MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 17, 2013 -- Think that describing yourself as a "highly qualified" "self-starter" who is a "creative" "problem solver" will help you stand out on the job hunt? Think again. According to a new OfficeTeam survey, these are among the most overused terms on resumes.
The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,300 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees in the United States and Canada.
Executives were asked, "What is the most overused or meaningless phrase you see on resumes?" Below are some of their top responses, along with advice on how to give employers what they're really looking for in your application materials and during the interview process:
For rest of article, click here.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Walmart’s ‘Grandstand Move’: Let’s Do The Math
Walmart’s ‘Grandstand Move’: Let’s Do The Math
Posted on Jan 23, 2013 in Business Ethics, Corporate CommunicationsBy W.T. “Bill” McKibben, Senior Counsel, The Great Lakes Group
Those of us who have spent time in communications, be it journalism or public relations, are familiar with what we call a “grandstand move.” That’s when a company with a bad image will roll out some event or policy designed to make them look good. With luck, they garner a ton of positive media attention. So it is with Walmart. Their latest is a pledge of a job for every returning veteran during their first year out of the service. It got Walmart more positive media than they’ve seen in years. Even we were impressed, until we got to thinking about it.
The majority of jobs at Walmart are low-wage, part-time with zilch benefits. When you’ve served in the workplace culture prevalent in our military, who wants that kind of job? Bill Simon, who runs the Walmart stores in the United States, joined the company less than ten years ago. He was paid about $8.5 million last year. Our guess is that not many of the hundred thousand vets Simon estimates Walmart will hire over the next five years will take home even the average U.S. paycheck, let alone much above that figure. A hundred thousand hires over five years is just 20,000 a year, roughly four or five a year per Walmart store. So if you do the math Walmart’s offer to our veterans doesn’t add up to all that much.
Read rest of article:
Walmart’s ‘Grandstand Move’: Let’s Do The Math
Saturday, January 12, 2013
20 Changes Facebook Made In 2012 That Impacted Marketers
Ryan Cohn (no relation) wrote an excellent analysis of the changes made by Facebook during 2012. The role of social media and marketing is definitely one that is evolving.
Facebook was all about refinement in 2012.
Faced with the question of how to provide high quality, personalized experiences to a growing number of active users, the social network reworked a variety of its products and systems for increased efficiency, revenue and a stronger image.
Facebook Growth in 2012
Facebook’s 2012 was filled with growth. According to their third quarter earnings report, Facebook totaled 1.01 billion monthly active users as of September 30, 2012, an increase of 26% year-over-year. Also, daily active users (DAUs) averaged 584 million for September 2012, an increase of 28% year-over-year.
While Asia and South America are leading Facebook’s growth, North America is holding its own. 189 million users are based in the United States or Canada, and 69.8% of Facebook’s US/Canadian users visit the site every day.
Also, 300,000 local businesses currently use Facebook, and the average American Facebook user is worth roughly $13.10/year to the network, an increase of nearly $2 over 2011.
FACEBOOK NEWS FEED
According to Facebook, “News feed is where people – one billion of them – spend their time on Facebook – in fact, 40% of their time. This is an incredible amount of time where people go to share the most important parts of their lives and to receive updates on the things they care most about – whether friends, family, or businesses.”
News feed is the center of social discovery on Facebook. According to AddThis, Facebook now accounts for 51% of all social sharing. As Facebook grows though, and more users share more content, the News feed is getting cluttered with an overwhelming volume of content.
1. The Big EdgeRank Change
Facebook modified their EdgeRank algorithm on September 20th to combat the constantly-growing clutter concern. The changes heavily penalized posts with negative feedback in order to deliver compelling, personally-relevant content to users.
2. New Post Targeting Options
Facebook also launched new post targeting options, prompting Pages to target certain content to specific audience segments. Certain content resonates stronger with certain audience members than others, and the new post targeting options provide a way for Page managers to stay consistently relevant with all their fans, even while providing a variety of messages.
3. Promoted Posts and Sponsored Stories
Facebook introduced Promoted Posts and Sponsored Stories for Page managers willing to pay for reaching extended audiences with specific content. By reaching regularly-engaging stakeholders through “free” organic content, and less often interested parties through paid Promoted Posts and Sponsored Stories products, Facebook provided a variety of content distribution options in 2012.
