1. a person so similar in appearance to another as to appear to be a double
2. an alter ego
3. a person with the same name as another
4. a ghostly double of a living person that haunts its living counterpart
_________
The word doppelgänger has appeared in 34 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 26 in “The Boom and Bust of TikTok Artists” by Zachary Small:
“A video of my paintings went viral about a year ago; suddenly, I had more than 350,000 views over three days,” said Chessco, who is 27. He opened an online shop, becoming one of the most popular visual artists on the social media platform.
Soon he was selling artworks for around $2,000 each, partnering with music labels, and collaborating with advertising agencies. Those business deals, he says, often earn him nearly $5,000 per post on the platform, which is owned by the Beijing-based company ByteDance. But success breeds competition.
Chessco recently discovered that he had a doppelgänger on TikTok — another artist was copying his videos’ style, subjects and music, as well as selling his paintings for a fraction of the price, alongside prints and supplies, on a website nearly identical to the one Chessco uses.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word doppelgänger in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.
If you want a better idea of how doppelgänger can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
Hi I’m Spirit. Dad isn’t around, so I am taking over. At least, until Voodoo, my brother comes back, and then see ya. Anyway, Dad walked away, and I wanted to tell you all the wonderful things I love to do on Halloween. Whine like a Banshee is fun. Then, Dad gives me a treat, and I stop. Maybe in 15 minutes I start up again, Dad comes over and pets me. I like that, but uh, what about the treat?
Okay, Dad is back, I have to run.
Spooky
There has been a lot of weirdness going on this year, in the learning system space, some that turned out to be treats for everyone, others that were tricks – to you, to me, to those noises you hear late at night when you are the only one in the home.
Have you even seen your TV turn on, when it is unplugged?
Or found a picture in your smartphone gallery that you didn’t take and shows a chair that wasn’t in your room, and your feet backwards from the rest of your body?
No, uh, yeah, uh, me either. Anyway, where was I?
Trick or Treat
Trick – Assigned Learning
The Mass Exodus aka Great Resignation is real. In August, in the US alone, 4.2M workers left their job. These are not just front-line workers, or blue-collard, but office workforce at all job levels and roles.
Three items are often cited for folks leaving:
a. Burnt out
b. The company/biz does not value me as an employee
c. The company/biz does not know who I am, doesn’t seem interested in me, and doesn’t care.
I will not say that online learning will retain employees, what I will say though, is that right now – you, can do something that can address and counter these items in your learning and training.
Personally, I was never a fan of assigned learning, unless it is for compliance and regulatory.
If someone wants to learn a new skill, why do they have to go on some path in order to learn it? Why can’t they just select the skill, pick an area here, or an area there, without being told, “No, no..you have to go this way”?
Assigned learning is not fan. It is impersonal. It is subjective based on what L&D or Training or whoever oversees the learning system and e-learning, thinks the employee should follow, at the same time, espousing learner-centric. I want to learn graphic arts, but it is not part of my job. Assigned learning, says – sorry, that isn’t possible. You can only learn skills around your job.
Look at the above and ask yourself the following:
“The company doesn’t care about me” – Does assigned learning say you do? Wouldn’t allowing your workforce to pick and select skills of interest be a way, to show that you do care? Wouldn’t embracing the idea that empowerment in learning is a stronger route to acquire and retain knowledge, then forcing someone to follow the same path as everyone else?
“The company doesn’t know me, doesn’t value me” – If everyone is on the same path for that specific job role and those skills – how does that say “Yes, we know you”. If you do not offer any personal or professional development courses/content, where does the value show up? And the caring of the employee’s well being?
Do you have any wellness courses/content in your learning system today? Have you created any webinars where topics such as Yoga (sessions are scheduled, folks invited to attend) can be started, with a weekly meet and conduct Yoga, remotely? Do you have mediation sessions tapping into your webinar/meeting angle or mediation sessions, yoga, etc., sessions recorded and then available for your learners, via the mobile app/via the web? Do you tell your employees, that these courses – “create a library of personal and professional content” is available to their significant other, partners, family? Do you offer an executive education program (tied to a university) whereas your employees can take courses (online), to learn more on whatever, at no charge to them?
Assigned learning is the worst way you should be conducting your learning and training (exception being compliance and regulatory which is always a protect/cover the company and biz, and is why so many people wait to the last minute to complete it).
Assigned learning is a bag of candy corn. Liked by few, pushed by many. And just as Candy Corn, assigned learning doesn’t really benefit the employee, because it is based on your tastes – no theirs.
Treat
Did someone say metrics?
