Social Media Management Tips

By Michael J Gillen

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You're using Facebook every day. You waste time on YouTube. You have a LinkedIn profile worthy of envy. You get it. Or, at least, you think you do. You seem to be leveraging social media to the max, but, like for many people, the return on investment just isn't there. Too often, guides for how to use social media effectively don't go beyond the basics. This leaves people to be constantly hunting for specific, actionable steps to transform their Facebook page from a ghost town to a thriving metropolis. Here are a few of my favorite strategies that the pros love to use:
Don't Hide the Bad Stuff: So, if somebody posts a complaint on your Facebook page, what should you do? A lot of companies immediately delete the post and hope that not that many people had already seen it. This is never a good idea; even if you watch your social media pages religiously you're probably not going to catch every post before the general public sees it. In addition, hiding the post is a lost opportunity. Unless the complaint is a malicious lie, you should do what you can to rectify the situation online. Studies have shown that if you do everything right, people will not be anywhere near as happy as they are when something goes wrong and you handle it correctly. Handling customer service over social media might seem like an odd idea, but it really is a great way to show how much you care about your customers.
Be Sarcastic: In case you've been living under a rock, most people are a little mean on the internet, you idiot. We have come to accept this and-for many of us-even like it. Whereas you would probably want to be very formal if you were getting interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, internet denizens love a bit of controversy. So if you were a beer company and you were to tweet about how a starlet would be classier if she got drunk off your brand, you're not being crass or inappropriate; you're creating fun, sharable content that every social media user loves to see. Of course, you should never be sarcastic to your customers; people don't mind jokes at a celebrity's expense, but they don't want to be insulted.
Be Nice: Now, before you say that I'm contradicting myself, let me explain myself: by nice, I mean, charitable. Charities tend to have large social media presences, and, if you were to volunteer your time, you can always ask them to talk about you on their social media pages. This could get your name in front of thousands of users.
Cast the Spotlight on the User: Social media is a conversation between people, and, as everybody who has been to a singles bar can tell you, people love to talk about themselves. Therefore, every single social media post should contain a way that the user can interact with it. The easiest way to do this is to ask for opinions, but you can get more creative, like inviting them to post an anecdote on your wall. People want to feel they're being listened to, so go out of your way to make them ask you questions.
Run a Contest: At the company I work for, we just ran two different online contests for two different brands, one of which went extremely well while the other one fizzled. For one we included a link on Facebook to a form a user to could fill out for a chance to win fifty bucks, and for the other we asked users to go through the client's webpage and find a product which fitted a certain theme. Users clicked on the link for the first contest, filled out their entries, and then immediately left the site; the client got almost zero extra sales from it. The other client, however, saw a massive spike. Since the first one was so general, people had no reason to look around, let alone buy anything. Our second client, however, had users look at dozens of different products, which piqued their interest and resulted in them converting from lookers to buyers.
Of course there's a lot more you can do with social media, whether it be creating targeted Facebook ads or something a bit more creative, like online meetings. However, the most important thing to remember with social media is that you're not talking to a mass of people; you're talking to individuals who happen to be grouped together. The best social media strategies are geared with that in mind.

How to Make Your Pop Up Displays Work for You

By Katy Q

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Due to the fact pop up displays have been around for so long, you would expect them to have disappeared by now. On the contrary, they have just become more popular than they have ever been before. Due to the number of trade shows that occur these days pop up displays have become a vital visual tool. They owe their popularity to their portability, affordability, and the ease with which they can be set up.
The way you set up your displays can have a big impact on the amount of attention they will generate so you must be careful to make sure this is done well. It is very important that you place your pop up display in a good location at an exhibition. The more people who pass through your site, the more effective your display is. Your aim is to get noticed above everyone else at a trade show. Before the show starts and potential clients start flooding in, do some last-minute checks to make sure everything about your displays and stand are perfect in order to maximise potential business. If you have a corner spot then you should tailor your displays to accommodate this.
Bad lighting will have a detrimental effect on your display. A good pop up display should have good lighting. You should aim for as much light as possible, but make sure there is no glare. If your display is well lighted the message will be easier to see and potential clients will pay more attention.
In trade fairs and exhibitions, space is limited and one is forced to take with whatever is available. Consequently, exhibitors have to come up with creative ways in order to make good use of the space they have. You should take a great deal of care when setting up your stand after your pop up displays have been erected. This is to enable the display of all that needs to be shown without the appearance of being cluttered. To achieve this calls for proper preparation and intense brainstorming with all concerned. If it help, map out different designs and ideas to make sure you get the best possible space to display your business.
You next problem lies with the graphics and visuals that you are going to have printed on your pop up displays. Colours have to be perfect. Make sure the shades of colours used on your pop up displays aren't too bright or dim and give off the right mood, you don't want people walking away from your stall feeling depressed.

