How to Plan a Trip to Taiwan

How to Plan a Trip to Taiwan Our Mini Guide to Visiting the Republic of China ChaptersWhen Should You Visit Taiwan?What Are the Must-See Sights in Taiwan?The Top 10 Reasons to Visit TaiwanWhere Should You Stay in Taiwan?“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” - Gustave FlaubertAre you heading to the South China Sea, between the Philippines and Japan?Yes, we’re talking about Taiwan, its countryside, cuisine, and historical and cultural heritage.  Taiwan, for many people, conjures the idea of manufacturing. After all, most of us have seen something with “Made in Taiwan” printed on it. However, the island is much more than just that.Taiwan has a population of 23.58 million people, covers 13,974 mi ², is separated from the People's Republic of China by the China Strait, is 240 miles long, and 85 miles wide.The island’s economic growth was 2.68% in 2018, has a GDP of $52,304 per person per year, ranks 19th in the world ahead of both South Korea (32nd) and Japan (31st).In this article, we're going to look at the best time to visit Taiwan, the things you should see, why should visit, and where you should stay when you go. NingChinese Teacher 5.00 (10) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LorraineChinese Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JoyceChinese Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicoleChinese Teacher £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KatyChinese Teacher £16/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YangChinese Teacher £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ChengChinese Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhen Should You Visit Taiwan?When can you visit Taiwan?You only need a one-word answer: whenever!Even in summer, it can rain an awful lot in Taiwan. (Source: Yenyu_Chen)The climate in Taiwan is subtropical and humid in the north, tropical in the south, and is dry in winter and humid in summer.  From the Kenting National Park to the Yangmingshan National Park in the north via Taroko Gorge, Alishan Park, and Taiwanese towns, the climate can vary wildly from season to season.While 30 °C would be a heatwave in the north of the UK, temperatures regularly approach 40 °C in Taiwan.  Taipei, the Taiwanese capital city, is located 25 ° north, on the same latitude as northern Mexico or southern Egypt.  The Tropic of Cancer runs through the island and typhoons and monsoons are common in Taiwan. Taiwanese cities can be unbearable in summer when the humidity and pollution make it feel hotter.  Temperatures can exceed 35 °C in April in Taipei.On the other hand, the winter is mild and dry in the south and humid and cool in the north. The snow covers the mountains in the centre of the island that reach 12,966 ft above sea level.While the thermometer can read 25 °C in December and January, the average temperature tends to be around 20 °C in the north with grey skies.If you want to visit Taipei in the north of Taiwan, it’s p robably better to go in the spring when the temperatures are milder and there’s less rainfall.The best months to visit Taiwan are March, April, May, and September.However, you might want to consider visiting the island in winter when there are fewer Chinese tourists except during the Chinese New Year and the Spring Festival.So how long should you go for?British Citizens can spend up to 90 days in Taiwan without a visa. This should give you more than enough time to see Taiwan’s unmissable attractions. However, it won’t be long enough if you want to learn Mandarin Chinese.If you want to immerse yourself in the language and intensive language courses, you’ll probably need closer to a year.Find out more about when you should visit Taiwan.What Are the Must-See Sights in Taiwan?Travelling to Taiwan is very easy and it allows you to experience an aspect of Chinese culture including temples, historic monuments, and cuisine. However, Taiwan is not China and it has its own culture, mo numents and food, too.The Taipei 101 tower is probably the most photographed attraction in Taiwan. (Source: tingyaoh)Here are some of the things you have to visit in Taiwan.Taipei, the Capital CityTaipei is a city that never sleeps.  In this way, it’s like a lot of the other big cities in Asia: Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Manila.  In Taipei, you have to see the following:Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial HallLungshan TempleSongshan Ciyou TempleThe Taipei 101 TowerXiangshan (Elephant Mountain)Sun Yat-sen Memorial HallThe National Museum of HistoryYangmingshan National ParkThe Tamsui River and Tamsui DistrictDa’an Park, Nangang Park, and Rainbow Riverside ParkTasting bubble teas, a popular Taiwanese beverageShilin Night Market and Raohe Night MarketJiufen and Teapot MountainOutside of the CapitalDo you have some extra time?Take the HSR (High Speed Rail), which travels at speeds of up to 186mph, to Tainan, Hsinchu, Kaohsiung, and Taichung.  