According to COO Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook Promoted Post ads (also known as News feed ads) were 8 times more engaging and have 10 times more recall than sidebar Marketplace ads.
FACEBOOK PAGES
4. Facebook Timeline
As Rohit Bhargava pointed out in Likeonomics, “90% of Facebook users don’t return to a fan page once they click the ‘Like’ button.” Facebook users visit your Page to get a first impression prior to clicking the ‘Like’ button, or to engage on a deeper level at a later date (oftentimes for research or customer service purposes). As such, Facebook redeveloped Pages as Timeline.
The new Timeline design included a variety of new opportunities, including Cover Photos, Milestones, Pinned Posts and Featured Posts.
5. Cover Photos
Cover photos provide Pages with a major branding opportunity. The Cover Photo can be used to build a first impression with new Page visitors, or generate positive sentiment from already-existing fans. Examples can be found here.
Other Timeline components, including Milestones, Pinned Posts and Featured Posts, offer Page managers new ways to organize their content and present it in visually-appealing ways.
6. Milestones and Pinned Posts
Facebook is big on nostalgia – the more historical information you provide to them, the less likely you are to move to another social networking platform. As such, they added Milestones as a way for brands to provide historical context to their Pages.
This feature is great for legacy brands who have fascinating tales to tell about their histories. For example, People Magazine added Milestones that corresponded with major moments featured on past magazine covers, like celebrity deaths and weddings.
Pinned Posts allow Page managers to display a post prominently at the top of their Timeline for up to 7 days. Pinned Posts are helpful for highlighting valuable content that won’t often change. Facebook also recently added Pinned Posts for Groups.
Featured Posts expand a story to the width of the entire Timeline, thereby drawing more attention to piece of content. Featured Posts highlight content that doesn’t necessarily need to be a visitor’s first impression on your Page. Unlike Pinned Posts, Featured Posts are positioned chronologically and get pushed down your Timeline as new content is posted.
7. Global Pages
For brands that do business around the world, Facebook has continued to add features and admin functionality that lets them manage their content and target content to specific countries.New Global Facebook Pages refined these efforts into a public option where pages can customize their apps, cover images and content according to the country a Facebook fan is viewing the page from.
Global Facebook pages now have global as well as country specific metrics. And one simple but big benefit is they will have one universal page URL that they can promote, since fans are automatically shown their country’s content.
8. No More Default Landing Tabs
While Facebook added a variety of new tools with the launch of Timeline, they also took away the ability to set a default landing tab for all new visitors.
Previously, Page managers could set a default landing tab that all non-fans would first see instead of the wall when they visited a Page. This is no longer allowed. Instead, users always see the main Timeline view and have to actively click through to custom apps. This means custom apps for your contests, promotions, games, media, coupons, and signup widgets may receive much less engagement from users who find their way to your Page.
Pages also often used “Like-gates” on their default landing app, requiring users to Like a Page in exchange for the ability to use the app. While Like-gates are still permitted, they’re not nearly as powerful since they won’t be the first thing users see when they visit a page.
FACEBOOK PR
While Facebook tried to maintain quality user experience throughout its fervent growth, it also faced many challenges that garnered significant media attention. These challenges put many marketers on the defensive, answering executive and client questions about Facebook’s long-term viability and ability to overcome issues.
9. Facebook IPO
Facebook’s biggest 2012 media challenge occurred when they became a publicly-traded company. Shortly before open trading, news broke that General Motors was pulling their entire $10 million a year Facebook advertising budget. Within days of going public, their stock experienced both a meteoric rise and quick collapse.
Also, by going public, the once-quiet company had to become more vocal about its product and business development intentions in order to quell shareholder worries. Financial analyst concernscentered on mobile strategy and how Facebook was going to monetize the platform’s shift to the small screen.
FACEBOOK MOBILE
Throughout the second half of 2012, Facebook became fixated on its mobile strategy. By their third quarter earnings report, they were showing dramatic improvements. Facebook posted revenue that slightly beat forecasts, and it said 14% of its advertising revenue came from ads on mobile devices. According to Mark Zuckerberg, “I want to dispel this myth that Facebook can’t make money on mobile. We are just getting started.”