Sosiolog : Awas, Banyak Dosen Jadi 'Pengasong'

Bagus Kurniawan - detikNews
Selasa, 14/02/2012 15:58 WIB

 

Yogyakarta - Ada kecenderungan para akademisi saat ini lebih mementingkan nilai-nilai pragmatis daripada nilai-nilai ilmu pengetahuan. Kegiatan pengajaran dan penelitian hanya berorientasi pada peningkatan pendapatan melalui proyek-proyek daripada pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan.

Padahal tugas utama seorang akademisi adalah melakukan refleksi kritis dan mempertahankan nilai-nilai abstrak pada jamannya seperti kebenaran, keadilan, dan rasio. Ada banyak nilai-nilai yang dipunyai para akademisi semakin memudar karena mereka lebih banyak mengejar kepentingan pragmatis.

Hal itu diungkapkan sosiolog Fakultas Ilmu Sosial Poltik Universitas Gadjah mada (UGM), Prof Dr Heru Nugroho saat pidato pengukuhan guru besar di Balai Senat, UGM, Selasa (14/2/2012).

"Tidak mengherankan jika muncul istilah dosen asongan yang kerja di luar kampus dan menjadikan kerja kampus justru sambilan," kritik Heru Nugroho.

Heru dalam pidato pengukuhan menyampaikan pidato berjudul "Negara, Universitas dan Banalitas Intelektual: Sebuah Refleksi Kritis dari Dalam". Menurutnya hal tersebut telah menciptakan fenomena klobotisme di kalangan akademisi atau hanya sekedar barang pembungkus saja serta menciptakan kegiatan akademik yang involutif. Banalitas intelektual merupakan fenomena yang merebak dan mengingkari dunia pendidikan tinggi yang ditandai dengan sejumlah indikator.

Salah satunya, kata dia, menguatnya pengkhianatan akademik yang membuat para akademisi mementingkan nilai pragmatis daripada nilai-nilai ilmu pengetahuan. Para akademisi yang mengejar kepentingan pragmatis membuat tugas utama akademisi untuk mempertahankan kebenaran, keadilan, dan rasio makin memudar.

"Ini juga memunculkan 'dosen asongan', yaitu dosen yang tidak menjalankan tugas utamanya melainkan menggunakan alat akademik untuk kepentingan ekonomi politik dosen yang bersangkutan," katanya.

Hal lain, maraknya intelektual pamer yang muncul dalam acara talkshow terkait masalah yang populer di televisi. Akademisi ikut terbius untuk tampil dan cenderung narsistik untuk tampil di televisi dan melahirkan intelektual instan.

"Mereka akhirnya menjadi bagian dari fenomena klobotisme yang hanya ikut meramaikan hiruk pikuk pergunjingan politik elite," kata staf pengajar jurusan sosilogi itu.

Akibatnya lanjut Heru, kritik-kritik akademisi yang dilontarkan kurang memiliki kekuatan emansipatoris karena para akademisi yang mengkritik bertujuan menjadi bagian yang dikritik. Pengkritik itu kemudian mendapat julukan 'ahli' untuk selanjutnya ditarik menjadi menteri, wakil menteri atau staf ahli dan jabatan yang lain.

"Itu semua tidak menghasilkan apa pun secara akademik kecuali realisasi hasrat kuasa pragmatis. Akademisi bahkan jadi aktor menerapkan kebijakan pemerintah yang mengorbankan rakyat kecil," tegasnya.

