If one could become fashionable simply by learning what is in fashion and following the guidelines given by the fashion gurus, then everyone would become a fashion icon. But as things stand some people are in fashion whereas others are not. What differentiates these two groups is fashion sense.

If fashion makers had their way the human race would be a flock of sheep. Wear pastels this autumn and leather this winter. Get rid of plunging necklines but stay tuned on rising midriffs. Everyone would be roaming around looking like peas from a pod. Thank god for the smart people, the people with fashion sense, who know how to retain their individuality while remaining within the current fashion trends. And it is not really difficult. Fashion diktats are numerous. One should have the knack of mix-and-matching to get the correct blend. If pastels are in by all means wear pastels but use accessories to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

Every individual is different and the buying population is particularly different from the models that display the various aspects of fashion, whether on the ramp or from billboards. Garments that look good on the flat skinny models would rarely look good on people who have curves in the right or wrong places. Another aspect of fashion sense is to tailor the fashion trends to ones individual characteristics. How to choose garments of the right colours and materials no doubt, but those that distract from one’s thinness or bulkiness, ones shortness or tallness. The policy applies to homes as well Fashion sense can make small rooms look larger and can hide columns and beams that protrude from the walls.

Fashion sense is more than mere knowledge. It is an attitude that enables one to carry ones decisions with confidence and flair. If you have fashion sense then use it, if not then head for the nearest salon.

If one could become fashionable simply by learning what is in fashion and following the guidelines given by the fashion gurus, then everyone would become a fashion icon. But as things stand some people are in fashion whereas others are not. What differentiates these two groups is fashion sense.

If fashion makers had their way the human race would be a flock of sheep. Wear pastels this autumn and leather this winter. Get rid of plunging necklines but stay tuned on rising midriffs. Everyone would be roaming around looking like peas from a pod. Thank god for the smart people, the people with fashion sense, who know how to retain their individuality while remaining within the current fashion trends. And it is not really difficult. Fashion diktats are numerous. One should have the knack of mix-and-matching to get the correct blend. If pastels are in by all means wear pastels but use accessories to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

Every individual is different and the buying population is particularly different from the models that display the various aspects of fashion, whether on the ramp or from billboards. Garments that look good on the flat skinny models would rarely look good on people who have curves in the right or wrong places. Another aspect of fashion sense is to tailor the fashion trends to ones individual characteristics. How to choose garments of the right colours and materials no doubt, but those that distract from one’s thinness or bulkiness, ones shortness or tallness. The policy applies to homes as well Fashion sense can make small rooms look larger and can hide columns and beams that protrude from the walls.

Fashion sense is more than mere knowledge. It is an attitude that enables one to carry ones decisions with confidence and flair. If you have fashion sense then use it, if not then head for the nearest salon.

If one could become fashionable simply by learning what is in fashion and following the guidelines given by the fashion gurus, then everyone would become a fashion icon. But as things stand some people are in fashion whereas others are not. What differentiates these two groups is fashion sense.

If fashion makers had their way the human race would be a flock of sheep. Wear pastels this autumn and leather this winter. Get rid of plunging necklines but stay tuned on rising midriffs. Everyone would be roaming around looking like peas from a pod. Thank god for the smart people, the people with fashion sense, who know how to retain their individuality while remaining within the current fashion trends. And it is not really difficult. Fashion diktats are numerous. One should have the knack of mix-and-matching to get the correct blend. If pastels are in by all means wear pastels but use accessories to differentiate yourself from the crowd.

Every individual is different and the buying population is particularly different from the models that display the various aspects of fashion, whether on the ramp or from billboards. Garments that look good on the flat skinny models would rarely look good on people who have curves in the right or wrong places. Another aspect of fashion sense is to tailor the fashion trends to ones individual characteristics. How to choose garments of the right colours and materials no doubt, but those that distract from one’s thinness or bulkiness, ones shortness or tallness. The policy applies to homes as well Fashion sense can make small rooms look larger and can hide columns and beams that protrude from the walls.

Fashion sense is more than mere knowledge. It is an attitude that enables one to carry ones decisions with confidence and flair. If you have fashion sense then use it, if not then head for the nearest salon.

Singular words and phrases

 No, I don’t mean remarkable or extraordinary words. I mean words and phrases that are singular. In other words, should we say: ‘Either the pot or the kettle is black’ or ‘Either the pot or the kettle are black?’

