High School graduation requirements should be worked out at the school level by faculty and approved by parents and supervising boards, accepted by students who come to the school (who – one hopes! – have some choice in what school they attend), and which lay out the knowledge which a young person needs to be considered an effective adult. These requirements will not consist only of long-ago earned Carnegie units and/or test scores, but will be based on a system of promotion by performance and by portfolio during the junior high school and high school years. Although most students will complete the faculty’s expectations by the time they are about eighteen, others will move through the program more or less quickly. The “fixed” will be the basic proficiency standards; the “variables” will be the time it takes to achieve them, and the ways in which these aptitudes are displayed. Breadth in the curriculum will also vary according to the student. Senior year will be dominated by a rigorous senior seminar, which will include a substantial senior project, possibly including an internship, and which will lead to a Graduation Exhibition which can be described and explained to all interested parties.

A new kind of transcript will need to be developed to describe the student’s progress throughout high school, especially during the senior year. If we are going to ask potential employers and college admissions officers to take high school transcripts seriously, we will have to make sure we are writing in a language which we both understand.

College and work entry requirements should be made clearer. In the case of college, they should be worked out by college faculties and accepted by supervisory boards and clients of the institution (students, their parents, and others who help to pay the costs of college) which lay out the knowledge which a young person needs to be able to do the entry-level work in that institution.

A second transcript (or a second part of the transcript) will need to be developed collaboratively by college and high school teachers, to make it possible for some high school graduates to go right on to college. College entry will not be an “automatic admit” for those who have completed high school. Those who are deemed not ready to do entry-level work in the college they wish to attend will need to be told relatively early exactly what their deficiencies are and will need to be given help, including new kinds of teaching, to enable them to achieve the desired results. If this help is offered and taken advantage of during the senior year in high school, it will surely remove the “permission to coast” which so many seniors have assumed.

When a student is told that, at the moment, he/she cannot do entry-level work in either college or a specific part of the workplace, there need to be several forms of “remediation” available. When the problem is low ability, extensive work with counselors should help the student decide what the areas are in which he/ she has more proficiency and promise, and what kind of training would be most appropriate to pursue that future. When the problem is poor prior training, it can be made up, but adequate time must be set aside to do so. Other plans for the student’s time – other courses, work, sports – must be given up, at least if the student plans to keep to a specific timetable. This is not a trivial problem and cannot be handled by a short course.

When the problem is motivation, it should be identified, accepted and tackled by a combination of counselors and teachers. (It is not necessarily a teacher’s “fault” that a student doesn’t work in his class. At the same time, the teacher needs to appreciate the reasons why a student may not be motivated if a real connection is to be made.) When the problem is maturity, it should be dealt with by keeping college preparation programs open for older ages, perhaps in the high school at night.

In many individuals, all four of these factors are what cause the need for remediation. This is why there is no single, efficient – and certainly no cheap – solution. The best job of helping such students will be done by an ongoing policy of promotion by performance that has led to at least some self-knowledge all along, and by self-respecting teachers in schools that have kept their teachers’ load low enough so that they can really know their students. These teachers are most likely to be able to work with students to analyze the problem and determine what the best course of action will be.

College graduation requirements should be publicized to demonstrate the further knowledge that a person needs to achieve beyond the entry-level. These should stress readiness to do sustained, complex and difficult work, so that the student considering the college will know what attitudes as well as knowledge will need to be acquired and then enlarged upon in college. Emphasis should be on the fact that choosing college is fundamentally choosing a different kind of present and future work. Too often, college is seen as a kind of moratorium, which clearly affects both it and the high school senior year.

It is perhaps naive to insist that every eighteen year old is ready, emotionally or intellectually, to do sustained, complex and difficult work. Some can; some can’t – yet. However, high school seniors need to see beyond the minimum entry requirements of college, to be able to imagine the hurdles ahead, both in the upper levels of college and in the workplace. These hurdles are largely ones of integrity, persistence and a sense of personal responsibility. Ways of measuring these qualities have not been developed with any kind of scientific precision, and perhaps that’s good, since so many students improve in these respects during their early adulthood.