Heru mencontohkan, macam-macam atribut dan profesi yang disandang oleh akademisi tipe 'asongan' seperti staf ahli, staf khusus, konsultan, direktur, deputi, konsultan lembaga donor internasional dan sebagainya menjadikan mereka tidak lagi menjadi intelektual kampus. Namun hanya menggunakan alat-alat akademik demi kepentingan ekonomi politik mereka.

Intelektual tipe tersebut pada akhirnya bukan memberikan eksplanasi kritis-reflektif. Tetapi justru membela mati-matian secara defensif pihak yang memberinya posisi.

"Contohnya saya pernah menjadi konsultan pembangunan di pemerintahan, akibatnya saya menjadi ambigu dalam bersikap maupun dalam membuat rekomendasi yang saya formulasikan, terutama bila dikaitkan dengan persoalan yang sedang dialami rakyat. Saya menjadi tidak bisa membela penuh kepentingan rakyat," katanya.

Heru menambahkan di dalam perguruan tinggi tersebut kemudian muncul kegiatan akademik yang involutif. Salah satu indikatornya jumlah penelitian semakin banyak tetapi hasilnya kurang terasa bagi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi. Sementara itu, diskursus politik kampus lebih menarik daripada wacana penelitian dan diskusi akademik.

"Contohkan kalau ada pemilihan rektor atau dekan, pasti ada mobilisasi dari para calon. Ironisnya, jabatan struktural-administrasi jadi tolok ukur keberhasilan dosen, seperti halnya pilkada," tegas Heru.

Menurut dia, dosen yang bergelar profesor dan doktor seharusnya lebih banyak mencurahkan waktu untuk aktivitas ilmiah. Di UGM, jumlah guru besar aktif saat ini mencapai 274 orang, emeritus 35 orang, dan luar biasa 1 orang, dan dosen bergelar doktor sebanyak 856 orang. Hingga tahun 2010, jumlah buku yang dihasilkan para dosen adalah 162 buah saja dan bisa dianggap sebagai bagian fenomena banalitas. Buku maupun jurnal yang diterbitkan hanya untuk mengejar kenaikan pangkat, jabatan akademik, dan menimbulkan sindroma formalisme.

"Jurnal yang diterbitkan hanya sebagai jurnal masturbasi yang dibuat sendiri untuk kepentingan sendiri," tuturnya.

Menurut Heru, semangat kerja dan asketisme akademik yang militan dari seorang dosen juga jauh dari harapan. Militansi ilmuwan sosial di Indonesia masih rendah sehingga penelitian yang dihasilkan tidak memadai. Ilmuwan sosial Indonesia mati dalam habitat subur pengetahuan dan problem sosial.

"Mereka malah menghabiskan waktu pada aktivitas bersifat proyek," tegasnya.

Heru menegaskan banalitas intelektual ini juga terintervensi negara yang memperlakukan universitas dalam subordinasi kekuasaan negara yang berakibat pada birokratisasi pendidikan. Di berbagai kebijakan penelitian pemerintah, dikondisikan pemerataan dana penelitian sehingga banyak penelitian di bawah standar.

"Itu semua akibat dari politik penguasaan anggaran penelitian olehnegara dengant ujuan mengontrol universitas," tutup Heru.

