I was talking with a relative a few months ago that expressed concern that a “World Order” would some day be constructed in which all nations would unite. Many people who do not want the U.S. to lose our national identity share this concern. I personally do not think this is a real threat. The United Nations has existed for many years and does not really have much control over other nations. All they can do is publicly condemn behavior or send aid and support to nations that need help. They can influence support from other members of the U.N. The point to this organization is to try and get the world to engage in important issues. There are a lot of important issues that the U.N. tries to address, such as world famine and human rights violations.

The U.N. is an imperfect organization, because they do not have much control, if any, over other countries. This is not a bad thing. It means that a “World Order” in the literal sense is far off. However, with the Internet and social networking, people are connected with others throughout the world. Our economies have become connected all over the world, so we are all connected in some way as a race. Humans are social creatures and this means that we often desire to connect with others. With the new ways to connect with people around the world, it is arguable that a “World Order” is in our future.

I would argue that most cultures around the world are not going to want to give up their national identity. Identity is a very important part of being human and national identity is also important. I do not see a time when the U.S. or any other country decides to give that up. That being said, I’d like to point out that we are becoming a more connected world community. I see this as positive, because it gives regular people around the world to get involved in social issues and learn more about foreign cultures.

Will we ever get to the point where there is one world government that rules over every nation on this planet? No, I do not think so. The closest thing I think we would get is a U.N. and we have that. It’s good to have an organization that allows the world to unite on issues that are important, but still have their own independence.

Research is an important part of the technical writing process. Knowing how to be an effective researcher will help the writer in his or her project. Once one understands the importance of research, said person can become an effective technical writer.

It is important to understand how to do research when in school or in academic fields. Technical writing research is a bit different then researching literature or non-technical subjects. It is important to look for reliable sources. To start, make sure that your sources are credible by looking them up. Websites, such as wikipedia, are not usually recommended to be used as sources as it is difficult to verify who is editing the site.

Primary data is what the writer observes or records from an experiment, for example. Secondary data is generally where one would start their research (Smith-Worthington & Jefferson, 2011). This type of data is information about the the subject that has already been obtained by your organization or school. It is generally found in libraries on campus or in the local community. Journals, magazines, and newspapers are often used for sources and can have valuable information. Of course there are also dictionaries, encyclopedias, and almanacs that can be useful, too. Once you have the sources you need, remember to cite them appropriately in your work and to add a reference page so that readers can find your sources.

Plagiarism is when a person uses information from a source without giving them credit. There are many examples of this. A novelist who writes a story that was taken from another person’s ideas without permission is plagiarism. Make sure to properly cite your sources by determining what system you are using. For example, does your project require MLA formatting or APA formatting?

You might wonder how to tell if a source is credible. There are some ways to find out. First, like mentioned before, sites that are open source or are editable by anyone are not good sources. A good source is written by someone who is easily identifiable and has a background in the subject or some kind of academic credentials. It’s also good to find sources from well known organizations, such as newspapers, government agencies, or scientific sites. You can also ask friends, students, and professors about certain sites if you are not sure if they are reliable.

Once a person understands the importance of research, he or she can become effective in technical writing. With such knowledge, one can write a technical document that is both professional and effective. He or she will also be able to build credibility with the reader.

Documentation the write way: recognizing the vital contribution of technical writers. (1993, February). Canadian Computer Reseller, 6(4), 17-20.  Retrieved June 27, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry. (Document ID: 451868761).

Jefferson, S, & Smith-Worthington, D. (2011). Technical Writing for Success. Cenagae Learning: OH.

It’s official people! I’ve gone electric! My new Nissan Leaf is happily sitting in my garage after a fun drive to Tustin today. I got the car on May 10th, after almost a year long wait. It drives smoothly and is very quite inside the cabin. The electric motor sounds a little like a jet engine when I accelerate it so I’ve nicked named it Jet Blue! I have to admit that I have a bit too much fun with acceleration, especially since it goes 0 – 40 in about three seconds. It has a range of about 100 miles which is plenty of range for me. It has a top speed of about 95mph and has all kind of neat features. The best part is that I can say goodbye to gas!