From there, you can take a romantic trip to Sun Moon Lake, a popular spot for couples.Make sure you also visit the Taroko Gorge on the west coast of the island or head to the south of the island Kenting National Park.  From there, you can go to the southernmost part of Taiwan!The Top 10 Reasons to Visit TaiwanWhy should you visit Taiwan instead of elsewhere in Asia?Does safety, warm and welcoming people, decent weather throughout the year, great street food for a couple of quid, and millennia of history sound good to you?Of course!One of the best things about Taiwan is just how safe it is! (Source: 3005398)To understand why you should visit this island, let’s look at its history.  This state is sovereign at an administrative and political level and has its own government but cannot promote its own independence at an international level as it lost its seat in the UN to the People's Republic of China.Taiwan is said to be “One country, two systems”.After colonisation by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was rep opulated under the Ming dynasty and was occupied by Japan for 50 years until 1945.Taiwan industrialised in the 20th century under the nationalist and anti-communist Kuomintang government of Chiang Kai-shek. The island progressively entered into international commercial relations and became democratic and capitalist.Tsai Ing-wen, the former Chairwoman of the Democratic Progressive Party, became the first female President of Taiwan in 2016.  Under her rule, she’s reignited the independence debate, calling for Taiwan to become a sovereign state.Gay marriage was legalised in 2019 in Taiwan, a first for Asia, making the country more progressive than the others on the continent.The country’s history has forged its national identity, multicultural society, and its place between Chinese, Japanese, and western culture, which tends to see diplomatic relations run hot and cold.Here are some great reasons to visit Taiwan:SafetyQuality infrastructureBeautiful countrysidesVaried Taiwanese cui sineFriendly localsIts history and culture, a blend between modernity and Buddhist and Taoist traditionsIn addition to all that, there are tonnes of hot springs, especially in Beitou, Yangmingshan National Park, Taroko, Baolai, and Bulao.The fact that Taiwan isn’t the most popular tourist destination in Asia is a great reason to head there. There will be fewer tourists when you go and it’ll be easier to visit the sights.The Taiwanese have spent the last 15 years cleaning up their island and recycling more.Where Should You Stay in Taiwan?While you can eat for cheap, it’s a little harder to find accommodation in Taiwan as cheaply. You’ll need around £20 a night for an Airbnb in Taichung, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Taichung, especially if you don’t want to be too far out.There are plenty of places to find accommodation in Taiwan. (Source: chris810)That said, it’s easy to find accommodation in Taiwanese cities.  On the other hand, it’ll be harder to get a good deal on accomm odation if you go in spring, summer, or the Chinese New Year.The range of accommodation includes campsites, holiday rents, youth hostels, and luxury hotels.  Have a look at Booking.com, Trivago, Airbnb, and Homeaway to find the best prices.For long stays, you’ll probably need to find flatmates as, in Taipei in particular, renting can cost a lot.You can pay around £300 for a room in a flat with two other people.If you find somewhere in the city centre, you can see everything Taipei has to offer without spending too much time on the metro.Choosing your accommodation will depend on what you want to do in Taiwan:Hsinchu, in the south, is milder and near the sea.Taoyuan, which is near the airport.Taichung, a good base for those heading to Sun Moon Lake or wanting to hike in the centre of the island.Tainan, where you can visit the traditional and picturesque 17th-century temples.Kaohsiung, to see the Formosan rock macaques in the Gushan District and visit Kenting National Park.Hualien, on the east coast where you can see the Taroko Gorge.So are you going to start looking for flights on Skyscanner?The fact that Taiwan isn’t the world’s most popular tourist destination is the very reason that you should go!If you'd like to learn some of the language before you go, consider getting help from a private tutor on Superprof.