Local Store Marketing For Retailers

By John J Matthews

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In today's tough economy, the fight for share-of-customer by retail stores to effectively capture sales has never been fiercer. Retail stores that sit back and wait for the economy to improve will have a very long road to recovery. Aggressive retailers that go after sales by working the critical three-mile business radius surrounding their retail store will not only survive in the short term but will prosper when the economy turns positive - and it will!
Local Store Marketing (LSM) should be a critical, constant component for driving retail sales. In many cases, it forms the building blocks for your customer "point-of-differentiation" and many LSM tactics can be executed by your existing staff for very little money. Retailers should look at the following ideas to prop up their sales:
• Improve Visibility: Has your store become part of the landscape? Have you become retail wallpaper? Create excitement outside of your four walls to draw attention to your retail store. A-frame boards at the street; cold-air balloons on your roof; mascots waving in crowds; search lights; etc. all create and increase visibility.
• Nudge Your Customers: For those retailers that have customers' lists - reach out to your customers by emailing or calling -- inviting them back to your retail store. All it takes is a friendly reminder to keep your retail store top-of-mind. A customer list is only powerful when it is utilized.
• Create Customer Loyalty: Introduce a customer loyalty card and provide incentives for your core customers to visit your stores more frequently. Use these same loyalty incentives to turn casual customers into core customers.
• Start Product Sampling: Want to entice trial of your core products? Deliver product samples to surrounding businesses in the three-mile radius around your retail store. Be sure to hand out flyers with your product samples, and then watch the sales roll in.
• Create New Customers: Establish new relationships in your three-mile radius with local businesses by offering gift packages of your proprietary products; contact local hotels and businesses to promote your products to hotel guests and business people; and set up meetings with the local chamber and surrounding schools or churches to hype your retail store as a great venue for their next event.
• Launch Special Recognition Days: Everyone wants to be recognized, so create an event at your retail store that recognizes and appreciates certain groups of customers such as specific businesses; age groups (i.e. kid's day); or student specials.
These are just a few proven LSM tactics a retail store can begin to implement immediately for little or no cost. Local Store Marketing is critical to your overall marketing strategy and a must in today's tight economy. The most successful retailers win the battle for customer traffic because they make an operational commitment to local store marketing. They know local store marketing captures the entire customer base in the critical three-mile radius surrounding their store. In addition, they know that implementing local store marketing is low cost or no cost. Successful retailers effectively infuse their year- long promotional campaigns with local store marketing, building a strong sales foundation for sustained and long-term growth-and you can too!
The decision is yours: you can either choose the passive route -- letting your success or failure be predicated on customers opting for your store--OR you can aggressively maximize the sales opportunities within your three-mile business area. Prudent store operators take control of their marketplaces with LSM to maximize every sales opportunity.

What Can New Media Do For Your Brand?

By Robert A Hacala

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If old media is a beat-up taxi honking to get your attention, then new media is a 24-hour super train that departs every ten minutes. But what does that mean for your brand?
Old Media vs. New Media
First, let me define these two terms. Old media, also called traditional media, is the communication channels that were available to us before the internet came along. This includes cable television, AM/FM radio, outdoor advertising, newspapers, magazines, and other print publications. New media, commonly known as digital media, is a broad term that includes the Internet, websites, mobile apps, multimedia, CD-ROMs and even video games. It incorporates consumer feedback and user-generated content such as forum discussions, blog comments, and product reviews. It's available wherever and whenever people want it, and it makes them feel involved.
Old media may not be dead, but it's overworked and exhausted. It's invasive and it's everywhere. We ignore it more and consume it less over time. We change the channel during commercials, we blindly drive past billboards, and we really only read magazines in the doctor's office nowadays. With new media, consumers can hear message in an instant, which is wonderful for customer service, event planning, and public relations. You can use websites, social media, webinars (web seminars), whitepapers, and analytics to zero in on your target audience more efficiently and give them what they want.
Social Media
Social platforms are leveraged in numerous ways, and is an unparalleled tool for building exposure, likability, and trust. In today's noisy world, people naturally share with and listen to their online peers. They like what their friends like and place great importance on peer reviews. Of course, you want people to be saying good things about your brand. Keep in mind that everything you say and do effects how people think of you, and with social media, messages move far and fast.
Webinars
These live presentations give yourself a stage to spread your message across the world. They differ from traditional seminars in that others can join the conversation and ask questions without interruption, by typing in a group chat window. They are easy to set up and do not have to cost you anything. Your audience can be specifically targeted by the invitation materials you produce leading up to your webinar. This allows you to attract the people who are genuinely interested in what you have to share.
Ebooks
These are easy to produce and distribute to your audience, and if done well, can make a great impression. They can focus on one specific idea or a few ideas in the same topic. They can be used as a training tool, a presentation, an process overview, or a book full of tips and techniques. Again, you can target the people who are genuinely interested in your topic by how you sell your ebook. I use the word "sell," because simple calling something "free" isn't good enough anymore-you have to sell your giveaways and sell yourself.
Whitepapers
Whitepapers are another fantastic resource to offer your target market, and help you stand out as an authority in your niche. A good whitepaper defines and solves a single specific problem related to your industry or niche. Consumers will always see free or low-cost items that solve their biggest problems as high value, and it will make them remember you the next time they have a problem they need help solving.
Analytics
For internal use, this is something that cannot be ignored in today's digitized business. Simply put, analytics are the results of your actions, the data that tells you what's working and what's not. They are analyzed so you can move forward with actions that bring high ROI, and get rid of (or redesign) the actions that turn out to be wasteful.