Still, high school teachers who have been able to get to know their students have hunches about these qualities. Progress reports written by teachers and counselors all through high school can increasingly refer to these qualities as they develop, so that students and parents are reminded of their importance. During senior year, those who write recommendations for college and the workplace are frequently asked about their impression of the students as potential workers and citizens; they may also be encouraged to cite the evidence behind these impressions, in order to draw a more compelling portrait of the candidate. These recommendations are already part of our communication process, but they need to be taken more seriously by both sides.

Did you know that according to The State of the Remote Job Marketplace by Flexjobs “3.9 million U.S. employees, or 2.9% of the total U.S. workforce, work from home at least half of the time, up from 1.8 million in 2005.” And, “It is predicted that 38% of full-time staff will be working remotely in the next decade.”

Believe it or not, “Remote workers are made up of almost equal numbers of male and female at 52 and 48 percent respectively, with the average age coming in at 46 years old.”

Although popularity may be growing in this relatively new commuting option, not all companies are prepared to manage remote workers. And let’s face it, not everyone is cut out for remote work.

Working remote for over twenty years for my own company, and gaining my Masters degree online as well, I feel I have mastered the art of being ‘remote, yet present’.

Let’s consider the minimum skills required to work remote. The person should be:

Tech savvy (able to utilize all of the remote software for project management, time tracking, file sharing and all types of communication)
Organized (able to log, order and prioritize files on and offline, as well as manage their time effectively)
Honest (able to commit to the same work hours per day with minimum supervision and log those hours accordingly)
Trustworthy (able to complete the assigned work and meet deadlines with minimum supervision)
Professional (able to conduct themselves the same as they would in an office environment during meetings, including proper business attire during video conferences)
Additionally, the remote worker should have an environment set up that is quiet, free from distractions and have all of the necessary equipment, to conduct their work each day. For example: reliable Internet, a printer, and a desk. All of these requirements should be documented in some type of written format and signed by all parties when agreeing to remote work.
Some of the software solutions I use for my remote consultants are:

One Drive for file sharing.
Join.Me for screen sharing, phone and video conferences.
Smart Sheets for collaborative project management tracking.
Google Hangouts for online chats.
Now that we have defined the minimum skills required, we will define what is needed by employers to manage them effectively. The two most important challenges that must be addressed with remote teams are participation issues and meeting expectations, such as completing tasks and meeting deadlines. Many remote workers find it hard to self-manage their time appropriately in a remote setting with minimal supervision.
This is why it is especially important to have frequent check-ins in both teleconference and video conference formats. This will make it easier to identify problems earlier, rather than later, and clear up any miscommunications. Usually, these check-ins fall under the responsibility of a project manager or supervisor.

So, what are some ways employers can effectively manage their virtual teams? I’ve outlined some of my own tips that I use when I am managing large teams below:

#1 Conduct a brief icebreaker for the first five minutes of weekly calls that allow everyone to participate and get to know each other. i.e. Describe your state without saying the name of it while participants try to guess where you are from. Remote work can sometimes feel isolating, so personal connections such as this improve the synergy of your team.

#2 Get everyone to sign a remote work Honesty and Integrity contract, which includes the skills I listed above).

#3 Develop a standards and guidelines document for all deliverables to ensure overall consistency.

#4 Use agendas for all meetings and stick to the times allotted for each discussion topic, and distribute a recap/action item summary after each meeting. Remember to be flexible when scheduling meetings, as many remote workers live in different time zones.

#5 Assign tasks based on each person’s skill set. There is nothing that will decrease a person’s morale than having them work on something that is not within their job description or skill set. Take the time to ask if unsure.

#6 Be available. I always make sure I am on the assigned chat tool with the team or available by phone for my consultants when they have questions. If you have to jump on a quick screen share session, than do so. It’s better than having your remote worker confused and producing an incorrect deliverable.

When all of these aspects of remote work come together, the results can be positive for both remote workers and employers.

Remote workers save money on items such as gas, tolls, work clothes and childcare, because “Work-life balance, family, time savings, and commute stress are the top reasons people seek flexible work”.

