culturally responsive and that support the success of all students.

8. Create interactive lessons

When creating your lessons, make sure to incorporate interactive activities that engage all students. This will help create a more inclusive environment where everyone feels like they are a part of the lesson.

There are many ways to make your lesson interactive. Here are a few ideas:

  • Use group work to allow students to collaborate and learn from each other
  • Use technology, such as apps and websites, to create interactive experiences
  • Get students up and moving with physical activities

9. Promote social and emotional learning

This can be done by incorporating positive behavior supports, teaching social and emotional skills, and creating a safe and supportive environment.

10. Seek professional development opportunities

Attend workshops and conferences on culturally responsive teaching to learn more about how you can implement it in your own classroom. Also, read books and articles on the topic so that you can continually improve your practice.

When you are conscious of your own cultural biases, make an effort to learn about and celebrate diversity, and use culturally responsive teaching strategies, you will be on your way to being a better teacher. Culturally responsive teaching is an essential part of creating a more equitable and inclusive education system.

Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, launched four more astronauts into orbit on the Crew Dragon capsule on April 27.

The crew includes Jessica Watkins, who becomes the first black woman to serve on an extended mission on the International Space Station (ISS).

In orbit, the crew will work on science experiments and space station maintenance.

According to NASA, experiments will include studies on “the aging of immune systems, organic material concrete alternatives, and cardiorespiratory effects during and after long-duration exposure to microgravity”.

Crew-3, after handing over to the new Crew-4, will return from space on their Crew Dragon capsule in September, shortly after SpaceX launches its Crew-5 mission.

Image source: Wikipedia

Jessica Watkins, 33, and three other astronauts rocketed into space from the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida at 3:52AM EDT.

In November 2021, NASA announced Jessica Watkins would be the fourth and final seat on Crew Dragon for SpaceX’s Crew-4 mission.

The assignment meant Jessica Watkins would be the first Black woman to join an ISS crew for scientific research, station maintenance, training and more over a six-month period. Previously, Victor Glover, part of SpaceX’s Crew-2 mission that launched in November 2020, became the first Black astronaut to join a station crew.

Dragon Capsule: SpaceX Launches First Demo Mission from Kennedy Space Center

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Successfully Attached to the International Space Station

Out of 248 astronauts who have visited the ISS, only seven have been Black and none were included in expeditions lasting several months.

In 1983, Guion Bluford became the first Black astronaut to travel to space. Mae Jemison followed nine years later and became the first Black woman to do the same.

In 2021, NASA also announced that Jessica Watkins was chosen for the Artemis program that aims to put astronauts back on the moon no later than 2025.

The April 27 flight sent NASA’s Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren and the European Space Agency’s Samantha Cristoforetti to orbit.

They’re expected to dock at the ISS at 8:15PM EDT if schedules hold.

0

The Covid-19 outbreak had a major impact on almost every aspect of our daily lives. Travel and social restrictions have kept people at home for the past two years. Online shopping and grocery deliveries have become increasingly integrated into our lives. There is one area that has not been sufficiently analyzed yet, but it is of great importance for a large part of society.

We are talking about education.

Image source: Pexels

NOT EVERYTHING WAS SO BAD

Surveys showed that most interviewees enjoyed the flexibility of the remote format. They could decide for themselves when they wanted to study, as many students now began recording lessons. They also no longer had to travel all the way to classrooms, which was a significant time saver.

Another plus was that they were now forced to get to know about certain software and tools. This knowledge is important overall and makes them more competitive in the 21st century. Video conferencing software and all the tools associated with interactive classrooms were very popular and used daily. Their use will expand in the nearer future.

However, it was increasingly influential to have your own computer and a stable Internet connection. This involved investment. The total number of households that had access grew during the pandemic.

CHALLENGES OF ONLINE CLASSROOMS

Still, a number of them faced challenges. For example, they had to find a suitable location for classes. In some countries, this even involved school or university policies. That students or schoolchildren needed, above all, a space to themselves in order to learn. However, this did not correspond to the reality of many low-income families around the world. Young people also find it difficult to concentrate and stare at screens for hours.

Less social contact and interaction on campus led to rising stress levels and a decline in motivation. Let us not forget that going to university is not just about seminars and lectures, but also about personal development and making contacts.

THE EDTECH MARKET

However, digital tools for teaching have emerged as one of the winners of this crisis. In the US alone, there has been a 90% increase. The e-learning market is expected to grow to over $1 trillion by 2027.