Real World Cases:Here are a couple real examples of how new media has worked for brands:
For many years, Old Spice was seen as pretty must just a cologne for old men, but by using online video and social media, the company managed to completely transform their brand's image. After placing a new ad campaign for Old Spice Body Wash on cable TV, the videos went viral on YouTube and received a huge amount of positive feedback. Because of this, Old Spice recorded a bunch of individual video responses to people that commented about the ads on Twitter. It was a huge success, reaching new markets, generating a huge social media following, and increasing their body wash product sales by 107% in a month.
In 2011, Ford Motor Company used Facebook to introduce the 2011 Ford Explorer with the "Go. Do." campaign. They set up a dedicated Ford Explorer fan page and started posting teasers about the unveiling of the new vehicle. Ford announced giving a new Explorer to a randomly selected Facebook fan and would reveal the vehicle when they got 30,000 fans. It was the very first time Ford chose not to reveal their latest vehicle at an auto show, but used social media instead. At the time of writing this, the Ford Explorer fan page had 184,101 fans.

Thanks to new media and all the different channels and opportunities that come with it, you can build you brand faster than ever before and uplift your image if it's failing.
That said, no matter what kind of media you use, it all comes down to how you communicate with your audience. Bombarding them with irrelevant information and bland self-promotion will only cause consumers to unsubscribe, unlike, or unfollow. There is no substitute for engaging your listeners, encouraging feedback, and offering content that they find irresistible.

Success! 3 Steps To Define, Live, Own Your Values

By Meridith Powell

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A few weeks ago, a client asked me why I am so passionate about values. Why so much of what I discuss with my clients; the tools I suggest and the actions I take; why does it always come back to values? I thought it was a great question, and one worth discussing.
In thinking about his question, my response and my overall feeling about values, I discovered that I am not only passionate about values, but I believe they may very well be one of the most important factors in terms of determining your personal and professional success. If you could choose only one area to begin your journey to make 2012 your year, then I would advise you to begin with determining your values. Building a solid business and a successful life begins with a strong foundation, one that is rooted in your values.
So what are values and why are they so important? There are plenty of formal definitions, but I define values as those core issues that are most important to you. My friend Melissa Stanz calls them your non-negotiables. Those terms that tell your customers, your peers and the world who you are and what you stand for.
While that has always been important in any economy, it is even more so in a shifting economy, the type we are living in now. When competition increases, and spending gets tight, knowing and living your values is what will set you apart from the competition. In tough economies, authenticity and transparency are key to growing your business long-term. Identifying and living your values helps ensure that you retain the best employees, and gives consumers a reason to choose you.
Beyond that, values are important because they help you gain insight and clarity into yourself. When we understand what is most important to us, it is easier to make decisions and take actions that move us toward the goals we want to achieve and the life we want to create. Values give you an ability to focus, a guide to help you determine what it is you want and what it is you don't want. They help you surround yourself with the people who will help you achieve those goals, and avoid those who won't.
Building a business based on values and one that adheres to those values is, in my opinion, the strongest way to set yourself up for success in a shifting economy. In a shifting economy, time and money are both precious resources: ones you do not have the luxury to waste. Knowing, living and taking action according to your values ensures that you don't.
So how do you build a foundation rooted in values?
First, Define - Sit down and determine what is most important you, what you stand for and what are your non-negotiables. What will people gain from knowing you? What will your customers achieve by working with you? At your very core, what is it that sets you apart?
Second, Live - Once determined, your values have to become a part of everything you do, every action you take. Your values become your guiding principles to how you make decisions about who to work for, who to work with, and how to run, grow and expand your business.
Third, Own - Once defined, you must own your values. Hold yourself accountable to measure every action according to your values. Insisting that your values be used to make all major decisions (customers you work with, employees you promote, organizations you join, etc.). Owning your values will not only increase your productivity, it will decrease your stress and motivate both you and your team to reach an entirely new level of success.
Defining, living and owning your values is a process that brings continual return on investment. Yes, you will see monetary gain, but more importantly, your values bring you peace of mind, enhanced relationships and a life rich with satisfaction.