 I’m talking about words like:

 Either

Neither

None

Or

Each

And the phrases:

One or more

The number of

 A number of

One of the

Three fifths, two thirds etc

Either

 Either is singular which means it is correct to write:

 Either the pot or the kettle is black.

Neither

 Neither is singular which means it is correct to write:

Neither the pot nor the kettle is black.

Either and neither – a slight complication

 Look at this sentence:

 Neither the doctors nor the nurses were prepared to go on strike.

 Because ‘doctors’ is plural and ‘nurses’ is plural this sentence is correct – you wouldn’t write:

 Neither the doctors nor the nurses was prepared to go on strike.×

 Similarly:

 Either the doctors or the nurses were there throughout the day.

 You wouldn’t write:

 Either the doctors or the nurses was there throughout the day.×

 This slight complication is not too daunting, as you can easily ‘hear’ what’s right and what’s wrong.

None

 None is (usually) singular – after all, it is a shortened form of ‘not one’. For example:

There are several doctors on duty, but none is available at present.

Oh yes, that ‘usually’. Some authorities say it is acceptable to make ‘none’ plural if it sounds really wrong or pretentious when made singular. But I think it’s safest to keep it singular. Just read ‘not one’ for ‘none’ when checking your writing, and you’ll get it right. After all, you wouldn’t write:

There are several doctors on duty, but not one are available at present.×

Or

 Or is singular. Look at the following incorrect sentences:

 Beef or pork are fine for the main course. ×

 I have told the interior designer that linen or cotton are acceptable. ×

 These should be:

 Beef or pork is fine for the main course.

 I have told the interior designer that linen or cotton is acceptable.

Each

Each is singular. For example:

Each of the patients was seen separately.

Not ‘were seen separately’

Each of the reports was read in turn.

Not ‘were read in turn’

One or more

One or more is singular. Read this sentence from a medical website:

 In addition, 53 per cent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.

 That sentence should end:

 …has a drinking problem.

The number of

‘The number of’ is singular. For example:

The number of schools with good results has dropped.

The number of adults who cannot read is gradually falling.

A number of

A number of is always plural, for example:

A number of schools have made improvements this year.

A number of adults have decided to learn to read.

One of the…

This phrase often causes confusion. For example, look at this incorrect sentence:

Mr Smith is one of the committee members who agrees with the proposals.×

This should be:

Mr Smith is one of the committee members who agree with the proposals.

You can check this by taking out the first part of the sentence:

…the committee members who agree with the proposals.

You would not write:

 …the committee members who agrees with the proposals.

Fractions

Look at these two correct sentences:

Three-fifths of the people are happy to take part in the survey.

Three-fifths of the work is already done.

The first is correct because ‘people’ is plural.

The second is correct because ‘work’ is singular.

 You can usually trust your ears to tell you if the sentence is correct. For example, the following just sounds horrible:

 Three-fifths of the people is happy to take part in the survey.

(CFD.net.au – Contract for Difference, Share, Forex, ETFs, Commodities Traders) –

by Kathy Lien

,

FREE Forex Report -

The 5 Things That Move The Currency Market

(

Contact Author

|

Biography

)

Despite this, many traders may not realize that there is no clearer way to analyze past price behavior than to look at the price act …