On the other hand, employers gain “increased worker productivity and efficiency, improved recruitment and hiring, reduced employee turnover, decreased real estate and overhead costs, greater employee engagement and satisfaction, and positive environmental impacts”.

Warm weather is making its way back to the northern hemisphere now, and so scuba diving season is just around the corner for many sports enthusiasts. The thrill of diving in the ocean or sea and the ability to commune with underwater nature make this sport increasingly popular. And perhaps it is not a surprise that naked scuba diving has increasingly become a “thing” in recent years. But men, especially those who like to practice appropriate penis care, should be aware that naked diving does come with the potential for some penis problems. The careful diver will take some steps to keep these penis problems to a minimum.

Naked diving

To some extent, naked diving is absolutely nothing new. Many thousands of years ago, many of our ancestors habitually swam and dived in the buff; that’s just how it was done back then. But the recent trend in naked diving emphasizes the naked aspect much more.

Often, a man goes diving au naturel as a way of marking a celebration. For example, some divers like to dive naked on their birthday – so that they are diving in their birthday suit rather than in a diving suit. It also has become increasingly popular for people to celebrate the occasion of their 100th dive by diving sans swimsuit.

But there also are many organized group naked diving tours in which all participants dive without the restraint of clothing. These may be sponsored by nudist organizations or may simply be a group of friends who decide that they want to be uninhibited together.

Penis problems

Whichever is the case, men do need to be aware that some penis problems can arise while taking a dive bereft of covering.

The problem that comes to mind most readily for many men is the possibility that their penis may be mistaken by a large fish as an inviting warm or eel. While some may think this is a ridiculous problem, there have been some very rare reports of this occurring. The best way for a naked male to avoid this is to keep a bit of distance between himself and the fish.

More likely to be problematic is a man’s bare penis coming in contact with the stingers of a jellyfish. Even with a diving suit on, this can still be painful; it is likely to be much more so if the stingers touch bare skin, and especially so if contact is made with the penis itself. Again, keeping one’s distance from the jellyfish is the best way to keep the penis safe here.

Similarly, keep the penis away from coral reefs or other sharp edges. Scraping or cutting the penis is much easier when naked.

A much more common problem from naked diving is dry penis skin. Soaking the penis directly in salty seawater for an extended period of time means the skin is going to absorb more salt – and that tends to dry the skin out. Taking steps to keep the penis well moisturized both before and after the dive can help.

Finally, it’s best to dive in warm water. As all men know, cold water is not conducive to presenting one’s manhood in its most impressive state.

With proper care, one can practice nude scuba diving without major penis problems. A man will be even better off if he is already including a top notch penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) as part of his penis health regimen. The best cremes will contain a combination of moisturizers, such as shea butter and vitamin E, to help rejuvenate and rehydrate penises that have been too long in salt water. To keep that penis skin even stronger, use a crème with a potent antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid. This helps fight excess free radicals and the oxidative damage they can cause.

There are some things which are not easy to get over. A lady shared recently how at the age of five she was molested by the son of a Church Officer.

People go through times of strain and stress.

A serious health problem can make you feel like something is attacking you, even making you almost lose hope in Jesus Christ. “Why is this happening to me?”

A crushing disappointment can shake you, as though you were alone in a boat in the middle of a raging storm.

The disciples of Jesus knew the reality of physical and emotional danger.

Dare to imagine what must have gone through the minds of the disciples when they began to lose those who were so close in the early fellowship of believers.

James, the brother of John, soon lost his life.

Everyone experiences circumstances which daunt us, and take us by surprise.

The disciples of Jesus discovered that Jesus came to them in their hour of fear and need.

Jesus met the paralysed man, the leper, the Roman Centurion’s servant, and various others in their desperate need.

Many have found how God comes when the storm is fiercest.

There was an amazing resilience in the lives of these pioneering apostles, anointed with the Holy Spirit. Paul and Peter are outstanding examples of perseverance, endurance and faithfulness, showing that ability to bounce back after setbacks.