10. New Laser Focus on Mobile
CFO David Ebersman announced Facebook’s mobile ad pricing was up 20% in US/Canada, and 75% of total News feed ad revenue was from mobile. Sheryl Sandberg predicted a future of more ads in Facebook’s mobile News feed.
Also according to Zuckerberg, 60% of Facebook’s monthly active users regularly access the network via mobile. 70% of mobile users visit every day. Facebook’s improved iOS app resulted in an 80% increase in News feed page loads.
11. Page Management iOS App Launched
In order to help Page managers work on the go, Facebook launched the Page Management mobile app. The app helps Page admins manage and moderate multiple pages more quickly, share behind the scenes photos and stories about customers and products, and improve Facebook interaction with users who engage with your Page.
12. Facebook Buys Instagram
As another sign of their new-found love of mobile, Facebook bought Instagram for what was originally announced as $1 billion, but ended up as $715 million in cash and stock. Since the acquisition, Instagram’s user base grew has grown from 27 million to 100 million. According toComscore, users spent more mobile time on Instagram than Twitter.
In December, Instagram caused quite a commotion when they announced changes to their Terms of Service that would provide revenue-generating opportunities. Soon after, they had to backtrack and adjust following major backlash.
FACEBOOK ADVERTISING
Facebook launched a variety of new revenue-generating products in 2012, including Sponsored Stories in the News feed, Promoted Posts, Premium Ads, Gifts and Offers. They also provided access to advanced advertising options, including the Power Editor and Facebook Exchange.
13. Facebook Gifts
Not an ad? Well tell that to all the hundreds of companies that now get their products automatically suggested to Facebook users anytime their friends have a birthday or a holiday like Christmas or Valentines approaches. Facebook takes a cut on purchases, a la the Apple iTunes store or Google Play. Facebook Gifts are now being promoted on mobile and the web.
14. Facebook Offers
Facebook added a cost to their Offers product, requiring Pages to purchase at least $5 worth of advertising to accompany the offer.
15. Power Editor Publicly Available
The Facebook Power Editor opened for public access, allowing new targeting options and the capacity to generate hundreds of Facebook ad variations. The Power Editor provides advertisers with a streamlined method to amplify certain content to specific audience segments and user devices through Promoted Posts and Sponsored Stories.
16. Facebook Exchange
Ever shop for a product on an e-commerce website, and then see that exact product featured in a banner ad on another website? That’s called behavioral re-targeting, and it’s one of many cookie-based targeting methods. It’s a way to convert window shoppers into buyers. Facebook has gotten into the re-targeting business by welcoming a select group of 3rd party vendors into the new Facebook Exchange program.
17. Log Out Ads
Do people really log out of Facebook? Well, between libraries, multiple accounts, and shared computers at the office and home, Facebook found a large untapped audience that they could show a big ad to. The price is out of budget for most businesses, but large brands and startups have been paying $750k or more to purchase the logout screen advertising real estate.
18. Optimized CPM
Facebook made a lot of steps this year in order to make Facebook ads easier and more successful for the average person. And arguably, none of these steps were more important thanOptimized CPM. It is an payment option that automatically fine tunes a Facebook ad to perform better according to the action an advertiser wants (Like, click, share, etc) and based how users are actually interacting with the ad.
19. Sponsored Results
Facebook search is no where near as lucrative to marketers as Google’s search. But just because of sheer volume, Facebook search does see a lot of impressions. Facebook apps and pages can now sponsor search results and show up at a top result for Facebook users.
20. Custom Audiences
Through their Custom Audiences feature, Facebook now lets advertisers to target ads to lists of specific phone numbers and email addresses. If a business has a strong customer list, they can now target loyalty ads directly to their customers that are on Facebook.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Social Media Etiquette: 12 Step Checklist
On January 9, 2013, Ilya Pozin contributed the following article to Forbes.com on social media etiquette. I am guilty of reading something that I think is interesting and immediately posting it to Facebook. As I read more, I post more. However, I am wondering if the volume reaches a point where it's too much.