<!–printable = OfF –> by Kathy Lien , FREE Forex Report - The 5 Things That Move The Currency Market ( Contact Author | Biography ) <!–printable = OfF –> <!–printable = OfF–> Despite this, many traders may not realize that there is no clearer way to analyze past price behavior than to look at the price activity itself without the noise of indicators. When you do that, you will find the presence of seasonality in some Currency pairs , which is when there is a predictable change that repeats every year at the same period in time. For example, did you know that in eight out of the past 10 years (between 1997-2006), the U.S. dollar rose in the month of January against the EUro? Or that in nine out of the past 10 years, the U.S. dollar rose against the Japanese yen? Although there are no Guarantees that historical patterns will repeat themselves, the fact that a pattern has been repeated 80-90% of the time makes it statistically significant. This information could be very valuable in your trading. In this article, we’ll Go over why seasonality is an important concept in the Forex market and why, although it only occurs in rare instance, it should not be ignored. (For related reading, see Capitalizing On Seasonal Effects .) July: A Positive Month For USD/JPY The strongest seasonality example is the One in USD/JPY, which can be seen in Figure 1 below. In 90% of the samples (or nine out of the past 10 years), USD/JPY ended the month of July higher than where it started. It is difficult to pinpoint an exact reason For why USD/JPY tends to behave this way in the month of July, although it could be related to the end of the first quarter in Japan or the beginning of the second half of the year in the US . Either way, this instance of seasonality is very strong and One that is worth keeping in mind if you find some short USD/JPY trades during the month of July. The presence of seasonality may encourage you to take a smaller-than-usual short position or to avoid longer term short USD/JPY trades during this period. Source: FXCM Figure 1 August: USD/JPY Gains Made in July are Often Erased Seasonality is also present in USD/JPY during the month of August. Although the seasonality is not as strong as the seasonality in July, it is still One of the strongest examples in the Currency market. You can see in Figure 2, below, that a good portion of the gains earned in July was erased in August. In fact, a look at other yen crosses quickly reveals that in a calendar year August tends to be the strongest month for the Japanese yen across the board. In other words, other currencies such as U.S. dollar, EUro and British pound have a strong tendency to fall against the yen in August. Source: FXCM Figure 2 September: A Very Positive Month for the GBP/USD The presence of seasonality can also be seen in September in the GBP/USD. Based the analysis of past data, in eight out of the last 10 years (between 1997-2007), the British pound rallied against the U.S. dollar in the month of September. With most of EUrope taking the entire month of August off for their summer holidays, it can be argued that the British pound rallies in the month of September because European traders re-awaken from their summer slumber and begin to trade actively in the markets once again. However, this relationship seems to have broken down in 2005 and 2006. The two back-to-back months of losses that occurred in those years calls the future reliability of this specific seasonality into question. Source: FXCM Figure 3 January: A Negative Month for EUR/USD Cases of seasonality can also be found in other currency pairs such as the EUR/USD and GBP/USD. The behavior of the U.S. dollar against the Euro in the month of January, for example, shows strong seasonality. In eight out of the past 10 years, the U.S. dollar has rallied in the month of January. We have seen the same in 2007, which would improve this statistic to nine out of the past 11 years (between 1997-2007). The reason that we typically see this behavior is because many companies and funds tend to repatriate their money back to their local country at the end of the year to dress up their balance sheets. In the beginning of the year, money is once again sent abroad for new investment purposes and because everyone starts with a blank slate as far as profits and losses go, their main focus is to initiate new positions. The U.S. market is one of the most liquid markets in the world, which explains why a lot of that investment money ends up there. Source: FXCM Figure 4 Implications for Traders As traders, there are many ways that you can apply the knowledge of seasonality to improve your trading. If for example, you are trading the GBP/USD in the month of September, as a longer term trader you can look for opportunities using fundamentals or technicals to buy the GBP/USD or to go in the direction of the seasonal trend. As a shorter term trader, you can reduce your holding period if you are taking a trade that is against the seasonal trend or like longer term traders, you can focus on