Algebra 1 Review

Algebra 1 Review Algebra is a branch of Mathematics in which symbols, usually letters of the English alphabet are written along with the numbers to represent an arithmetic expression or equation depicting a relation. Algebra 1- Review provides a very effective tool in solving mathematical problems by representing unknown quantities in the form of a symbol or letter of the English alphabet(x, y, z etc.). There can be one or more unknowns in an equation, but each unknown is represented by a different letter. An algebraic expression has a collection of numbers and letters separated by the +, -, x or operators. If the highest exponent on the variable in the algebraic equation is 1 it is said to be linear equation. Example: Solve 4x + 7 = 11 Solution: - Equation is:- 4x + 7 = 11 In this equation now to find the value of x, first we have to subtract 7 from both sides, So, 4x + 7- 7 = 11- 7 4x + 0 = 4 4x = 4 Now in the last step to find the value of x, we have to divide both sides of the equation by 4 Therefore, 4x/4 = 4/4 x = 1 So x =1 is the solution of the above equation. Example 2:- Solve 2x + 5 = 25 Solution 2:- Equation is 2x + 5 = 25 Similarly in the above equation we need to subtract 5 from both sides of the equation and then we have to divide by 2. 2x + 5 = 25 2x + 5- 5 = 25-5 2x = 20 x = 10. So x =10 is the solution of the above equation.