As a communication tool, social media has a key role in society. On one hand, I embrace it. But on the other, I reject it.
I love social media for all the reasons many people do: I can connect with others who would normally be hard to reach, I can communicate quickly and creatively, I can find out what others are doing, and I can learn.
But there’s still a lack of etiquette many people possess when using social media. On sites like Twitter and Facebook, do all old-school means of social etiquette get thrown out the window? Or do most people not even know what classifies as proper social etiquette to begin with?
It was quickly confirmed through a string of Facebook messages that Goeckler’s friend died of a major heart attack. “I was not keen on the way I found out about the death,” she said. “It seemed so impersonal.”“There I was, sipping coffee one morning, when I saw a post from another former co-worker on Facebook,” Goeckler said. “It read something like, ‘Today, as I ride down the street on my bike, I think about how thankful I am to be alive. It is incidences like what happened to Brad this past weekend that make one stop, reflect, and cherish life.’ I thought to myself, ‘That seems odd, what is he referring to? Is this the Brad I know? Did something happen to him?’”
A few months later, Goeckler found out–also through social media–that a relative of hers had breast cancer. She says that finding this out via social media–not a phone call–was a disconnected and impersonal way to find out such serious news.
Both of the circumstances combined made me reconsider how we use social media. These two incidences were much bigger life events that may not have a place being blasted through with Facebook posts.
I do feel social media is valuable in many ways. But maybe we should teach etiquette to guide people on the best ways to use it as a communication tool. After all, like most technology, social media has been hoisted on our world with little or no instruction.
I encourage everyone to think before communicating through social media. Goeckler says everyone should ask themselves the following 12 questions before posting:
Run through these 12 questions in your mind–before clicking “post.” Trust me–you’ll be happy you double-checked before sharing with the world.
Monday, January 7, 2013
50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid
Stumbled upon an excellent and fun article by Mark Nichol on DailyWritingTips.com entitled "50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid".
Sadly, I am guilty of using many of them.
In conversation, it’s easy in the midst of spontaneous speech to succumb to verbosity and duplication. In writing, redundancy is less forgivable but fortunately easy to rectify. Watch out for these usual suspects:
1. Absolutely certain or sure/essential/guaranteed: Someone who is certain or sure is already without doubt. Something that is essential is intrinsically absolute. A guarantee is by nature absolute (or should be). Abandon absolutely in such usage.
2. Actual experience/fact: An experience is something that occurred (unless otherwise indicated). A fact is something confirmed to have happened. Actual is extraneous in these instances.
3. Add an additional: To add is to provide another of something. Additional is extraneous.
4. Added bonus: A bonus is an extra feature, so added is redundant.
5. Advance notice/planning/reservations/warning: Notices, planning, reservations, and warnings are all, by their nature, actions that occur before some event, so qualifying such terms with advance is superfluous.
6. As for example: As implies that an example is being provided, so omit “an example.”
7. Ask a question: To ask is to pose a question, so question is redundant.
8. At the present time: “At present” means “at this time,” so avoid the verbose version.
9. Basic fundamentals/essentials: Fundamentals and essentials are by their nature elementary, so remove basic from each phrase.
10. (Filled to) capacity: Something filled is done so to capacity, so describing something as “filled to capacity” is repetitive.
11. Came at a time when: When provides the necessary temporal reference to the action of coming; “at a time” is redundant.
12. Close proximity/scrutiny: Proximity means “close in location,” and scrutiny means “close study,” so avoid qualifying these terms with close.
13. Collaborate/join/meet/merge together: If you write of a group that collaborates or meets together, you imply that there’s another way to collect or confer. To speak of joining or merging together is, likewise, redundant.
14. Completely filled/finished/opposite: Something that is filled or finished is thoroughly so; completely is redundant. Something that is opposite isn’t necessarily diametrically opposed, especially in qualitative connotations, but the modifier is still extraneous.
15. Consensus of opinion: A consensus is an agreement but not necessarily one about an opinion, so “consensus of opinion” is not purely redundant, but the phrase “of opinion” is usually unnecessary.