One of the most popular tools has been Education Cloud Technology. The current demand will almost double its value to $947 billion by 2026. The Software as a Service segment will play a prominent role. These are externally hosted, subscription-based applications that can be accessed over the Internet no matter where you are.

Besides the Cloud technology Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning influenced the way of educating. Ever more people subscribed to learning platforms, for software skills or even languages. Hereby it was necessary to tailor the learning process to the individual and its time and effort.

This market still has room for expansion to meet the needs of customers. Not only regarding universities and teachers but also to individuals. Undoubtedly, further investments will pay off.

0
Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels

What is the ‘American dream? It can be best explained as an idea that proclaims that if someone is appropriately dedicated to something with incredible perseverance and hard work, he/she can grow from rags to riches. It was the notion of the ‘self-made man.

In American history, this notion has made an impeccable impact. It has motivated thousands of Americans to work even harder to achieve their dream of success and financial accomplishment.

In a broader aspect, it was focused on strengthening the concepts of equality, democracy, individual rights, and freedom for every American citizen. You can find many essays on American dream online that show different perspectives of the American dream. Those essay examples can help you understand the bigger picture.

The concept is mainly to make the people believe that they have all the rights to seek success and prosperity in life. It was an opinion for all, irrespective of their current status in their society as per success is concerned.

Versions  Of The American Dream

The notion of the American dream has changed its course with time. One can perceive this idea with different epochs and how it has changed into newer shapes and forms. However, changes do not mean complete deformation. Like any other ideas or isms, the core belief behind this idea remained intact. The concept of happiness and freedom, which are the two wheels of this idea, altered with the altering the context of America.

There were different reasons for this constant alteration of the idea. As an example, Virginia’s Governor John Murray, back in 1774, said that “people think that the lands far from them are way better than those they are already living.” This quote spiked a considerable debate against the idea of the American dream, stating that psychologically, people always stay in a state of fulfillment and dissatisfaction. And it also provoked the impression that people always desire something even better or even more.

It ends with a quote that “When got heaven, people would love to move to place even more wonderful than that.”

The Origin Of The American Dream

The concept of the American Dream is influenced by the United States Declaration Of Independence. There are two declarations by America’s founding fathers that have boosted the creation of this idea. The notions are “all men are created equal” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

These were the founding days of the notion of the American dream. The acceptance of this notion heightened after the U.S. constitutional government decided to incorporate this enchanted idea directly into its Preamble.  

19th Century America

The idea of the American dream began to grow acknowledgment all over the United States, especially in the education system. Every student was given the fundamental idea of the American dream in schools. In every American college and university, the American dream became a popular topic.

But the notion got affected due to massive immigration in the 19th century. The whole thought of traditional America changed due to this prolonged immigration along with the idea of the American dream.

The thought of the American dream completely shifted its course after gold was discovered in America in the 19th century. Especially in California, the foundation of new gold mines that many people think that their fortune can reach a new height overnight.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

20th the Century: Beginning Of The Creation Of The American Dream

The notion of the American reached the ultimate peak of popularity in the 20th century. According to  “Epic of America” the book by Truslow Adams showed how the American dream became highly popular in this century and how the American government played a significant role in this century.

Quoting Adams’ exact words, he started in his essay that the American Dream is “not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of their birth or position.”

The American dream can be simply defined as one of the best ideas that America has ever had. The American dream has initiated many great movements, such movement for the voting rights of women and also the civil rights movement.

Conclusion

With many changes and shifts kept apart, the American dream can be defined as a wondrous idea even in the 21st century, with its fixed set of strong beliefs. In the end, we can conclude that the concept of a dream can look different to different people. And, everyone can incorporate the brilliant idea of the American dream in their own lives to reach success.

0
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Now and then, we come across fearful news of mass shootings and alarming gun violence. And, amidst all this, we must be aware of how we can control this violence. The timely information regarding gun violence is that there are some great ways by which we can handle this to a significant extent. In this essay, we are going to discuss how we can curb the raging pestilence of gun violence and stop the violence from spreading any further.

Without any shadow of a doubt, many people lose their lives by gun killings. And keeping all the other reasons away, we must prevent this before it goes out of hand for the sake of humanity only.

According to gun violence statistics, more than 30,000 people lose their lives every day worldwide due to a bullet lodged in their bodies.