primarily looking for long GBP/USD trades. Although seasonal patterns do not duplicate themselves 100% of the time, following seasonality rather than fading it may improve your ability to find high probability trades. Supplemental Data Below is data gathered by FXCM and used to support the notion of seasonality in the Forex market. Notice different behaviors of each currency throughout the calendar year . Each of the numbers represents the percentage change between the open on the first trading day of the month and the close of last trading day. EUR/USD Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1997 (5.92) (3.02) 1.22 3.63) 1.07 (0.90) (5.05) 3.02 3.05 2.92 (1.53) (1.21) 1998 (1.80) (0.04) (1.81) 3.20 0.87 (1.39) 1.70 1.63 4.52 0.87 (2.48) 1.61 1999 (3.19) (3.14) (2.07) (1.78) (1.61) (0.69) 3.41 (1.27) 1.12 (1.24) (4.36) (0.32) 2000 (3.63) (0.71) (0.83) (4.65) 2.83 1.65 (2.70) (4.20) (0.68) (3.96) 2.82 8.07 2001 (0.58) (1.39) (5.09) 1.72 (4.90) 0.43 3.09 4.12 0.14 (1.05) (0.39) (0.69) 2002 (3.43) 1.22 0.25 3.30 3.77 6.29 (1.38) 0.49 0.49 0.36 0.38 5.49 2003 2.63 0.23 1.27 2.49 5.40 (1.75) (2.47) (2.20) 6.03 (0.56) 3.57 5.19 2004 (0.95) 0.16 (1.35) (2.73) 1.71 0.09 (1.47) 0.99 2.07 2.90 3.72 2.06 2005 (3.77) 1.46 (2.00) (0.69) (4.33) (1.58) 0.13 1.85 (2.59) (0.27) (1.70) 0.52 2006 2.63 (1.94) 1.65 4.31 1.40 (0.16) (0.13) 0.37 (1.09) 0.61 3.76 (0.33) USD/JPY Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1997 4.86 (0.67) 2.76 2.65 (8.46) (1.32) 3.47 2.02 (0.24) (0.02) 6.16 2.18 1998 (2.35) (0.38) 5.57 (0.19) 4.57 0.07 4.27 (3.84) (2.00) (15.03) 6.64 (7.60) 1999 2.73 2.85 (0.32) 0.65 1.88 (0.35) (5.49) (4.44) (2.96) (2.09) (1.99) 0.43 2000 5.07 2.80 (6.82) 4.64 (0.19) (1.44) 3.20 (2.42) 1.35 0.71 1.42 3.64 2001 1.86 0.69 7.64 (2.33) (3.46) 4.53 0.25 (4.97) 0.34 2.41 0.87 6.74 2002 2.28 (0.95) (0.48) (3.21) (3.37) (3.85) 0.08 (1.16) 2.79 0.57 0.07 (3.09) 2003 0.91 (1.48) (0.08) 0.69 0.40 0.16 0.68 (3.01) (4.51) (1.41) (0.25) (2.27) 2004 (1.41) 3.31 (4.42) 6.02 (0.83) (0.74) 2.37 (1.73) 0.80 (3.86) (2.70) (0.41) 2005 0.96 0.90 2.41 (2.24) 3.33 2.17 1.43 (1.75) 2.60 2.68 2.92 (1.74) 2006 (0.59) (1.19) 1.74 (3.36) (0.91) 1.58 0.20 2.36 0.66 (0.99) (1.00) 2.81 GBP/USD Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1997 (6.44) 1.90 0.62 (0.85) 0.89 1.38 (1.48) (1.58) 0.14 3.40 0.64 (2.61) 1998 (1.23) 0.53 1.66 (0.08) (2.43) 2.14 (2.05) 2.78 1.06 (1.45) (1.69) 0.73 1999 (1.10) (2.69) 0.84 (0.17) (0.51) (1.54) 2.76 (1.04) 2.68 (0.16) (2.81) 1.23 2000 0.09 (2.27) 0.76 (2.47) (3.35) 0.89 (1.08) (3.50) 1.96 (1.94) (1.56) 4.79 2001 (1.92) (1.30) (2.01) 1.24 (1.03) (0.22) 0.62 2.03 1.44 (1.18) (2.10) 2.18 2002 (3.00) 0.47 0.60 2.28 (0.16) 5.22 2.04 (0.87) 1.23 (0.20) (0.45) 3.42 2003 2.25 (4.56) 0.65 1.01 2.36 1.77 (2.65) (2.05) 5.24 2.04 1.54 3.81 2004 2.13 2.50 (1.15) (3.69) 2.99 (0.63) (0.02) (1.16) 0.53 1.40 3.85 0.43 2005 (1.89) 2.03 (1.58) 0.97 (4.72) (1.41) (1.88) 2.71 (2.20) 0.39 (2.30) (0.37) 2006 3.36 (1.44) (0.92) 5.09 2.50 (1.14) 1.11 1.98 (1.70) 1.68 3.08 (0.36) USD/CAD Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1997 (1.76) 1.63 1.16 0.98 (1.46) 0.36 (0.22) 0.75 (0.48) 1.94 1.05 0.47 1998 1.60 (2.07) (0.31) 0.85 1.82 0.69 3.14 3.59 (2.19) 0.86 (0.59) 0.31 1999 (1.77) (0.10) (0.18) (3.35) 1.16 (0.74) 2.99 (0.90) (1.68) 0.25 0.26 (1.85) 2000 0.01 0.13 (0.11) 2.10 1.10 (1.06) 0.42 (0.99) 2.08 1.34 0.87 (2.47) 2001 (0.03) 2.58 2.53 (2.64) 0.18 (1.56) 1.27 1.14 1.91 0.58 (0.95) 1.25 2002 (0.26) 0.79 (0.42) (1.74) (2.54) (1.18) 4.35 (1.60) 1.77 (1.80) 0.47 0.54 2003 (3.62) (2.30) (1.09) (2.54) (4.43) (1.82) 4.28 (1.27) (2.40) (2.42) (1.48) (0.20) 2004 2.19 0.72 (1.98) 4.84 (0.73) (2.19) (0.11) (1.18) (3.92) (3.45) (2.57) 1.24 2005 3.11 (0.49) (1.90) 3.96 (0.35) (2.37) (0.15) (2.80) (1.99) 1.69 (1.37) (0.30) 2006 (2.03) (0.20) 2.80 (4.42) (1.35) 1.33 1.39 (2.44) 1.30 0.40 1.64 2.24 Source: FXCM Conclusion Although instances of seasonality in the Forex market are rare, being aware of them can only help traders become more in-tune with the outlook for their currency trades. Seasonal patterns won’t always bear out as you might hope, but following these trends should help you improve your trading strategy in most cases. by Kathy Lien ( Contact Author | Biography ) Kathy Lien is an internationally published author and the director of currency research at FX360.com, the research arm of GFT . Her trading books include the following: “Day Trading the Currency Market: Technical and Fundamental Strategies to Profit form Market Swings” (2005) “High Probability Trading Setups for the Currency Market” E-Book (2006) “Millionaire Traders: How Everyday People Are Beating Wall Street at Its Own Game” (2007) Lien also runs an FX Signal Service, BKForex Advisor , with Boris Schlossberg – one of the few investment advisory letters focusing strictly on the $2 trillion/day FX market. <IFRAME width="664" height="73" scrolling="no" src="http://investopedia.com/CommonControls/NewsletterEmailCollection.aspx?RegLink=Onestep_Articles&NewsletterName=basics,newstouse" FRAmeborder=”0″>