Life may be harder than you ever expected it to be. God gives us resources to cope with pressures and difficulties – if we want His help.

Jesus Christ comes to restore what has been lost, and repair what has been broken.

“What a friend we have in Jesus” – try singing that song as if you were singing it for the first time.

There are some situations and scenarios and circumstances which can appear almost impossible to get over and overcome, however there is a way.

No matter what you have been through or what you might be presently going through there is a way. There is an answer.

Many ignore and reject this answer and that may be why they remain with this massive painful predicament.

Find this solution for yourself. Over the years I have helped some find it – not all – not everyone – because some were not interested.

Some did not want it, but to those who asked and searched and knocked there was relief and solution and restoration and refreshing – all depending upon the specific need.

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland. He has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, 12 visits to Israel, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya.

It’s not a secret that video marketing is the latest trend and is used by plenty of companies to outshine in this world. In today’s time, the world has turned into an open competitive marketing place; there is a need for something which can just add in the spark of revolution to the existing business. Engaging audience with video content is quite common in today’s time. Even the videos are easily accessible more than before.

According to Dan Pattinson, Human beings are the most powerful and highly visual beings. It helps us in understanding anything in a better way.

Thus, as a business owner, one of the best ways to leap your business a notch higher is with the help of explainer videos. These videos are well designed and allow the users to get a little more detail about your products in a more profound manner and that too within minutes. How easy it is, isn’t it? Yes, it is.

Let us enlist and go through the reasons to why you should present your product with a video.

They are Concise
No user wants to read long tail words or watch videos filled with ambiguity and other disturbing factors. Videos are concise; as simple as that. Plenty of the business decision makers love online because it simplifies their workability in a whole new order of ambiguous free environment.

Another great feature of videos is that they sum up every detailing within a short span of time. As a result, your customers will never have any reason to ball early, and there will be a high possibility of your product being successful.

They Show a problem as well as a solution
Video progresses gradually showing the issues and the potential solutions associated with them. Illustrating how to solve any problem with the help of explainer videos will help your customers to get interested in your product in a more fanatic way. However, you can accomplish the same with written content, but it will not be of much use as explainer videos are.

You can get creative
The best part of explainer video for products is that you can unleash your creativity in a more expandable manner. You can write jokes in your script, amuse your audiences and can get an edge with your product far ahead than your competitors. For music freaks, you can even add music in explainer videos to sooth the environment in a better way.

They are applicable everywhere
Once you have made a brilliant explainer video for your product, you can use it in a vast range of contexts with great ease and comfort. The number of locations where you can keep your explainer video are as follows:

YouTube is the best option where you can keep your explainer video and generate a higher amount of traffic by highlighting your product.
If you have a website, you can embed it on your homepage and can use it as a great feature of your landing page.
Also, you can incorporate explainer videos into your power points to let your clients understand your product more reliably and confidently.
Use the approachable medium
Though there is a little bit of learning, explainer videos are still attainable and a fantastic way of learning for marketers. As a business owner, you don’t have to spend hours to understand the working of explainer videos and don’t need to spend dollars on the same. That is the reason, 65% of the marketers are planning to increment their video marketing budgets because they know the importance of such blessed technology.

There are handy for old as well as new customers
Even though the primary goal of explainer videos is to attract new customers for your product, they are also helpful in reaching the established customers as well in an expandable manner. At times, the explainer video can be used as a learning model which can be helpful at numerous times.

Savannah Stewart states that most of us are comfortable in learning visually. Whether it’s about the product, company or service, videos are quite helpful in attracting the audience and keeping them engaged till the video is running. It helps them in attaining a better understanding.

You can showcase your brand personality
You can let your brand’s personality outshine throughout the video and can write scripts which will reflect your character. In today’s scenario, some video marketing budgets are now directed towards branded videos which are still a healthy sign for explainer video users.

Final Verdict
All in all, for making any product successful, a series of planning is involved but inculcating such plan with an explainer video can be a cherry on the cake. As a business owner, including the above points in your business model, go for an explainer video and visualize your business expand to level par excellence.