Christmas Shopping Without Going Overboard

There are many ways to save money if you are determined enough to look for practical solutions to your financial dilemmas. Even if Christmas is fast approaching, it is not an excuse to spend money like there is no tomorrow. Remember that whatever you swipe for now and in the next few days or weeks, you still have to pay for tomorrow. It’s not like your expenses will magically disappear because Santa Claus came to say hi during the holidays. It’s nice to give gifts and receive gifts in return but remember to spend only within your means. Do not try to impress other people and end up with a big stack of credit card bills come January. It’s not the right way to start the New Year.

You can be a little creative in trying to save money. Buying on sale is one thing and listing down all those people you have to give presents to can help you allocate your funds better. You won’t end up spending more for the gift of this person and much less on the other just because you forgot to include the latter on your list in the first place. Sticking to that budget is just as crucial too as you may easily lose track once you are out in the mall and end up buying more than what you intended. Hence as much as possible, try to pay with cash. It is easy to keep on swiping that card until you max it out when you do your Christmas shopping, so try to avoid that mistake as much as you can by ditching the plastic and paying with cash all the time.

“You can get some good deals online, especially if you have friends or family overseas,” Ms Loyez said. “Buying something online in the country you need to send it to is a lot cheaper than buying it where you are and then posting it.

“Take advantage of mid-season sales. There is always a July toy sale, even if it can be difficult to stay on top of what people are into by the time Christmas rolls around.”

Taking stock of some financial loose ends in the household budget can also offset upcoming expenditure.

“Combining home phone and broadband is an example of a small saving that can work. I have just done this and it means a saving of $30 a month, which could take care of a present,” Ms Loyez said.

(Via: http://www.news.com.au/finance/money/budgeting/cutting-costs-to-pay-for-christmas-spend-can-save-financial-stress-in-january/news-story/4007196120300bae2d127ab19bed295a)

If you think you’ve got your list figured out to a tee and there’s no other remedy there, try looking out of the box for other alternative money-saving tips in your daily life. Simple energy-saving measures that can reduce your monthly electrical costs or some adjustments in your usual grocery shopping are great ways to save money gradually and help cover for additional expenses incurred by your Christmas shopping. Do this as early as you can and if possible, all-year-round not only in an effort to save money but to help the environment as well. It’s the type of positive domino effect that the world needs the most now.

Don’t use credit

One common holiday shopping mistake is to put everything on the credit card given to you by your bank for those of us in Nigeria, especially the middle class. You can end up paying for Christmas for several months this way. People tend to overspend more when they use credit cards as well. Use your debit card or cash to purchase your Christmas gifts. If you plan carefull, you do not need to use credit to buy anything associated with the holidays. This is one gift you ought to give yourself.

Don’t buy to impress

It is tempting when you finally have some money to go out and buy extravagant gifts for everyone on your list. You may want to buy an extra nice gift for your parents or a close friend but try not to go overboard on everyone’s gift. Most people will prefer a well-thought out gift that matches their personality and interests to something you bought simply for how much it cost you. You should be able to see when you are crossing that line.

(Via: http://punchng.com/financial-mistakes-to-avoid-during-yuletide-shopping/)

You don’t have to be rich in order to give the perfect presents to the people who mean a lot to you. Just being prepared for the coming holidays the soonest possible that you can is the best way you can face the coming Christmas season with the peace of mind knowing your loved ones will feel your love and affection for them through the gifts that you share without you necessarily going bankrupt and suffer financially once the New Year starts. Truly preparation is the key to be able to enjoy the holidays without suffering from the irreparable financial repercussions once the holiday is over.

The article Christmas Shopping Without Going Overboard Read more on: SoulVisual

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/christmas-shopping-without-going-overboard/

Tech Life-Hacks Employees Must Know

Almost everyone uses tech gadgets now. They are a staple in life and are used in just about every aspect of living. Can you imagine not having your trusted smartphone with you? You feel empty, right. It’s even enough to prompt people to go back home just to get their gadget back. And whether you are at work or school, you can’t just avoid having to use a tech gadget of sort like a computer because that is how everything works right now. If you have a business, it is even more crucial for you to transform your business and take it online because of the enormous amount of potential there is for the growth of your business.