The Nissan Leaf made an appearance in the sequel to the documentary, “Who Killed the Electric Car?” The film, “Revenge of the Electric Car” debuted on Earth Day. It seemed fitting, but I didn’t get to see it. I’m hoping it comes out on video soon. I’m also really excited for EVs in general. Hopefully they are here to stay, I think they are.

Before:

After:

Yes, big things happened today, or err thing. I finally managed to take some time to post some progress. So far, I’m still waiting for my LEAF as I type this, though

it should not be much longer. My car does exist and it’s been in Long Beach at the port for over a month now. As you may or may not know, last month I had a

AV EVSE installed in the garage in preparation for the car arriving. Last week, I found out that I had been accepted into the EV Project! I had signed up many months ago,

but I had not heard anything from them. I assumed I had not gotten in. However, when I found out that I did make it into the program, I decided to go ahead and get the

blink EVSE and replace the AV one. The blink charging dock is a smart charger while the AV dock isn’t. In fact, for what I paid for it, the AV EVSE didn’t seem worth the price.

The Blink unit was free, a gift from the DOE. I also get the quick charge port on the car for free too, a gift of Nissan, but require being part of the EV Project. So, all in all, I’m not

loosing much money in the process since I’ll be selling my AV unit. That will help and my lease will be $700 cheaper. That also means less sale tax too.

I’m much happier to have the blink dock, because it has more features. It’s connected right now to my home wireless network. I can even use my computer to access the dock.

As you can see, there is a LCD screen on the front of it and the menu allows me to check statistics that will show how much I spend on charging, for one example. I really like that

it will compare gas cost versus electric, so I will be able to see how much money I am saving. Now all I need is the car…

About three years ago, I was drowning in debt. Like many Americans, I’m a major consumer, in some ways this means I help the economy to keep moving. However, for my personal financial situation, it  was killing me. 90% of my income was going to bills and most of that was credit card interest. While I certianly am responsible for getting into debt, banks do not make it easy for us. If you miss one payment or are late once, at least under the old rules, you risked your interest rate getting much higher. I wish I had known I was bad with credit. In fact, I had always been good with saving as a child. I rationed my Halloween candy and it would usually last several months after.

The fact is, credit can be quite useful in getting things you want when you can’t afford it. A house, for example, is not something most people could afford to buy without credit. The problem is that our society has become obsessed with credit. We don’t know how to use it wisely. Of course, there are other issues, such as wage stagnation and the facts that there is a wealth gap that is increasing. The richest Americans have seen their wages increase largely over the past thirty years while middle and lower class wages have barely seen any increase. But, enough about politics, this is a celebration post!

As of tomorrow, I will be debt free (If you don’t count my student loans, but it will be a long time before I have to start paying those back)! I’m so excited! It’s been three years since I started with my debt settlement program and now I don’t have to worry about major bills. It’s a sense of relief for sure. Of course, I will have a new car lease when the Nissan Leaf comes in, but that will all be paid for by the funds I get for selling my car. By the time the lease ends I should have enough money to buy the car, so technically, I won’t have to worry about big bills for a long time!

I know that credit cards aren’t necessarily bad. It’s responsible to have one card with a low limit and use it for small purchase each month while making sure to pay of the balance quickly. But, unfortunately, it’s too tempting for me and many others to spend more. Credit cards are considered to be unsecured debt, which means that interest rates can change on a dime and the limit can be raised. I don’t plan to have this type of debt ever again, because one little mistake can break you, as I have said before. Secured debt, like a mortgage or a car loan, is much safer. I’m more comfortable with these types of loans. So, for now, I only have my student loans. This means I can save more money each month!

I found that when I started with my debt settlement company, my rate of spending decreased substantially. Having borrowed credit influenced me to spend money. Why did this happen? I did learn about the value of saving money and I was pretty good with that. The problem was that I didn’t learn how to be responsible with credit. It may sound like common sense, but I was a teenager when I got my first credit car and as you know teenagers don’t always use the best judgement. The human brain does not fully develop until the late 20s and the last part to develop is the judgment center of the brain. I think if I had been more open with my parents and had they talked to me about credit more (not to mention a certain family member who was bad with credit) I think I would have faired better.

But, the past is past, and I have learned a lot of important lessons about money. I’m in a much better financial situation now and my credit is slowly healing. In a few years, I should be back to tip top shape. I hope that my experience can help others.