We can not deny the fact that these deaths happen due to the lack of will by the governance or underinvestment aimed to prevent these killings.

Pass Gun Laws That Actually Reduce Gun Laws

Gun violence results from a lack of intervention of stern laws against it.

5% of the homicides are even done with military-grade rifles, which shows the flaws in the laws. According to gun control essay examples published in known magazines like JAMA, showed that countries with strict laws and restrictions against multiple and easy purchases of guns recorded lower rates of gun-related homicide.

The right-to-carry laws are becoming dangerous. The right to carry guns for citizens with evidential requirements has spiked killings by at least 15%.

Orders regarding gun-violence restraining is another point of attraction for lawmakers. This law will enforce a temporary bar on a person who seems at risk of possessing any firearms. Police are allowed to seize firearms whenever they want to.

These laws can certainly lower gun-related crimes, and many studies have proved it.

Nonetheless, the most prominent shortcoming of laws is that there are some evident loopholes to evade them. Gun killings have even crept their way to education sectors. Some weapons are being available to underage students. The news of gun violence in schools and colleges is simply heart-wrenching.

Photo by Jakson Martins from Pexels

Invest In Smart Gun Technology

In January 2013 press conference, U.S. President Barack Obama had said that “If we can set it up so you can’t unlock your phone unless you have got the right fingerprint, then why can’t we do the same for our guns?”

This particular saying from the President had spiked the idea of making smart gun technology. Guns are way smarter than they were before. Nowadays, firearms can be monitored, controlled, and regulated exactly like mobile phones. However, the technology is still under supervision and has a path to get more trustworthy. In fact, there are no smart guns as of yet in the United States.

The main concern behind this is that the gun makers, as well as the users, believe that the technology will fail during utmost requirement. And hence acceptance of smart guns is pretty low.

End Legal Immunity For Gun Violence

Federal laws have been protecting the gun industry.

There were lawsuits passed in the past that had certainly helped gun violence to increase. Experts say that if laws hold the manufacturers responsible for misusing any of their products, they will be instinctive towards making safer firearms.

Fund Gun Violence Prevention Research

More research on guns to make them safer will automatically lower the probabilities of violent homicides.

According to a study by American Medical Association, research regarding gun violence should have received 1.4 billion dollars, but currently, only 22 million dollars were funded to it. This is around 1.6% of the money they should have been received by now.

The yearly budget should a lot immediate hike in money expenditure in this field of research against firearm violence. 

Conclusion

We, along with our society, are being used to these types of violence day by day. Tragedies such as gun killings are homicides are being a sort of day-to-day routine.

But, this has to step one day or the other. If not completely stopped, we can try our best to prevent it to a significant extent. This is our right to enjoy a weekend in our house, send our children to playgrounds, go to offices, drive our cars back home and shop at shopping malls, stroll all around our loved city without any fear of being shot.

Hand-in-hand together, we can create an unfathomable barricade against gun-related violence and change our society for the better.

0

New immigrants, international students, and visitors may find it difficult to adjust to the free life of America. People from countries with sophisticated cultures and rigid socio-political activities may find some US cultures too confusing. However, these aspects need to be adjusted, especially if you are in any of the universities and are there to study culture or related courses.

Suppose you find yourself in the new American environment, or you may one day want to explore American culture. In that case, you may need to get yourself familiar materials about American culture. Luckily, there are dozens of essays about American culture written by both Americans and visitors. Get your hands on various essays or essay examples that students from various colleges have reviewed. However, this article will list five aspects of the American culture you need to get familiar with and the American culture examples. However, studying culture-related courses in college will broaden your knowledge of the American culture we will mention in this article.

If you don’t want to get lost in your new environment, be it your university as a new student, workplace or you want to add to your education, you need to follow through this article also to see some American Culture examples you should look forward to in your stay in America.

Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels

Independence

For individuals from countries with rigid socio-political systems,  seeing the level of independence in America might seem strange. America is a country that believes in and enforces freedom in all sectors. The level of independence in the country is next to none in the world. Trust me, America upholds individualism to the fullest.

Americans want to control their lives, and this even goes down to the kids. Even parents do not have total control of their children’s lives. Every individual in America has the freedom and rights to join any group or to declare any sexuality.

Equality

The concept of equality among gender, race, and nationality originated in America. For a country that had experienced one of the most deadly civil wars and racial crises, America’s concept of equality was bound to take ground. Natives believe that everyone is equal irrespective of their social status or class. The court in the country enforces equality to the minimum.

Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Informality

As much as Americans love to look good in suits on Monday mornings, their level of formality doesn’t exceed the Monday morning looks. Americans are known to take relationships, dress, and look as casual as possible.

Employees can directly address their bosses by their first name without any fuss. Some children call their parents by their first name. Store clerks and waiters introduce themselves by their first names. Many people from other nationalities and cultures may confuse the causality and informality in America for rudeness. It isn’t rudeness; it is part of what makes the American people.

Directness

Americans are open individuals. They can be so direct at comments and conversation. An average American takes delight in good communication between people they are involved with, expecting honesty. In America, you will experience a direct conversation between employers and employees,  honest comments on your fashion sense, or work not well done. Foreigners may take their honesty as insults. However, it is not. The comments did come from an honest place.

Optimism

Another fascinating thing about America is their habit of “never say never.” Americans are optimistic people who see solutions in difficult situations. When you see a half-empty glass of water, a US native is seeing a glass of water that is half-full. No wonder the world has so many technological breakthroughs from the country. So, if you are taking a trip to America, you need to pump up your level of optimism because you are in a country that never says never.

Conclusion

We wonder why US citizens seem to flourish in all aspects of their lives – leading the world’s socio-political sector. We also wonder why many countries follow the steps of the country. These five aspects of American culture have made the country the most visited country in the world. Understanding these five aspects of American Culture will make you easily fit into American society.

The BlackLivesMatter movement is something you must have heard at one point in time. It rocked the US and the world to its core when this movement started. Every college and university student has to know about this movement now as it has changed history in its way and is an integral part of education now.

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

What was the Original Structure of the Black Lives Matter Movement?

The Black Lives Matter movement was founded in 2013 by three black female organizers: Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was started as a reaction to a situation these powerful women knew needed looking into. It was formed due to the unjust killing of Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman’s neighbourhood watch shot an unarmed, black teenager walking around a district.

Zimmerman called the police about a black man looking “suspicious,” but Zimmerman had shot the budding youth before law enforcement could arrive. This cold-blooded murder led to a tasking case where Zimmerman was acquitted of the second-degree murder charge he was charged with. The Black Lives Matter movement started as a hashtag on social media and quickly gained ground due to this acquittal. The original structure of the organization was as an information platform and an organizing tool. A tool dedicated to fighting anti-black violence, racism, unfair treatment, and other affiliations black people face.

What’s Changed about the BLM Structure since then?

The BLM movement has risen to become one of the biggest civil movements in the United States. The moment in 2020 when millions of US citizens decided to come forward in a March, a BLM protest under the #Black Lives Matter or #BLM slogan, the game changed, and the movement became more prominent than ever. It quickly rose to a greater level, and it has become more traditional in the process. It’s like there is a new hierarchy in the movement.

Members typically see the movement as decentralized with no clear superior in charge. But now, it seems like power got to the head of some members and their behavioural patterns changed towards others. Coupled with the fact that some members are more recognized, the structure took a hierarchical structure. There are many essay examples about the movement online.

Photo by Kelly L from Pexels

How is Public Opinion about BLM Changing and Why?

When the movement started, it was solid, and it led to a very new mindset, showing masses how terrible and rampant police brutality is among blacks. But now, it seems like the hype is falling. Studies have shown that more people are putting their trust in US law enforcement in the USA. Some surveys showed how many white Americans aged 47 to 55 have the highest percentage of those who dropped the cause. When Trayvon was shot, the movement was very solid. Then after a couple of years, enthusiasm started dropping among the white folks. Till Floyd’s killings happened, and interest piqued up again. But dropped after a while.

The Black American movement is still solid; interests are not dying down across all genders, ages and individuality. The people dropping back had a couple of reasons; some said it was because things would never change, some changed because of a new thing they saw online.

Is this Evolution of Black Lives Matter Typical of Social Movement?

The evolution of the BLM movement is quite typical and not typical of a social movement. An excellent social movement will gain recognition and more attention because people can relate to them. This is what happened with the BLM movement. But after a while, people’s interests will start to wane. People are dynamic and cannot stay at the same frequency for a long time. The movement is not so typical because it gained tremendous coverage and members in a ridiculously little time. Many social movements don’t get to the stage of power and prominence the BLM movement have reached.