Since you are not alone in running your shop/store and there is a likelihood you employ other people to get things going, it is likewise a must for you to ensure they are familiar and savvy in operating tech devices needed to run your shop or risk sabotaging your business without you knowing. Your employees may also be required to manage your business online like what other businesses do, so you do not just let loose individuals who know nothing about all these things especially if your business is your bread and butter in life.

  How to Use Search Engines in an Advanced Way: Everyone knows how to use a search engine but here I am not talking about only typing words to Google. What I mean is using search engines in a more advanced way such as adding quotation marks or Boolean operators like AND, OR, NOT. As a result, you can save a lot of time and eliminate the unwanted results from the beginning. Also, while scanning through the returned search results, you need to know how to distinguish a good reliable resource from a bad one.

  How to Back up Your Data: You never know when your computer will crash or be stolen or any other disastrous event will happen. Therefore, it is always recommended to back up your important files, photos or documents. In this way, you can prevent data loss. It is best to use cloud systems for backing up data such as Dropbox or Box or you can try old fashioned alternatives like using a hard drive. There are also tools available that are built in computers. These are Windows Backup or Apple’s Time Machine. You can set them up in order to back your data up with an external hard drive.

(Via: http://www.business2community.com/tech-gadgets/basic-tech-skills-every-employee-know-01937915#S5RAWPAeAMVGqP06.97)

Computers may be a science but at least it is not rocket science that can leave one dumbfounded. Meaning, a little common sense, and some practical knowledge is all you need to learn how to navigate from one device to the other and how to keep your business running in the virtual world. Moreover, they must know the importance of data and what they should do to keep those data protected from unintentional loss or prevent it from getting corrupted somewhere along the way.

Mr Khamis said internal attacks largely occur when an employee helps the attacker due to their lack of understanding of the threats.

“These days, the one-click processes that most banks are trying to achieve for any kind of application they want to enhance customer experience actually lead to some of these incidents that we currently face in the financial sector,” he said.

“I always tell my team to go back to the basics, [especially when] organisations in the Arab world depend on people more than the process, so when that person leaves, it goes back to zero.”

(Via: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/staff-are-biggest-cyber-attack-threat-to-organisations-security-officials-1.668037)

As progress continues and takes the world in the direction of more complex and sophisticated technologies, there will likely be a breach along the way. Criminals will look for the weakest link somewhere and concentrate their attack there. Constantly telling your staff to be cautious in opening dubious-looking emails is not enough. It is especially true in the case of ransomware attacks that spread like wildfire because the person on the receiving end unintentionally corrupted the system because of their carelessness or ignorance. Entrepreneurs should not overlook and invest on these things as much as well if they want their businesses to prosper and bring in the bacon in the years to come.

The following article Tech Life-Hacks Employees Must Know is available on SoulVisual Blog

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/tech-life-hacks-employees-must-know/

Technology’s Role In Education

Gone were the days when things were mostly done manually by hand. Technology has made things so much simpler for us and at the same time quite complex too considering the number of gadgets and contrivances we must familiarize ourselves with over time. Now, we are not even including in the equation the amount of money we have to spend in acquiring all these so-called tech necessities (yes, they’re no longer considered as mere luxuries) that are supposed to make our lives easier and more convenient but do they really do that?

Children these days learn about technology at a young age. Most toddlers right now actually know how to navigate an iPad or any Android tablet to pass the time. Hence, it is no longer surprising to see curriculums being updated or revised entirely to ensure technology is included in just about everything because that is definitely the direction we are heading. Think about the future and you’d likely have something highly digital in your mind. That future has already started now and kids are taught everything they need to know about tech use and the web to ensure they will thrive in the future world we are carving right now.

The most amazing thing that technology in education does is that it allows for learning to become self-paced, personalised. Education that truly makes the individual the focus of the learning system. After having spent my Tuesday at the Sandton Convention Centre, during day one of the EduTech Africa Conference, I am completely blown away. The number of applications and platforms, both online and offline, that are available to assist the future of this country in conquering their everyday academic challenges, is staggering. Yes we ought to invest a whole lot more in this and move beyond thinking about tech in education as the mini-PCs that we buy for children.