16. (During the) course (of): During means “in or throughout the duration of”), so “during the course of” is repetitive.
17. Definite decision: Decisions may not be final, but when they are made, they are unequivocal and therefore definite, so one should not be described as “a definite decision.”
18. Difficult dilemma: A dilemma is by nature complicated, so omit difficult as a modifier.
19. Direct confrontation: A confrontation is a head-on conflict. Direct as a qualifier in this case is redundant.
20. End result: A result is something that occurs at the end, so omit end as a modifier of result.
21. Enter in: To enter is to go in, so throw in out.
22. Estimated at about/roughly: An estimate is an approximation. About and roughly are superfluous.
23. False pretense: A pretense is a deception, so false is redundant.
24. Few in number: Few refers to a small number; do not qualify few with the modifier “in number.”
25. Final outcome: An outcome is a result and is therefore intrinsically final.
26. First began, new beginning: A beginning is when something first occurs, so first and new are superfluous terms in these cases.
27. For a period/number of days: Days is plural, so a duration is implied; “a period of” or “a number of” is redundant. It’s better to specify the number of days or to generalize with many.
28. Foreign imports: Imports are products that originate in another country, so their foreign nature is implicit and the word foreign is redundant.
29. Forever and ever: Ever is an unnecessary reduplication of forever.
30. Free gift: A gift is by definition free (though cynics will dispute that definition), so free is extraneous.
31. Invited guests: Guests are intrinsically those who have an invitation, so invited is redundant.
32. Major breakthrough: A breakthrough is a significant progress in an effort. Though major is not directly redundant, the notable nature of the event is implicit.
33. [Number] a.m. in the morning/p.m. in the evening: The abbreviations a.m. and p.m. already identify the time of day, so omit “in the morning” or “in the evening.”
34. Past history/record: A history is by definition a record of past occurrences, and a record is documentation of what has already happened. In both cases, past is redundant.
35. Plan ahead: To plan is to prepare for the future. Ahead is extraneous.
36. Possibly might: Might indicates probability, so omit the redundant qualifier possibly.
37. Postpone until later: To postpone is to delay. Later is superfluous.
38. Protest against: To protest is to communicate opposition. Against is redundant.
39. Repeat again: To repeat is to reiterate an action, so again is unnecessary.
40. Revert back: Something that reverts returns to an earlier state. Back is superfluous.
41. Same identical: Same and identical are just that (and that). Omit same as a qualifier for identical.
42. Since the time when: Since indicates a time in the past; “the time when” is superfluous.
43. Spell out in detail: To spell out is to provide details, so “in detail” is repetitive.
44. Still remains: Something that remains is still in place. Still is redundant.
45. Suddenly exploded: An explosion is an immediate event. It cannot be any more sudden than it is.
46. Therapeutic treatment: Treatment in the sense of medical care is by nature therapeutic, so the adjective is redundant.
47. Unexpected surprise: No surprise is expected, so the modifier is extraneous.
48. Unintended mistake: A mistake is an inadvertently erroneous action. The lack of intention is implicit.
49. Usual custom: A custom is something routinely and repeatedly done or observed, and usual is redundant.
50. Written down: Something written has been taken down. Down is superfluous.
At the end of the article there's a link to another article by Catherine Osborn entitled "Eliminating Superfluous Phrases".
Also, guilty as charged!
In classes I have taught, students lean towards using phrases that they think make them “sound smarter” but end up making their work wordy and clunky. By streamlining your sentences and cutting out a few phrases, you can communicate your point much more effectively.
For example, here is a list of some that crop up frequently:
Sadly, I am guilty of using many of them.
In conversation, it’s easy in the midst of spontaneous speech to succumb to verbosity and duplication. In writing, redundancy is less forgivable but fortunately easy to rectify. Watch out for these usual suspects:
1. Absolutely certain or sure/essential/guaranteed: Someone who is certain or sure is already without doubt. Something that is essential is intrinsically absolute. A guarantee is by nature absolute (or should be). Abandon absolutely in such usage.
2. Actual experience/fact: An experience is something that occurred (unless otherwise indicated). A fact is something confirmed to have happened. Actual is extraneous in these instances.