Source: Seasonality In The Forex Market

My friend R. is a brilliant guitarist who spends a lot of time on the road. Road trips and trans-Atlantic flights can get long, and musicians tend to be a pretty funny bunch, which is, I suspect, how R.’s “North Pole, South Pole” game came into existence. The game goes something like this:

“Hey, Hil. North Pole, South Pole. Would you rather live in a remote village in Papua New Guinea with all your favorite records OR in New York City, but you’d never be able to hear music again?”

“Okay, North Pole, South Pole. Would you rather write ‘jazz is dead’ 5000 times on a chalkboard OR be forced to transcribe every note of a Shooby Taylor solo?”

And so on.

Now, it’s fun to play “North Pole, South Pole” on an endless road trip or after a couple of beers, but we engage in real-life “North Pole, South Pole” thinking at our own psychological peril. Regarding our life choices as binary, “either/or” propositions can actually leave us with some pretty miserable options:

“I can be an artist and live in abject poverty, OR I can give up my creativity and be financially stable.”

“I can have independence and a strong sense of self, OR I can sublimate my identity and be in a relationship with someone.”

“I can be liked OR I can say what I think.”

“I can have a career OR a family.”

At times, I’ve bought into every single one of the “North Pole, South Pole” scenarios listed above. But, invariably, whenever I start to paint the world in black-and-white, Life comes along and throws a bunch of gray onto the canvas. Free from “North Pole, South Pole” thinking, our choices, our challenges, become about balance. How can we:

…pursue our creative potential while maintaining financial solvency?

…connect wholeheartedly to our partners without losing our connection to our individuated Selves?

…articulate our own needs and ideas with the right blend of assertiveness and compassion?

…navigate the distance between our home life and our life’s work?

Not surprisingly, the answers to our biggest, most pressing questions can’t be found in a game of “North Pole, South Pole.” Truth, like people, tends to live somewhere in the middle.

I want everyone to listen that: I DON’T LIKE AHMAD. And I want Ahmad to listen too. why won’t he listen!? I don’t know, because if he didn’t like me back he would trick himself into saying that I didn’t (I’m really into reverse psychology) because if some freak like…idk…let’s say maybe (SOME FREAK’S NAME) liked me; I would say he didn’t. Because it wouldn’t be true (in my/our minds), and then he’d get the idea tht i didn’t like him so there…But it’s his fault everyone thinks I like him
whilst I don’t! …So there.

I just want everyone to STFU and LISTEN TO ME. If i like him, I should know right? Why would I like someone that I hate? See? makes no sense, and you guys haven’t been making sense either. It pissed me the hell off when you guys say some fucked up shit like that. If you say anything more relating me to Ahmad, you’ll wake up the next morning in a hospital bed, very disoriented, HOLDING AN OLD MAN’S HAND. I’m sorry for cussing but JESUS CHRIST YOU GUYS, JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP and let me get on with my life.

THANK YOU.