One of the buzzwords that were thrown around at the conference which would easily make one think that this was a private school event, was personalized learning. This phenomenon that every child actually could benefit from, is actually available to a lot more people than one would think.

(Via: http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/technology-can-make-all-the-difference-in-education-20171004)

Not only is the planet changing, the way the youth is educated changes as well to keep up with all the changes that are likewise taking place in our surroundings. Only change is constant, keep that in mind. Technology has its pros and cons but when used properly and in moderation, technology is a powerful medium whatever your industry may be. Students can optimize their learning through the help of technology, something most adults did not have the luxury of having while they were growing up.

Of the propaganda that generally swirls around public education, none is more prominent than the claim that technological “personalized learning” can transform learning. Ed-tech companies trumpet how “innovative” and “engaging” their products are, perfect for efficiently training the 21st-century drones needed by the global economy. Buy our digital devices for your students, they urge, and we’ll throw in the apps for free! Act now! Don’t be left behind!

Not so fast. University of Colorado researchers recently released a report analyzing the myriad problems with “personalized learning” schemes. Every legislator, education professional, and parent should read this report and slam on the brakes.

(Via: https://spectator.org/is-technology-really-better-for-education/)

Innovation is a big word often used when talks about tech use in education are brought up. We must learn to innovate as the world progresses. It’s supposedly a given. The concept of personalized learning has become our reality although some are still doubtful whether it is as effective as teaching done the old way. Yet we can’t revert back to the past that is devoid of tech advancements. Whether some people like it or not, technology is a major part of our lives right now and the only way for us to succeed in the future is if the youth of today can master the tools in place right now.

Technology’s Role In Education is available on www.soulvisual.com

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Are You All Ready For The 2017 Nobel Prize In Literature?

Not everyone is destined for greatness but there are those a handful of individuals that defy the usual limitations faced by man and go the extra mile by achieving more in life. These people have a big impact on society and even do things that deserve them a place in history books. The Nobel Prize is a major honor bestowed to individuals with great contributions to the academe, cultural, and scientific advancements most people won’t even be able to dream of. Norwegian and Swedish institutions give this recognition to deserving people and this time around, we got our eyes on the literary winners.

As the years go by, the judges taste also change with the times. Last year’s winner was a big surprise to everyone and it’s the reason why many are curious as to this year’s winner this time around. Only the individual who has produced the most distinctive and outstanding literary work in an ideal direction will be given the honor of winning Alfred Nobel’s award for Literature. There are rumors circulating as to who this year’s winner will be but they are simply hearsay. Let’s all leave it at that.

When Alfred Nobel established the literature prize in his name, he perhaps could have benefited from an editor. The terms of his will leave the prize's exact intentions tantalizingly vague - making the literature award one of the most debated and entertaining of the Nobel Prizes.

The Swedish industrialist said he wanted the prize to recognize “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.”

On Thursday, theSwedish Academy will announce whom it considers to have met the criterion of "ideal" for the 2017 laurels.

(Via: https://www.voanews.com/a/nobel-literature-prize/4052908.html)

From the very beginning, the standards set by Nobel when it comes to awarding literary works is subject to interpretation since it talks about the ideal direction. Just what the ideal direction is actually is a case-to-case basis and subject to the person’s interpretation of what is ideal for them and what is not. No wonder there have been controversial winners in the past that have raised the public’s eyebrow and questioned the very foundation of this award-giving body. Yet they continue to exist because people look up to them and are always inspired by the great works produced by individuals who get the award.

A year after the Swedish Academy shocked the world with its choice of Bob Dylan as the Nobel laureate for literature, the jury is preparing to unveil this year’s winner of the prestigious honour.

The academy, an assembly of 18 Swedes who are elected by secret ballot to their roles and hold them for life, has revealed that the Nobel laureate in literature will be announced on 5 October. More than half of the academy’s members must vote for the eventual winner, who is chosen from about 350 proposals made by literary experts and former Nobel laureates from around the world. Intended to honour Alfred Nobel’s desire to reward “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction”, the SEK9m (£832,000) award has gone to 113 writers since 1901 – of whom 14 were women, 28 wrote in English and 77 wrote in prose.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/03/nobel-prize-for-literature-set-to-reveal-2017-winner)

If it were you, can you imagine the honor of winning such a prestigious award that only the truly great intellectuals of their time win? There are always controversies in any award-giving body and the Nobel Prize is no exception. They have more to prove now with their choice as last year’s winner caused so much ruckus up to several months after the announcement. Moreover, literature in itself is a broad category. Meaning, an expert on various aspects of literature can emerge as the winner, so the element of surprise will always be there. We can only keep guessing but it won’t be for long as the winner will be announced momentarily and show us what a real literary genius is made of.