Is it all Clear what Structure BLM will or should have in the Future?

Humans are dynamic, and no one can exactly tell what will happen in the future. But there is speculation the movement will continue in its hierarchical form and maybe expand the idea to all its facets. The situation has already been set in stone, and some members already have titles, distinguishing them from the rest.

Conclusion

The BLM movement will always be a prominent and powerful political force in the US and other parts of the world. With branches and headquarters in different countries and cities, it is safe to say that this movement is here to stay.

Countries reached a deal aimed at staving off dangerous climate change at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

The Glasgow Climate Pact is the first ever climate deal to explicitly plan to reduce coal, the worst fossil fuel for greenhouse gases.

The pact also presses for more urgent emission cuts and promises more money for developing countries – to help them adapt to climate impacts.

However, the pledges don’t go far enough to limit temperature rise to 1.5C.

A commitment to phase out coal that was included in earlier negotiation drafts led to a dramatic finish after India led opposition to it.

India’s climate minister Bhupender Yadav asked how developing countries could promise to phase out coal and fossil fuel subsidies when they “have still to deal with their development agendas and poverty eradication”.

In the end, countries agreed to “phase down” rather than “phase out” coal, amid expressions of disappointment by some. COP26 President Alok Sharma said he was “deeply sorry” for how events had unfolded.

COP26: Greta Thunberg Joins Protest in Glasgow

Alok Sharma fought back tears as he told delegates that it was vital to protect the agreement as a whole.

As part of the agreement, countries will meet next year to pledge further major carbon cuts with the aim of reaching the 1.5C goal. Current pledges, if fulfilled, will only limit global warming to about 2.4C.

If global temperatures rise by more than 1.5C, scientists say the Earth is likely to experience severe effects such as millions more people being exposed to extreme heat.

Despite the weakening of language around coal, some observers will still see the deal as a victory, underlining that it is the first time coal is explicitly mentioned in UN documents of this type.

Coal is responsible for about 40% of annual CO2 emissions, making it central in efforts to keep within the 1.5C target. To meet this goal, agreed in Paris in 2015, global emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and to nearly zero by mid-century.

Finance was a contentious issue during the conference. A pledge by developed nations to provide $100 billion per year to emerging economies, made in 2009, was supposed to have been delivered by 2020. However, the date was missed.

It was designed to help developing nations adapt to climate effects and make the transition to clean energy. In an effort to mollify delegates, Alok Sharma said around $500 billion would be mobilized by 2025.

Main achievements of the Glasgow Climate Pact:

  • Re-visiting emissions-cutting plans next year to try to keep 1.5C target reachable
  • The first ever inclusion of a commitment to limit coal use
  • Increased financial help for developing countries

Image source: NobelPrize.org

Benjamin List and David MacMillan have been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on building molecules that are mirror images of one another.

The two scientists were announced as the winners at an event in Stockholm.

Their chemical toolkit has been used for discovering new drugs and making molecules that can capture light in solar cells.

The winners will share the prize money of 10 million krona.

Asked how he felt winning, Scotland-born Prof. MacMillan, from Princeton University, said: “Dazed, confused, elated, proud, sentimental, weepy – you name it. I feel all of those things right now.”

German-born Prof. List was on holiday with his family when he heard the news: “I absolutely didn’t expect this huge surprise,” adding that he “thought it was a joke” when he received the call from Sweden.

The scientific process in question, called asymmetric organocatalysis, has made it much easier to produce asymmetric molecules – chemicals that exist in two versions, where one is a mirror image of the other.

Chemists often just want one of these mirror images – particularly when producing medicines – but it has been difficult to find efficient methods for doing this.

Some molecules with mirror versions have different properties. An example is the chemical called carvone, which has one form that smells like spearmint and a counterpart that smells like the herb, dill.

Nobel Committee member Prof. Peter Somfai reasoned that, if the body can differentiate between two mirror images, the same might be true for drugs used to treat illnesses. In other words, different versions of the same molecule might have different effects when ingested.

“Then it becomes important to be able to make only the mirror image of a drug that has the desired physiological effect,” he said during the news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Nobel Prize 2021: David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian Share Prize in Physiology or Medicine

One tragic example of this principle was the drug thalidomide, approved for treating morning sickness and other conditions in the 1950s. It was withdrawn when it was found to cause disabilities in babies.

Thalidomide medication contained two mirror versions of the same chemical compound mixed in together. One of these versions damaged the developing foetus.