How Many Workers Can I Fit in My Office?

By Darien P Tydeman

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Having been in the corporate fit out space since 1997, we have received many design briefs, met a lot of clients, and attended countless locations across Australia for site walkthroughs where senior stakeholders have presented their visions for their workspaces.
It is safe to say that most corporates now demand an open plan area where they are able to accommodate more staff, increase productivity and save upwards of 20% on overheads. We have also seen a noticeable increase in the ratio of open plan areas against total floor space.
We can attest that the question "How many workers can I fit in my office?" is a question we just don't hear asked by professional companies. Open planning is a pre-requisite, hence the question becomes "How can I design I space that my staff will enjoy working in, and that will increase our collaboration and productivity?"
The open plan workspace is not a new concept. In the early 21st century companies would consolidate task-based workers into common areas.
By the 1940's open planning was commonplace across banking, insurance and media industries and large open office spaces housed the majority of office workers.
The benefits of the open plan workspace, when implemented well, far outweigh the cons and include:
Employee Morale - open offices can be designed to encourage positive social interaction, collaboration, organizational culture and a sense of community;
Cost Efficiency - open plan offices save upwards of 20% on overheads and if the right sort of furniture is selected, office planners are able to maximize usable space;
Environmentally Friendly - open office spaces are more eco-friendly as they provide much greater lighting and ventilation allowing for efficiencies in heating and cooling;
Productivity - open plan offices have been statistically proven to facilitate higher productivity. A 1996 study by Harvard Business Review demonstrated productivity increases within organizations of up to 440%;
The design challenge of open space planning is simply not new. We do however continue to optimize and enhance our workspace environments making use of advances in technology and communications.
Further the options available to design, configure and install workstations and office furniture into open plan office spaces addresses most concerns. Workstations:
Workstations can be optimized to host small or large groups of domain-based workers together and can be configured to fit most office layouts;
Workstation sizes now accommodate the physical space needs for all types of white-collar professionals ranging from data entry clerks right up to executive management;
Workstations are now designed to maximize the actual m2 space allocated per person and privacy concerns are being addressed without the need for intimidating divider screens that create cube like spaces;
Screens, partitions and dividers are much more functional and can play a large role in quieting the environment while offering employees a sense of privacy without reducing the value of collaboration.
Accessories, enhancements and add-on such as additional storage, shelving, power and data cabling have driven cost efficiency and often give employees more spaces that can be personalized.
Fittings, fixtures, occasional furniture and dedicated collaboration spaces complement an open space office and are critical in creating mood, giving workers dedicated spaces for quiet time, small meetings, and dealing with noise pollution.

When Knowledge Is Unavailable, Would Belief Do?