Going Pro as a Boxer

Going Pro as a Boxer How Can You Become a Professional Boxer? ChaptersBe in Excellent Physical ConditionAmateur CompetitionsHow to Become a Professional BoxerStarting Boxing from a Young AgeClimbing the Ladder in an International Federation“I fight for perfection” - Mike TysonBoxing’s image has suffered for many years as it was thought to be the sport of the working and lower classes.  However, it draws in men and women from all levels of society.After all, wouldn’t you like to improve your agility, self-confidence, and tone your body?The increasing popularity of boxing and wrestling has been the driving force behind a 10.2% rise in sports clubs across the UK.Have you been thinking about becoming a professional boxer?In this article, we’ll be looking at how you'll need to be in excellent physical condition, participate in amateur condition, climb the ladder to become a successful professional boxer. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discove r all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsBe in Excellent Physical ConditionThere are four main types of boxing that we're talking about: traditional boxing, savate, Thai boxing (also known as Muay Thai) and kick-boxing. Each of these combat sports requires that competitors be in peak physical condition, train extensively, and commit a large part of their life to their discipline. No matter what type of boxing you're doing, you need to train a lot. (Source: xusenru)A boxer’s body is often athletic, regardless of their weight class: flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight.  Just look for pictures of boxers on Google and you’ll see.Boxing is a high-intensity sport whether you’re doing it professionally or at an amateur level.  Before you become a world champion or Olympic gold medalist, you’ll need to join a boxing club.You’ll end up working on almost every muscle group while you’re there.  Typically, a boxing session will include:Intense warm-ups including running, jumping, squats, push-ups, burpees, etc.Technical training (jabs, hooks, crosses, uppercuts, and kicks for those disciplines that include them)Sparring with the necessary protectionStrength trainingAt the end of a training session, your equipment will be dripping with sweat. A lot of sessions take place as a group so that you can work with different sparring partners, develop your style of boxing, enjoy a cardio work out, and improve the speed and strength of your punches. You’ll also learn how to push the limits of your endurance, keep your guard up, dodge your opponents’ attacks, and develop strategies.To be a good boxer, you’ll need a blend of agility, speed, precision, strategy, endurance, and strength. A boxer should also learn how to take punches and get used to them.  With your coach’s permission and only once you’re ready, you’ll be able to get in the ring and compete in an actual boxing match or competition.Find out more about the pros and cons of professional boxing.Amateur CompetitionsIf you want to be a professional boxer, you need to be strong and driven. The journey is long and full of dangers. You'll need to fight at an amateur level before you'll be ready to go pro. (Source: skeeze)Once you’re ready, you’ll need to apply to be a boxer with the British Boxing Board of Control. You’ll need an amateur record before you can, though. Several different competitions take place throughout the year. These competitions cover most levels, ages, and weight classes so almost every amateur boxer will have an opportunity to compete. AndreyBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KostiaBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LeeBoxing Teacher £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SajBoxing Teacher 5.00 (1) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KaranBoxing Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThomasBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors HaileyBoxing Teacher 4.50 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DavidBoxing Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all o ur tutorsHow to Become a Professional BoxerTo become a professional boxer, you’ll need to apply for a professional Boxer’s licence.  You can get this from the British Boxing Board of Control and you’ll need to complete an application form and provide passport photos, your passport or driving licence, boxer/manager contracts, your amateur record card, and a licence fee paid to them.  At this point, the BBBofC will forward all this onto the Area Secretary.There’ll be an interview and you’ll need to be recommended by your Area Council and then you’ll need to provide a medical and optician report, MRI/MRA brain scan report, HIV blood test result, Hepatitis C blood test result, Hepatitis B surface antigen blood test result, and evidence of hepatitis B vaccinations to the Head Office.Then, and only then, will you be able to participate in professional boxing contests? Of course, you need to be fit, determined, and dedicated to becoming a professional boxer.Starting Boxing from a Young AgeJust like with becoming a musician, it’s a good idea to start boxing when you’re young. Like with anything else, the younger you start, the better you'll be. However, very young children won't be able to do everything involved in boxing. (Source: diowcnx)Take the example of French boxer Dylan Charrat.  He started boxing at the age of 12.  In 2011, he was called up to the French junior team.  By the time he was 20, he’d gone pro and had 11 victories, two by knockout.  He became the 5th best light middleweight in France.One day he hopes to fight the grand champion in his category, Floyd Mayweather.  In July 2019, he won his first EBU belt and the European light-middleweight champion against Howard Cospolite.  He’s unbeaten in 18 fights.Climbing the Ladder in an International FederationProfessional boxers need to be licensed by a federation. There are many of them: EUBC, EBU, WBA, IBF, WBC, WBO, IWBF, IBA, WPBF, GBU, AIBA, APB, etc. In general, boxers will climb the ladder towards the title. (Source: tacofleur)Once a boxer has won a few local, regional, and national competitions, they’ll be able to affiliate with one of the big federations. This is where prestigious pro boxers earn the big bucks. However, at any moment, they can lose their title as they're regularly obliged to put it on the line.By organising big fights, this is how professional boxers earn their money, often with the help of a promoter. Generally, the idea is to climb the rankings, win belts, and maximise their earnings.  Of course, the promoter also takes a piece of the pie. It’s also in their interest for their boxer to do well and become famous... or infamous.The better a boxer does, such as going undefeated for a long time, the more they’ll get in sponsorship, publicity, pay per view money, and spectators.  With an estimated fortune of $560m ( £437m), Floyd Mayweather is the highest-paid athlete in the world and boxing champions can m ake an absolute fortune in a very short boxing career.Need we say more?This is an amount that makes footballers like Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar look poor!However, for most boxers, boxing is more about passion than money.Whether you'd like to do boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, or any other combat sport, have a look on Superprof for the best tutors pound for pound. You can find tutors all around the country and all over the world and once you've found the right one, you can start your path towards becoming a professional boxer.Before you pick your private tutor, there are several things that you'll need to carefully think about. Firstly, no two tutors are alike and you need to pick the one that'll help you to get the most out of your training and set on you on the path to glory. Secondly, there are three main types of tutorial available from the tutors on Superprof, face-to-face tutorials, online tutorials, and group tutorials, and you need to pick the one that's right for you .Face-to-face tutorials are between you and your tutor or coach. They'll work alongside you, tailor the sessions to you and your goals, and give you their undivided attention. They'll often also work outside of your sessions on planning and preparing your training. Of course, all this extra work will come at a cost and while face-to-face tutorials are often the most cost-effective type of private tutorial, they also tend to be the most costly per hour.Online tutorials tend to be cheaper than face-to-face tutorials since the tutor doesn't have to travel to each of their students or clients and can schedule more tutorials per week. However, these types of tutorials tend to be much better for academic subjects than sports and while you could very easily get started with boxing through online tutorials, you may reach a stage where you'll need to have the tutor or coach there in the room with you.Finally, group tutorials have the coach teaching several clients at once. Unlike the other t wo types of tutoring, you won't have your coach's undivided attention. However, you will be dividing the cost of the tutor between yourself and the other attendees. Similarly, the tutor won't be able to tailor all their sessions to you. Much like online tutorials, group tutorials may be good for those just getting started with boxing, but once you have some serious goals and dreams of being a titleholder, you may require a bespoke and tailored service!