David MacMillan, 53, was born in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, and is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Princeton University in New Jersey.

Benjamin List, also 53, is from Frankfurt, Germany. He is a professor at the University of Cologne and the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research.

Their work focused on catalysts, substances that can speed up chemical reactions without becoming part of the final product.

While at Harvard University in the late 1990s, David MacMillan had been working with metal catalysts. But the types used in his research were rarely taken up by industry. The problem was that, while the oxygen-free and moisture-free conditions demanded by some metal catalysts were possible to achieve in the lab, this was much more difficult at large scales.

David MacMillan began designing simple organic molecules (chemicals that contain carbon and hydrogen bonded together) which could do the same job as metals, but were not destroyed by moisture.

Meanwhile, Benjamin List was working towards a similar goal. He had been able to show that a simple amino acid called proline could act as a highly effective catalyst. It was also cheap and environmentally-friendly.

Prof. Somfai, who works at Sweden’s Lund University, said List and MacMillan had “rationalized their findings” in such a simple way that it was immediately appreciated by the scientific community”.

He added: “This resulted in a ‘gold rush’ – or an explosion – in this area… It’s easy to design new things given this easy explanation.”

The Nobel Committee said the technique had “taken molecular construction to an entirely new level”.

The Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel founded the prizes in his will, written a year before his death in 1896.

A total of 187 individuals have received the chemistry prize since it was first awarded in 1901.

Only seven of these laureates have been women. One person, the British biochemist Frederick Sanger, won the prize twice – in 1958 and 1980.

The country that has had most chemistry laureates is the United States, with 72 winners. Germany and the UK share second place with 34 laureates each.

Image source: NobelPrize.org

David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian share the 2021 prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on sensing touch and temperature.

The Americans discovered how our bodies feel the warmth of the sun or the hug of a loved one.

They unpicked how our bodies convert physical sensations into electrical messages in the nervous system.

Their findings could lead to new ways of treating pain.

Heat, cold and touch are crucial for experiencing the world around us and for our own survival.

How our bodies actually do it had been one of the great mysteries of biology.

Thomas Perlman, from the Nobel Prize Committee, said: “It was a very important and profound discovery.”

Prof. David Julius’s breakthrough, at the University of California, San Francisco, came from investigating the burning pain we feel from eating a hot chilli pepper.

He experimented with the source of a chilli’s heat – the chemical capsaicin.

He discovered the specific type of receptor (a part of our cells that detects the world around them) that responded to capsaicin.

Further tests showed the receptor was responding to heat and kicked in at “painful” temperatures. This is what happens, for example, if you burn your hand on a cup of coffee.

The discovery led to a flurry of other temperature-sensors being discovered. Prof. David Julius and Prof. Ardem Patapoutian found one that could detect cold.

Meanwhile, Prof. Patapoutian, working at the Scripps Research institute, was also poking cells in a dish.

Those experiments led to the discovery of a different type of receptor that was activated in response to mechanical force or touch.

When you walk along a beach and feel the sand under your feet – it is these receptors that are sending signals to the brain.

Prof. Patapoutian actually missed multiple attempts by the Nobel Prize committee to let him know he was a winner. His phone was set to do-not-disturb so the flurry of phone calls from Sweden (at 02:00 California time) went unanswered.

“They somehow got to my 94 year old father who lives in Los Angeles and he was able to call me and wake me up and tell me the news, which was ended up being a fantastic way to find out,” he said.

These touch and temperature sensors have since been shown to have a wide role in the body and in some diseases.

The first heat sensor (called TRPV1) is also involved in chronic pain and how our body regulates its core temperature. The touch receptor (PIEZ02) has multiple roles, from urinating to blood pressure.

The Prize Committee said their work had “allowed us to understand how heat, cold and mechanical force can initiate the nerve impulses that allow us to perceive and adapt to the world around us.”

It added: “This knowledge is being used to develop treatments for a wide range of disease conditions, including chronic pain.”

David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian will share the 10 million Swedish kronor prize.

0

Most parents want to see their children succeed in life. To be able to help them move forward with their lives and, ultimately, become independent, there are some skills that you may want to teach them from an early age. These can help your child to gain some important life habits that will make the most of every available opportunity, and prevent them from missing out on aspects of life that could very well see them prosper.