By Raja A Ratnam

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When a curious boy was told by his parents that the universe had neither beginning nor end, he was as satisfied as they. However, later, he asked them how they knew that.
He was then told that it is a belief in the Hindu faith as they knew it; and they had been taught that both through books and sundry gurus. The boy noted that, like most other religionists, his people were focused upon the rituals carried out by their priests, which offered the solace and security they sought; yet, there were others in the clan who were interested in the place of mankind in the Cosmos.
As he grew up, he noted, as an aside, that their priests did not seek to control or direct the people, or even tell them what should do about their lives. Their role was to perform appropriate rituals. It was the astrologers who, after completing their calculations based on the minute of a client's birth, who were known to offer advice as to future personal actions. The priests also did not attempt, commendably, to convert those of other faiths to Hinduism. Perhaps they were aware that the size of a religious sect, each based on a variation of a single belief, may matter only in terms of political influence; but that the religious path one is on would not make one iota of difference in terms of where one is going (or not going).
As the boy grew up, he discovered that the belief in the Western world in the then prevailing Stationary State Theory about the cosmology of the universe is just that - a belief. It was comparable to his family's belief in a universe that is ever-existing. Both beliefs offered durability with an implied stability. Were both Westerners and Easterners unaware of the complex cosmology of Hinduism, which spoke of durability, but with disastrous repeated instability?
This Hindu view is clearly also a matter of belief because it is un-testable. How is one to prove that the universe will stop growing temporarily after 4.32 billion years, be in suspense for an equivalent period, and then be renewed, this cycle of 8.64 billion years to be repeated until a total collapse of the Cosmos (including possibly multiple universes) after 311.04 trillion years?
However, when the Big Bang Theory came into vogue, he read that there is evidence to back it. A claimed expansion of space was seen to be taking 'visible' galaxies away from one another at an increasing pace. However, this theory seems to be based on yet another belief - of an inexplicable 'singularity' which burst forth into an expanding space together with cooling and coalescing matter, to become the universe as we know it.
What is this singularity? An improbably tiny spot, whose origin is unexplained. It is believed to have just happened. What caused it to then blossom forth, and what was there before, are said to be meaningless questions.
Some claim that space, and even time, resulted from, or were associated with, the explosion of the singularity. The so-called Big Bang (probably a misnomer) led ultimately to the creation of the universe. Since space, whatever its origin, is expanding faster than its material contents, visible galaxies are accepted as moving away from one another, and at increasing speed.
How do the scientists know all this? From some observed evidence, and calculating backwards in time. Given the mystical nature of the inferred singularity, is the Big Bang Theory any more than a belief, but more credible than so many other human beliefs?
Belief does not equate to reliable knowledge. Knowledge is not necessarily equivalent to understanding. Seeking a place for mankind in the universe is a desirable hope, but how can we know that we belong?

Guide to Film Set Etiquette

By Igor F Alves

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Etiquette is very important on set and having bad etiquette can go as far as getting you fired or put on someone's blacklist. Bad etiquette is something even the most experienced person is guilty of from time to time, but it is most common with people new to film sets. The problem is that most new, less experienced people especially ones fresh out of film school or kids that have taken online film courses have an uncontrollable desire to show you just how much they know or how good they can be at every job. What they don't understand is that making those comments and suggestions or doing someone elses job is hurting their careers more than doing them good. Soon they will be known for having bad etiquette or being a know it all.
General Etiquette:
Drug and alcohol use is frowned upon on set.
Keep you mouth shut and your ears open.
Respect the chain of command.
Be polite, say please and thank you.
Learn people's names. This is a big one, camera dept gets to cheat and tape the actors grid that's on the call sheet to the camera, others aren't so lucky.
Be watchful and respectful of your co-workers. Just because farting is okay on the grip truck doesn't mean its okay in front of the talent.
Try to show up a little early. Do some networking, learn where the equipment is, read the call sheet, have a coffee. Do whatever it takes to prepare yourself for the day.
Arrive ready with the tools you need to do your job.
At top of day report to your department head, introduce yourself and be respectful.
When given instructions in person or over the walkie be sure to acknowledge by saying "copy" or "copy that". Do not copy if you do not fully understand the instructions. Feel free to repeat back, ask questions or do whatever it takes to fully understand what you are being instructed to do.
When in need of a washroom break be sure to tell your boss! In film school we were told to ALWAYS tell the Assistant Director as well, that is great in theory, but on larger sets the AD has so much to deal with that they really don't need to know which tech is pooping. You are fine as long as your boss knows and someone is around to cover you. Now, that goes for lower level crew mainly, as a Cinematographer or any higher up position the AD must be told.
Watch your boss and be aware of what is going on in your department and around you.
Work hard, but don't over do it. 'Work smart, not hard' is a good motto to follow, but that doesn't mean be lazy. Pace yourself, the days are long and there will be plenty of work.
Allow others to do their jobs, don't be a hero. Don't chirp in about things that have nothing to do with you or your department.
If you want to help another department ask them if they need it first. A simple "may I?" before moving a camera case or stand can save you a lot of grief later. The bigger the set the less likely you will be allowed to touch anything that doesn't belong to your department.
Take a call sheet at the top of the day or print one the night before. In most cases many of your questions can be answered by looking at the call sheet
If on a longer job don't be afraid to ask for a one liner, It can help you to be ready for future days.
Communication. When turning on a light, flying in track, dolly or anything in general call it out. Don't just walk on to set with a 10 foot chunk of metal, that's how people get hurt.
Do not just plug items into any available outlet. Never unplug anything. ALWAYS ask an Electric.