Learning to Sing The Truth Behind 4 Common Misconceptions

Learning to Sing The Truth Behind 4 Common Misconceptions Suzy S. Descartes once said, Im tone deaf, therefore Im hopeless. Wait, no, thats not right.  But the debate is certainly real: Is there such a thing as being tone deaf?  And if so, should the hopeless few bother with singing lessons if their dream is to one day perform on stage? Much like mastering any other skill, learning to sing comes with many common misconceptions from outsiders.  So read on were about to debunk them! 1. Singing lessons are for people who cant sing. Think again!  While professional training can definitely help students who dont have the natural talent people often refer to, you may find that youll see even more benefits if you already have a decent foundation.  For one, a voice teacher will be able to hear (and see) things that you may not while youre focusing on your breathing or another aspect of your performance.  The guidance youll receive can be incredibly valuable.  Moreover, a great singing teacher can help you keep your focus and set realistic goals, and may even be able to open doors for you through networking, audition opportunities and more. 2. I can learn enough by watching YouTube videos about singing. Not so fast.  YouTube definitely has some great tutorials, but similar to misconception #1, working with a professional will do wonders for your technique.  Still learning proper breathing?  Your teacher can point out where to place your hand to feel your breath.  Preparing for an audition? A teacher can help you build your stage confidence.  Without the individual feedback from a private teacher, students may end up with bad habits, or practice the same thing over and over with little progress. 3. I cant sing that song, because my range doesnt go that low/high. While you certainly dont want to strain your voice, the beauty of private singing lessons is that you can work with your teacher to extend your vocal range and prepare yourself to sing even more songs than before.  Youll notice a difference with even simple changes, such as engaging in effective vocal warm-ups and recognizing your chest voice versus your head voice. 4.Im tone deaf theres no hope for me. Tone deafness (also called amusia) describes a persons inability to recognize relative pitches in music, and is the ultimate fear of many karaoke singers all across the world.  But can it be corrected? Fortunately for you, vocal lessons can definitely help.   Singing off-key often has more to do with poor vocal habits, which can be corrected with private lessons.  For example, beginners might try to force a high note, which inevitably leads to falling out of key.  Sometimes it even stems from something deeper, like feeling self-conscious about your tone.  With proper training, even the most cynical of singers can begin to recognize notes and pitches.  The more exposure you have, the easier it will become. Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  ruifernandes.

Daydreaming Child Development

Daydreaming Child Development Daydreamer. Curious. Lost in thought. Imaginative. If a teacher has used any or all of these descriptions when talking about your child, you probably want to know what you should do to nurture your childs inner intellect while still keeping him or her on task. After all, learning, exploring and being engaged with subject matter are important for any student, but so is the ability to see tasks through to completion. If your child has the tendency to think intently about various topicsbut not always the ones that are important for schoolwhat can you do? Here are a few tips to encourage your child to continue to build those thinking skills and get excited about learning, while staying productive: Give your child sufficient time. If you keep hoping that your child will just get things done faster, remember that each child has a different pace. Some children process what they learn by connecting what they read and learn to things they already know. They think, connect, contemplate and repeat. It may take more time, but be patient and trust that there is a method behind your childs approach that can be effective when paired with a good routine. Discuss the right and wrong times for mind wandering. Every child needs to understand that creativity coupled with critical thinking produces results. However, there is a time and a place for such activities. Talk with your child about teachers expectations in the classroom. In school and in the real world, your child is accountable for certain responsibilities. Make sure your child knows they has sufficient time in his or her schedule for free thought, but is also adept at how to manage a daily routine with deadlines and to-dos. Task orientation is valuable. Discipline is a critical part of school success. Teach your child that creativity and outside-the-box thinking are especially valuable when combined with the ability to move tasks forward. Help your child approach homework and projects in an organized, methodical way, breaking larger projects into smaller tasks, checking off assignments as completed and the like. Study skills and organization is a must. Encourage your child to embrace tools such as to-do lists and a planner (or planner app for the smartphone, if applicable). If your child suddenly has difficulty keeping track of homework, maintaining a neat study space, or making the most of each study session, he or she may need help establishing effective study and organizational habits. Pay attention to what motivates your child. Some children are creative as well as goal oriented. Others enjoy the brainstorming or planning process far more than sitting down to do work. Some children need stimulation by understanding the purpose or practical application of that which they learn. Knowing what your child enjoys (or doesnt) about the learning process is helpful information that you can use to stimulate your childs mind as you teach him or her valuable tools like organization and time management. Having a child who is curious and inquisitive is a huge advantage, but if your challenge is keeping your child on task and productive, remember that practice makes perfect. If your child needs support with this, call Huntington. We can assess your childs learning style and skills to determine what might help merge his or her passion for learning with strong, effective school habits. Huntington is thetutoringandtest prepleader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn howHuntingtoncan helpyourchild. For franchise opportunities please visitwww.huntingtonfranchise.com. 2019 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