Its either ‘V’, ‘U’,'I’ or ‘I’, ‘U’,’ V’.

Copyright © 2009 Angelic Smile

1. To optimize customer Service

The logistics system will provide products and information to customers in a way that equals or exceeds the stated requirements of each individual customer.

1. To minimize the cost of supply chain operations

The logistics system will be structured and operated with a view to minimizing:

• The fixed assets employed in supply chain activities;
• The operating costs of the chain;
• The inventory held within the chain.

Cost minimization will, however, be set within the context of achieving specified customer service targets.

1. To maximize the flexibility of supply chain

The logistics system will be designed to permit Tallent Engineering to respond with maximum flexibility to:

• Customers’ short-term operational fluctuations in demand;
• Longer-term strategic changes in demand either from existing customers (e.g. new models) or the wider market place (e.g., new customers/new product groups).

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight

Linear programming is a mathematical method used to solve resource allocation problems, which arise “whenever there are a number of activities to be performed, but limitations on either the amount of resources or the way they can be spent.” For example, it can be used to determine the best way to:

• Distribute merchandise from a number of warehouses to a number of customers;
• Assign personnel to various jobs;
• Design shipping schedules;
• Select the product mix in a factory to make the best use of machine and labor hours available while maximizing the firm’s profit;
• Route production to optimize the use of machinery.

In order for managers to apply linear programming successfully, the problem must meet certain basic requirements: There must be a stated, quantifiable goal, such as “minimize total shipping costs”; the resources to be utilized must be known (a firm could produce 200 of one item and 300 of another, for instance, or 400 of one or 100 of another); all the necessary relationships must be expressed in the form of mathematical equations or inequalities; and all these relationships must be linear in nature.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight

A firm in an also-ran or declining competitive position has four basic strategic options. If it can come up with the financial resources, it can launch an offensive turnaround strategy keyed either to low-cost or “new” differentiation themes, pouring enough money and talent into the effort to move up a notch or two in the industry rankings and become a respectable market contender within five years or so. It can employ a fortify-and defend strategy, using variations of its present strategy and fighting hard to keep sales, market share, profitability, and competitive position at current levels. It can opt for an immediate abandonment strategy and get out of the business, either by selling out to another firm or by closing down operations if a buyer cannot be found. Or it can employ a harvest strategy, keeping reinvestment to a bare-bones minimum and taking actions to maximize short-term cash flows in preparation for an orderly market exit. The gist of the first three options is self-explanatory. The fourth merits more discussion.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight

The objective of every forecast is to support decsions that are based on the forecast, so an important first step is to clearly identify these decisions. Examples of such decisions include how much of a particular product to make, how much to inventory, and how much to order. All parties affected by a supply chain decision should be aware of the link between the decision and the forecast. Failure to make these decisions jointly may result to either too much or too little product in various stages of the supply chain.

My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight

Directions found at www.marthastewart.com

I feel like I need to set the record straight. I am no Martha Stewart. I don’t make things. I find them. Where some people find fulfillment from using their hands it is downright painful to me. My son’s 1st year scrapbook is an excellent example. It is a beautiful piece of work, done by hand with exquisite detail. I supplied the book, photos, paper, stickers. Someone  else put it together. 

I am able to execute my creativity without doing it by hand most of the time. My HATS go off to people who can and love to do it themselves. That, however, is not me. I just wanted to set the record straight.

Whaereas intelligence is a feature attributable to most people, expertise is a scarcer commodity. This scarcity gives expertise its value and makes attempting to capture expertise worthwhile. The skills needed to process a company’s payroll would not, for example, be considered expertise. Although it may make sense to program this task, the ability to process payroll is not rare. Certain areas of expertise have more practical value than others. For example, expertise in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphics may be scarce but is of less practical value than expertise in strategic management or auditing.

 The difficulty in acquiring expertise is what usually contributes to its scarcity. Expertise must be obtained from some source (e.g., an expert). Most companies make use of expertise either by acquiring it temporarily in the form of consultants or by sending a seasoned employee from site to site.

 One of the problem in defining expertise is understanding exactly what knowledge the expert has acquired and how it can be used. Expertise can be the ability to interpet Egyptian hieroglyphics, diagnose certain diseases, or formulate a strategic plan. For computers to perform specific tasks, they must be programmed to stimulate features of expertise. The goal of an expert systems development poject is to understand and embed scarce expertise in the computer program and use it to solve specific problems.