Saving Money

A lot of people struggle with saving money, either due to succumbing to temptations that they see, or simply not understanding how to put a portion of their money aside each month. From infancy, you could open Junior ISAs from Wealthify for each of your children, and continue saving money for them each month. As your child grows, they could also put some of their allowance, gifted money or, once they get their first job, wages, into this account.

Letting them see their money grow, and explaining how any interest works, could assist them in understanding the importance of having money that they do not touch, except for emergencies or planned purchases. One of the benefits of a Junior ISA is that it cannot be touched, except for when the child in question reaches adulthood, which can help to nullify temptations as they grow. Theoretically, this money could be ideal for a first adult holiday with their friends, to buy their first car, or even go towards a deposit on a property.

Paying Attention to Education

While school can help your child to learn valuable social skills, there is more to it than simply a means to see their friends. Paying close attention to the knowledge and skills they are being taught can greatly assist them in passing exams and retaining information. If your child has expressed an interest in a certain career, this can allow your child to experiment with subjects of interest to see if it really is the field they want to be in, before paying out for college or university.

Consideration for Others

Whether your child wants to find a way to move up quickly at work in the future, or secure a healthy and stable relationship, being a considerate person may help them. While, at times, it can be difficult to be patient or respectful, especially if dealing with an unpleasant individual, kindness is something that could help them to feel better about interactions, and make meaningful connections with potential friends or romantic interests. Employers may also take note of those who are conscientious in the role, as opposed to those with no drive or respect for their position.

There are many traits and habits that you can teach your child, even from a very young age, that will benefit them in adulthood. As a general rule, the early you start these teachings, the more ingrained they may become until they are simply a normal part of your child’s daily life.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Jeff Bezos blasted into space on July 20, in the first crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.

The billionaire was accompanied by his brother, Mark, Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pioneer of the space race, and 18-year-old student Oliver Daemen.

They travelled in a capsule with the biggest windows flown in space, offering stunning views of the Earth.

All four passengers have now parachuted safely back to Earth after their 10-minute, 10-second trip.

New Shepard, built by Jeff Bezos’ company Blue Origin, is designed to serve the burgeoning market for space tourism among the super-wealthy.

On this flight was the oldest person who has been to space – Wally Funk – and the youngest, Oliver Daemen.

The spacecraft lifted off at 09:12 EDT from a private launch site near Van Horn, Texas.

After the capsule touched down, Jeff Bezos said: “Astronaut Bezos [his callsign]: Best day ever!”

He later said: “My expectations were high and they were dramatically exceeded.”

Two minutes into the flight, the capsule separated from its rocket and continued upwards towards the Karman Line – the most widely recognized boundary of space, 100km up.

The passengers experienced about four minutes of weightlessness, and were able to unstrap from their seats to float around and enjoy the views of our planet far below.

Jeff Bezos said he was surprised by the sensation of microgravity: “It felt so normal.”

As the capsule passed the Karman Line, the astronauts could be heard shouting “wow!” and cheering.

“Oh my word, look at the world,” Wally Funk said as she marveled at the views.

Before the flight, Wally Funk had said she was looking forward to performing somersaults and tumbles in microgravity.

In the 1960s, Wally Funk was one member of a group of women called the Mercury 13. They underwent the same screening tests as male astronauts, but never got to fly into space.

The capsule reached a maximum altitude of around 107km (351,210ft) before starting its descent, parachuting down to a soft touchdown in the desert.

Blue Origin: Teenager Oliver Daemen to Become Youngest Person to Fly into Space

Jeff Bezos Stepping Down as Amazon CEO

Jeff Bezos has found Apollo 11 Moon engines

On the way down, Jeff Bezos told mission control: “You have a very happy crew here up here, I want you to know.”

After landing, Mark Bezos, 53, said: “I am unbelievably good.”

Jeff Bezos recently resigned as chief executive of Amazon, the e-commerce giant he founded, in order to concentrate on his other ventures, including Blue Origin.

Mark Bezos, is a senior vice president at Robin Hood, a New York-based charity.

The fourth passenger, Oliver Daemen, is the son of financier Joes Daemen, who founded Dutch private equity firm Somerset Capital Partners. Oliver Daemen had originally secured a seat on the second flight, but was drafted in to replace the anonymous winner of a public auction.

This unnamed winner, who paid $28 million to join Jeff Bezos on New Shepard’s first crewed flight, had to pull out “due to scheduling conflicts”.