English Modal Verb Video 3 May

English Modal Verb Video 3 May Continue to Learn about English modal verbs with our 3rd video in the series. This one is about using May. This modal verb can be used in a couple different ways. Learning to use this can add subtlety to your English, and make you sound more natural.Watch the video below to learn more about this modal verb, and then try the quiz below.Change the sentences below to add the word may.I will possibly go to school in Argentina.I would take an umbrella, it is probably going to rain.Can I have another hotdog please?In 100 years, there might be humans living on the moon.If I keep learning English, I will probably become fluent.Thanks! Contact us if you need help with the homework. You can watch our first modal verb video here, and a a second one on using the modal verb might here.

Why I Hate Buzzfeed - A Rant on Page-View Journalism

Why I Hate Buzzfeed - A Rant on Page-View Journalism BuzzFeed aka NOT journalism. Photo credit to Flickr user Scott Beale / Laughing Squid Many of us rely on our Facebook feeds for information and news and every week without fail I see at least two or three Buzzfeed articles pop up on Facebook. As a student journalist and as a somewhat intellectual individual, heres all the reasons why I hate Buzzfeed, and why you as a human being with a brain should too. I despise idiotic clickbait. Reading through the headlines and subheaders on the BuzzFeed homepage, I can almost feel my IQ points dropping. 14 Places You Have To Poop At Before You Die. This Supercut Of Animals Yawning Might Kill You With Cuteness. 4 Famous People Amanda Bynes Has Called Ugly. Heres a headline for you, BuzzFeed 14 Reasons Why No One Cares About Your Imbecilic Articles. These are headlines designed to fuel page-view journalism, something we call clickbait. They want you to click on the link so they can waste more of your time and thus get money from their advertisers and sponsors. Sure, any online news org has ads to support the running of their site and paying their staff, but BuzzFeed is designed around this concept instead of being forced to rely on it as many news orgs are. As such, BuzzFeed keeps your attention with idiotic clickbait that serves no edifying aim. Its not journalism, its not purposeful, and its just plain stupid. Wheres the writing? Theres a reason why Im studying Journalism in school writing articles is what I love to do and I want to learn how to become a pro and eventually write for a prestigious news organization, doling out the latest and greatest news in a field I love. Now take those aspirations, flip them around, and you have BuzzFeed. BuzzFeeds so-called articles oftentimes contain little to no writing and are just listicles with cute images. On BuzzFeeds front page currently is an article objectifying Kate Upton Kate Upton Topless On a Horse what more could you ask for? And thats all thats written the headline and subheader, the rest of the article is a video, an image, and a .gif of Kate Upton topless on a horse. Or how about the articles compiled full of 40 Cutest Animal Gifs You Have To See Before You Die which have 40 animal .gifs and no writing?  Sometimes, they even screenshot other sites, such as Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook, and post those images as stories. I can screenshot Tumblr posts too! Okay, heres a piece with some writing the Top 10 Reasons Atheists Suck by the BuzzFeed founder and CEO himself that is either very poorly done satire or extremely offensive discrimination against a subgroup of people? When did this become accepted as articles? As a journalist, I find it incredibly infuriating that BuzzFeed articles are shared as though theyre so creative when all they are are compilations of other peoples work. As Something Awful writer Jon Hendren told The Daily Dot, Its not writing, and its not journalism, to put 18 GIFs into a list and publish it. Reposting is stealing. As I discussed in my article on Tumblr speak, reposting, or using someone elses images as your own new post just so you get the credit, is considered a very bad move. This is also exactly what BuzzFeed does with all of its multimedia articles that use compilations of clever, cute and funny .gifs and .jpegs to tell their stories. Sure, they might credit the original poster in small 8-point print below each image, but reposting without first attaining permission is still stealing. No, its not flattering to use someone elses photos or artwork or .gifs (contrary to the novice belief, .gifs are really hard to make and stealing them is extremely insulting), its stealing. As we all know, stealing has real-world implications, as proven in an ongoing  lawsuit with a professional photographer suing BuzzFeed for 3.6 million over copyright infringement. Fact-checking, what fact-checking? Journalists should read the fine print and check all their facts before publishing stories. Photo by Flickr user crabchick. Anyone can post to BuzzFeed; what keeps BuzzFeed thriving in fact is this feature. Anybody with an inflated ego and some understanding of how the right-click-save-as-repost features work can contribute to BuzzFeed. What really irks me about this is that there seems to be no fact-checking on those few pieces that actually have words in them. What is fact-checking? Its only the most important part about being a journalist. Its making sure that all your statements in stories are accurate and true, because there are readers out there who are dependent on your information and misleading them in the position of a journalist can lead to serious consequences. Cue this BuzzFeed post which accuses Matthew Inman, creator of popular webcomic The Oatmeal, of a great many things on circumstantial or no evidence, all of which Inman then shot down on his site. A+ example of sensationalist, poorly-researched defamatory journalism. All in all, those are several reasons why I hate BuzzFeed and grit my teeth as I scroll past every article of photos claiming to restore your faith in humanity wildly shared by my friends as though it were the best thing since sliced bread. How do you feel about BuzzFeed and page-view journalism? Let us know in the comments below.