 The first question that must be answered concerns where to find the required expertise. The time spent answering this question, acquiring the relevant knowledge, and then encoding it in a program constitutes the bulk of the development effort.

 My Consultancy–Asif J. Mir - Management Consultant–transforms organizations where people have the freedom to be creative, a place that brings out the best in everybody–an open, fair place where people have a sense that what they do matters. For details please visit www.asifjmir.com, Line of Sight

1) Both, Neither, Either, 등은 두개의 무언가를 지칭 하는 말이지만 각각 다른 의미를 가지고 있다. Both 는 두개다 라는 긍정의 의미, neither는 둘다 아니라는 부정, either는 둘중 하나라는 반긍정 반부정의 의미를 내포 하고 있으며, both는 복수로 간주 한다는것과 이들 앞에는 관사the등이 오지 않는다는것을 알아두면 된다.
- Both restaurants are very nice. 두 식당 다 좋다.
- Neither restaurant is expensive. 두식당 다 비싸지않다.
- We can go to either restaurant. I don’t really care. 둘중 하나 가요 난 상관 없어요.

2) Both of / Neither of / Either of.. 이부분도 역시 앞서 했던 것처럼 of 다음엔 대명사들(those, these, the..)과 소유격(my, Tom’s…)등이 와야 한다.
- Both of these restaurants are super nice.
- Neither of the restaurants we went to was expensive. 우리가 갔던 식당 둘다 비싸지 않았다.
** 이부분에선 restaurants라고 복수 를 썼고 was부분에서는 단수 취급을 했다. 이런부분에 유의 해야 한다.
- Both (of) my parewnts are from Michigan. ( of는 both와 같이 쓰는 경우 생략 가능 하다..)
- Can either of you speak Korean? 너희 둘중 한국말 하는사람?
- I asked two people the way to the station, but neither of them know. 난 두사람에게 역 가는길을 물어 보았는데 둘다 모르더라.
- Both of us are vey tired to work. 우리둘다 피곤 해서 일을 하지 못한다.
** neither of 의경우 는 단수 복수 취급 어느것이나 해도 무방 하다.
- Neither of the children want(s)to go to bed.
 
3) 그리고 질문에 답하거나 혹은 다른 표현으로 간단하게 neither, either, both라고 단어만 쓸수 있다.
-  I could not decide whick of the two shirts to buy. I liked both.: 둘다 좋아서 두셔츠중 뭘사야 할지 결정을 내리지 못했다.
- ” Is your friend British or American?” “Neither, She is Austrailian” : “니친구는 영국인이야 미국인이야?”  ”둘다 아니냐 호주인이야.”
- ” Do you want tea or coffee?” ” Either. I don’t care.” : “커피 할래 티할래?”  ”상관 없어 아무거나.”

4) both..and / neither…nor / either…or등은 writing에서 쓰이는 방법이며 대상을 더 구체화 하거나 자세한 기술을 요할때쓴다.
a> both.. and :
-Both Ann and Tom were late.

b> Neither …nor :
- Neither Liz nor Robin came to the party. : liz나 robin둘다 그 파티에 오지 않았다.
- She said she would contact me, but she neither wrote nor called.:그녀는 나에게 연락 한다 했지만 편지도, 전화두 없었다.

c> either … or :
- I am not sure where he is from. He is either Spanish or Italian. 난 그가 어디사람인지 확실하진 않지만 스레인이나 이탈리아 둘중 하나이다.
- Either you apologize, or I ‘ll never speak to you again. 니가 사과 하거나 아니면 너에게 다신 말도 않을 테다.

 both, either, neither 등..의 두가지중  둘다, 둘중 하나 둘다 아닌 것들에 대한 표현 이었는데 대화에서도 간단하게 쓰이는경우가 많으므로 알아두면 유용하게 쓸수 있다.
- I don’t like it. “ me either” 에서 우리는 ” I don’t like too”등 길고 잘못된 표현으로 이어지기 쉬워서 이 표현들을 알아두면 간단하게 쓸수 있는것이다.

This was sent to me from a friend in India, not sure who the original author is, he never stated it… But I thought I would share it…

I remember my dad teaching me the power of language  at a very young age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success. 

One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn’t realize the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so high.

My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree. She was hanging on the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy’s mother also noticed us at the exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad’s voice over the wind yell, "Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did. The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her lungs, laying flat on the ground. She had fallen out of the tree.