3. Add an additional: To add is to provide another of something. Additional is extraneous.
4. Added bonus: A bonus is an extra feature, so added is redundant.
5. Advance notice/planning/reservations/warning: Notices, planning, reservations, and warnings are all, by their nature, actions that occur before some event, so qualifying such terms with advance is superfluous.
6. As for example: As implies that an example is being provided, so omit “an example.”
7. Ask a question: To ask is to pose a question, so question is redundant.
8. At the present time: “At present” means “at this time,” so avoid the verbose version.
9. Basic fundamentals/essentials: Fundamentals and essentials are by their nature elementary, so remove basic from each phrase.
10. (Filled to) capacity: Something filled is done so to capacity, so describing something as “filled to capacity” is repetitive.
11. Came at a time when: When provides the necessary temporal reference to the action of coming; “at a time” is redundant.
12. Close proximity/scrutiny: Proximity means “close in location,” and scrutiny means “close study,” so avoid qualifying these terms with close.
13. Collaborate/join/meet/merge together: If you write of a group that collaborates or meets together, you imply that there’s another way to collect or confer. To speak of joining or merging together is, likewise, redundant.
14. Completely filled/finished/opposite: Something that is filled or finished is thoroughly so; completely is redundant. Something that is opposite isn’t necessarily diametrically opposed, especially in qualitative connotations, but the modifier is still extraneous.
15. Consensus of opinion: A consensus is an agreement but not necessarily one about an opinion, so “consensus of opinion” is not purely redundant, but the phrase “of opinion” is usually unnecessary.
16. (During the) course (of): During means “in or throughout the duration of”), so “during the course of” is repetitive.
17. Definite decision: Decisions may not be final, but when they are made, they are unequivocal and therefore definite, so one should not be described as “a definite decision.”
18. Difficult dilemma: A dilemma is by nature complicated, so omit difficult as a modifier.
19. Direct confrontation: A confrontation is a head-on conflict. Direct as a qualifier in this case is redundant.
20. End result: A result is something that occurs at the end, so omit end as a modifier of result.
21. Enter in: To enter is to go in, so throw in out.
22. Estimated at about/roughly: An estimate is an approximation. About and roughly are superfluous.
23. False pretense: A pretense is a deception, so false is redundant.
24. Few in number: Few refers to a small number; do not qualify few with the modifier “in number.”
25. Final outcome: An outcome is a result and is therefore intrinsically final.
26. First began, new beginning: A beginning is when something first occurs, so first and new are superfluous terms in these cases.
27. For a period/number of days: Days is plural, so a duration is implied; “a period of” or “a number of” is redundant. It’s better to specify the number of days or to generalize with many.
28. Foreign imports: Imports are products that originate in another country, so their foreign nature is implicit and the word foreign is redundant.
29. Forever and ever: Ever is an unnecessary reduplication of forever.
30. Free gift: A gift is by definition free (though cynics will dispute that definition), so free is extraneous.
31. Invited guests: Guests are intrinsically those who have an invitation, so invited is redundant.
32. Major breakthrough: A breakthrough is a significant progress in an effort. Though major is not directly redundant, the notable nature of the event is implicit.
33. [Number] a.m. in the morning/p.m. in the evening: The abbreviations a.m. and p.m. already identify the time of day, so omit “in the morning” or “in the evening.”
34. Past history/record: A history is by definition a record of past occurrences, and a record is documentation of what has already happened. In both cases, past is redundant.
35. Plan ahead: To plan is to prepare for the future. Ahead is extraneous.
36. Possibly might: Might indicates probability, so omit the redundant qualifier possibly.
37. Postpone until later: To postpone is to delay. Later is superfluous.
38. Protest against: To protest is to communicate opposition. Against is redundant.
39. Repeat again: To repeat is to reiterate an action, so again is unnecessary.
40. Revert back: Something that reverts returns to an earlier state. Back is superfluous.
41. Same identical: Same and identical are just that (and that). Omit same as a qualifier for identical.
42. Since the time when: Since indicates a time in the past; “the time when” is superfluous.
43. Spell out in detail: To spell out is to provide details, so “in detail” is repetitive.
44. Still remains: Something that remains is still in place. Still is redundant.
45. Suddenly exploded: An explosion is an immediate event. It cannot be any more sudden than it is.
46. Therapeutic treatment: Treatment in the sense of medical care is by nature therapeutic, so the adjective is redundant.