Are You All Ready For The 2017 Nobel Prize In Literature? was initially published on https://www.soulvisual.com/

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How Society Now Views Human Rights Organizations

There must be law and order for society to exist and thrive. A world in chaos is not an ideal place to live in, it's as simple as that. Yet no matter how much we try to be civilized and respect one another, there are those who have no regards for society and do things that are the complete opposite of what’s expected from a decent human being. It is the reason why human rights organizations exist – to ensure that human rights are upheld and not violated while at the same time fighting for a person’s human right in the unlikely situation that it has been violated by another person/s.

As the years go by, people start to develop a love-hate relationship towards human rights organizations especially that politics has not waned over time. Despite the influence of politics, though, many people have high regard for these human rights organizations in different parts of the globe. These organizations mediate on behalf of the people and have a big (positive) impact on the lives of millions of people in these places. They serve as an extra pair of hands in addressing important issues that the government can no longer or take time to address and help uplift people’s lives through various activities and programs they implement.

Most see human rights organizations in a positive light. Slightly more than eight-in-ten Kenyans and Indonesians said that such organizations are having a good influence on how things are going in their countries, while roughly two-thirds expressed this view in India and Mexico. Compared with the other major institutions tested, human rights organizations stacked up well. Overall, only the military and media tended to get better ratings, while court systems and police received the most negative reviews.

At 65%, Mexico had the smallest share of the public saying human rights groups are having a positive impact, though Mexicans generally expressed less positive views about national institutions than the other three publics surveyed.

(Via: http://www.pewglobal.org/2017/10/03/attitudes-toward-human-rights-organizations-india-indonesia-kenya-mexico/)

Human rights organizations have its limitations but it does not lessen their clout or influence on a great number of people. It is especially true in third-world countries that are riddled with poverty, corruption, and endless senseless violence that always leaves the innocent aggrieved. Through human rights organizations, the victims are able to claim justice and make the perpetrators or criminals pay for their crimes even if they have no money to pay for a lawyer by themselves.

The implementation of human rights is in crisis worldwide. The annual reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other human rights organizations continue to reveal widespread gross violations of human rights in numerous countries the world over and South Asia region is not an exception. Democracy is non-existent or a sham in many countries in our part of the world. National resources are squandered by despotic rulers instead of being used to satisfy the basic economic and social needs of their people. Corruption is rife. The judiciary lacks the strength, the means, or the will to protect human rights in many places. The national human rights institutions are non-existent or non-performing in some cases in South Asia and elsewhere. In South Asia, many countries ratify human rights treaties without making the slightest attempt to give effect to them. The self-righteous representatives gather in the halls of the United Nations and use their majorities to insist that countries are grossly violating human rights be treated with kid gloves through dialogue and cooperation, instead of through forthright condemnation of atrocities. The UN Human Rights Council does little for the actual protection of human rights, and its Universal Periodic Reporting Process, for the time being, lacks teeth. The situation is dire.

(Via: http://www.livelaw.in/human-rights-discourse-south-asia/)

Whether in the local arena or the global one, human rights is a hot topic as you can all see how much hatred and violence there is in the world right now. We not only regard wars and political conflicts as the only cause of human rights abuse but even the fact that most people can’t meet their basic needs and live in extreme poverty is a human rights issue in itself. And seeing how complex the world has become, the list of human needs and rights likewise grows but it isn’t an assurance that they are met despite the many tech advancements the rest of the world now enjoys. Humans will continue to struggle and meeting their needs isn't always a walk in the park but they are not alone in their journey - that they can count on.

How Society Now Views Human Rights Organizations Find more on: SoulVisual

source https://www.soulvisual.com/blog/how-society-now-views-human-rights-organizations/