I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell and I did not. Apparently, when Tammy’s mother felt the gust of wind, she yelled out, "Tammy, don’t fall!" And Tammy did. fall.     

My dad then explained to me that the mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first imagine falling, then try to tell the brain not to do what it just imagined.

Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal image of me hanging on tightly. This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a habit or set a goal. You can’t visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that.

For example, when I was thirteen years old, I played for my junior high school football team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn’t get it together at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was running out for a pass, "Don’t drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the ball.     

My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "self-talk." They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn’t. I’ll never make it pro, but I’m now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.           

Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil. Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Say to them, "Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observe what they do.

Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor. You respond, "You weren’t paying attention. I said TRY to drop the pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil and pretend to be in excruciating pain while their hand tries but fails to drop the pencil.   

The point is made.         

If you tell your brain you will "give it a try," you are actually telling your brain to fail. I have a "no try" rule in my house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or they won’t. Either they will be at the party or they won’t. I’m brutal when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try.

Do they think I don’t know they are really telegraphing to the world they have no intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for pretended effort? You will never hear the words "I’ll try" come out of my mouth unless I’m teaching this concept in a seminar. 

If you "try" and do something, your unconscious mind has permission not to succeed. If I truly can’t make a decision I will tell the truth. "Sorry John. I’m not sure if I will be at your party or not. I’ve got an outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be here. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."             

People respect honesty. So remove the word "try" from your vocabulary. My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.           

These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.

Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus how many criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.         

So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you shortchanging yourself with toxic self-talk like, " I’m fat. Nobody will like me. I’ll try this diet. I’m not good enough. I’m so stupid. I’m broke, etc. etc."   

If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic Vocabulary words.   

Notice when you or other people use them. 

But: Negates any words that are stated before it.               

Try: Presupposes failure.     

If: Presupposes that you may not.   

Might: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.

Would Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn’t actually happen.

Should Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn’t actually happen (and implies guilt.)         

Could Have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn’t actually happen but the person tries to take credit as if it did happen.             

Can’t/Don’t: These words force the listener to focus on exactly the opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.       

Examples:           

Toxic phrase: "Don’t drop the ball!"   

Likely result: Drops the ball     

Better language: "Catch the ball!"   

Toxic phrase: "You shouldn’t watch so much television."             

Likely result: Watches more television.   

Better language: "I read too much television makes people stupid. You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of those books more often!"   

Exercise: Take a moment to write down all the phrases you use on a daily basis or any Toxic self-talk that you have noticed yourself

using. Write these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur and change them.

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I should start by apologizing for my absence, can’t believe I neglected my baby for a week. You all have  my word it’s not going to happen again, anyway on with our gaming news! The biggest news of the week has to be the shock announcement that Atari has pulled out of E3. After the news broke rumors began to circulate about financial difficulties with the gaming giant, at first backed up by their deal with Sony over Ghostbusters, these were later confirmed by Atari’s announcement their European department was shutting down. It looks like these financial difficulties are hitting everyone hard, but could this spell the end for Atari? We’ll just have to wait and see.

The good guys at Ubisoft were nice enough to email me and let me know that they have now set up a splinter cell conviction site. To be honest people don’t click it expecting too much, there’s one teaser vid giving you about 30 seconds of Fisher talking. Mostly about his past and the agreement that he made with the government sounding oddly like the Bourne franchise.

Anyway it has other content set for time release so it’s worth checking out, point being the game looks set to finally be released this year. It sure will be an interesting Christmas that’s all I can say.

To help build the anxiety for Red Faction THQ were good enough to go ahead and announce that not only will red faction have a multiplayer feature but they’re also giving everyone a multiplayer demo. The demo will be coming out on May 21st but considering the type of game this is will a multiplayer feature be a good thing or just something to try and grab the competitive gamers interest?

Either way the demo has 2 maps, 9 weapons and a collection of other goodies so considering it’s free it’s something to stop buy the marketplace for.

Microsoft decided to come out and shock everyone by announcing that there will be a new premium crackdown theme available on Xbox live marketplace. A new theme isn’t worth news but considering it’s a PREMIUM theme for a game released 2 years ago that warrants attention. Now Microsoft said they were just wanting to let their fans connect with their favorite games and so created the new theme. They also said they had nothing else to announce at this time regarding future projects. My guess is Crackdown 2 will be getting unveiled at E3, do you really think we can’t connect the dots Microsoft?

I know there’s more news like mass effect and COD so I’ll be back with more info on that later!