47. Unexpected surprise: No surprise is expected, so the modifier is extraneous.
48. Unintended mistake: A mistake is an inadvertently erroneous action. The lack of intention is implicit.
49. Usual custom: A custom is something routinely and repeatedly done or observed, and usual is redundant.
50. Written down: Something written has been taken down. Down is superfluous.
At the end of the article there's a link to another article by Catherine Osborn entitled "Eliminating Superfluous Phrases".
Also, guilty as charged!
In classes I have taught, students lean towards using phrases that they think make them “sound smarter” but end up making their work wordy and clunky. By streamlining your sentences and cutting out a few phrases, you can communicate your point much more effectively.
For example, here is a list of some that crop up frequently:
- “Needless to say…” If it’s so needless to say, then why are you saying it?
- “It goes without saying…” Same problem here; easier to get right to your point
- “For all intents and purposes…” Again, this could easily be cut and your sentence would begin with exactly what you intend to say.
- “In light of the fact that…” You could easily just say “Since…”
Sunday, January 6, 2013
A Digital Legacy?
Back in March of 2011, my dear brother-in-law, Barry Faye, passed away. It was a sad event. We conducted a beautiful funeral service and talked about him for several weeks following.
Six months later, I received a reminder of his birthday on Facebook. Going to his Facebook page, I saw that several people who apparently had not received notification of his death, posted birthday wishes. My wife wrote a message on his page to inform "friends" that Barry had passed away.
Since that time, I periodically get requests to play "Words with Friends" with Barry.
Unfortunately, we don't know Barry's passwords so that we can't access his account to stop it.
The question about what happens to our online identity after we die is the subject of a very informative article in The Wall Street Journal, "Life and Death Online: Who Controls a Digital Legacy"
According to the article, "...U.S. and Canadian laws, which are similar for the most part, don't treat digital assets like physical ones that can be distributed according to wills. In 1986, Congress passed a law forbidding consumer electronic-communications companies from disclosing content without its owner's consent or a government order like a police investigation. Although that law predates the rise of the commercial Internet, courts and companies have largely interpreted it to mean that the families can't force companies to let them access the deceased's data or their accounts."
The article points out "Today, some people share passwords so others can access their accounts after death, or write clauses into their wills, though the legality of either is unclear.
To find documentation and best practices from on-line account providers on how to close, transfer or change accounts of deceased users, go to Deceased Account.com.
This is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed. In the meanwhile, I have shared my passwords with my loved ones.
By the way, I usually just agree to "terms and services." Check out this South Park which pokes fun at that practice.
Six months later, I received a reminder of his birthday on Facebook. Going to his Facebook page, I saw that several people who apparently had not received notification of his death, posted birthday wishes. My wife wrote a message on his page to inform "friends" that Barry had passed away.
Since that time, I periodically get requests to play "Words with Friends" with Barry.
Unfortunately, we don't know Barry's passwords so that we can't access his account to stop it.
The question about what happens to our online identity after we die is the subject of a very informative article in The Wall Street Journal, "Life and Death Online: Who Controls a Digital Legacy"
According to the article, "...U.S. and Canadian laws, which are similar for the most part, don't treat digital assets like physical ones that can be distributed according to wills. In 1986, Congress passed a law forbidding consumer electronic-communications companies from disclosing content without its owner's consent or a government order like a police investigation. Although that law predates the rise of the commercial Internet, courts and companies have largely interpreted it to mean that the families can't force companies to let them access the deceased's data or their accounts."
The article points out "Today, some people share passwords so others can access their accounts after death, or write clauses into their wills, though the legality of either is unclear.
To find documentation and best practices from on-line account providers on how to close, transfer or change accounts of deceased users, go to Deceased Account.com.
This is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed. In the meanwhile, I have shared my passwords with my loved ones.
By the way, I usually just agree to "terms and services." Check out this South Park which pokes fun at that practice.
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