Its coming! The italki 2014 October Language Challenge!

Its coming! The italki 2014 October Language Challenge! Psst Some of you may have heard and the rumors are true! The secret is out. Our  last Language Challenge, the World Cup Language Challenge was  a tough Challenge!  It was a 2-months and required you to finish 25 hours!  We had a whopping 55% of our Challengers who finished it and many of the winners  made huge improvements in their language learning. Our next Language Challenge is right around the corner.  If you felt that the last Challenge was a bit too Challenging, this one might be just right for you as we are running this Challenge just for the month of October.  Were not telling you what the actual Challenge is just yet but if you feel you can complete a shorter,  one-month Challenge, this is the Challenge for you! Registration begins Sept. 15th so stay tuned for the: italki 2014 October Language Challenge Enter your email to get SPECIAL UPDATES and be notified when the challenge registration opens! Its coming! The italki 2014 October Language Challenge! Psst Some of you may have heard and the rumors are true! The secret is out. Our  last Language Challenge, the World Cup Language Challenge was  a tough Challenge!  It was a 2-months and required you to finish 25 hours!  We had a whopping 55% of our Challengers who finished it and many of the winners  made huge improvements in their language learning. Our next Language Challenge is right around the corner.  If you felt that the last Challenge was a bit too Challenging, this one might be just right for you as we are running this Challenge just for the month of October.  Were not telling you what the actual Challenge is just yet but if you feel you can complete a shorter,  one-month Challenge, this is the Challenge for you! Registration begins Sept. 15th so stay tuned for the: italki 2014 October Language Challenge Enter your email to get SPECIAL UPDATES and be notified when the challenge registration opens! Its coming! The italki 2014 October Language Challenge! Psst Some of you may have heard and the rumors are true! The secret is out. Our  last Language Challenge, the World Cup Language Challenge was  a tough Challenge!  It was a 2-months and required you to finish 25 hours!  We had a whopping 55% of our Challengers who finished it and many of the winners  made huge improvements in their language learning. Our next Language Challenge is right around the corner.  If you felt that the last Challenge was a bit too Challenging, this one might be just right for you as we are running this Challenge just for the month of October.  Were not telling you what the actual Challenge is just yet but if you feel you can complete a shorter,  one-month Challenge, this is the Challenge for you! Registration begins Sept. 15th so stay tuned for the: italki 2014 October Language Challenge Enter your email to get SPECIAL UPDATES and be notified when the challenge registration opens!