Metrics that actually matter to your learning and training? Where you can segment the data, slice and dice, and correlate as well? Where the data visualization looks like it is new and not from Excel? Where in some systems it is extremely equal and in some cases better than a BI (Business Intelligence) tool? YES. YES and YES.
Segmentation and advanced metrics are showing up more and more. There are two routes this is going, one I love, the other, well, it is not a trick, but it’s not a bag of Peanut Butter cups, either.
The Great Way – TREAT
It comes with the system. No additional cost. There are vendors who have struck deals with BI providers, and thus the metrics/analytics you see open the back-end is from that BI tool. Fully integrated at no charge to you. And yes, there are vendors who build their own advanced metrics solution, and replaced what was once there.
Then there are vendors who offer an advanced metrics capability, but it is an additional cost, an add-on. What you receive in their system, is basic, in some cases, quite, and in many cases have an Excel 2010 appearance. Okay, some have the latest Excel pie charts. Nevertheless, it is underwhelming.
But, wait, there are vendors who from a reporting side, require you to download the report and segment that way, skirting their responsibility to have it in their system – as part of it, without DL required.
I can think of two systems, right off the bat, who have simple analytics/metrics in their respected platforms, but offer advanced analytics for an additional costs. If I was these vendors, I’d get rid of what they have now, and place the advanced into the system, as the analytics themselves.
No one is forcing you to use all the capabilities, but equally, no one is saying, you can’t. I build successful e-learning programs around metrics. Views means nothing. But looking at the top pieces of content tied to a set of skills wrapped under usage and time, can say a lot. I know there are plenty of folks who do not believe in a learning preference, but for those who do, you will see very quickly the preferences of each and every one of your learners – from online content deliverables, to the amount of time they spend, to where they go with others, to what they never touch – and perhaps, why – especially if the topic is of great interest to them.
The top three vendors who I have seen, who have the best metrics/data are:
Fuse – Outstanding, great UI
EdCast XP – Outstanding, the UI is solid
Degreed – Can’t say much right now (But what I saw… ) – Goes live in a couple of weeks.
Bonus – Coming In mid November
Mid November 2021
Treat
Learning System Executives for 2021
These individuals brought to the table, effective strategy, outstanding work, including communication, responsiveness, knowledge and people skills that are crucial in today’s business world. Sales success and business strategy tied around ARR and Growth for CEOs and similar.
I wish as I noted the other day on LinkedIn, that I could add another 50 even, 75 names to this list, because in 2021, there were so many outstanding people out there, that just WOW’d me.
The original list (published on LinkedIn) had 19 names. This one will have the added one, to make 20.
In no particular order
Luke Oubridge, CEO, Fuse Universal
Karl Mehta, CEO, EdCast
Ann Findlay, VP of Sales, Thought Industries
Christian Weibell, Chief Product Officer, Rockstar LP
Jonathan Satchell, CEO, Learning Technologies Group
Dor Nachshoni, CEO, Juno Journey
Roberta Gogos, VP of Marketing, Fuse Universal
Chris Bondarenko, VP of Sales, Docebo
Robin Wadsworth, President, Thought Industries
Todd Tauber, SVP, Strategy, Degreed
Joe Hill-Wilson, CCO, Learn Amp
Phil Saunders, CEO, Cornerstone on Demand
Peter Hedström, CMO, Learnster
Anders Willumsen, CEO, Eurekos
Erin Pinkowski, VP of Product, Biz Library
Kenneth Chapman, VP of Learning Innovation Advocacy, D2L
Jeff Fissel, VP Solutions, Instilled LXP
Dawn Baron, Director of Marketing, PeopleFluent
Jennifer Borun, Sr. Director Analyst Relations and Strategic Engagement, Cornerstone On Demand
And Number 20
Veronica Veroulis, Director of Analyst Relations, Pluralsight
TREAT
Future Leaders of Tomorrow – I always like how people will note “tomorrow”, as in it may be tomorrow, or next year or five years from now. Initially, I had this very short list, as my “Future Leaders of 2021 for E-learning”.
Keep an Eye On Them: I see great things….
Joe Yates, Senior Enterprise AE, Schoox
Anna Lloyd, Director of Product, Learning Pool
Rob Bennett, Enterprise Sales, Formerly of Intellum
Andrew Hauser, Director of Client Services, PeopleFluent
Jessica Miller, Digital Marketing Manager, Blue Volt
Guy Caldwell, VP of Bongo (digital coaching and skill validation solution)
Pamela Dumont, VP of Marketing, Intellezy (content provider)
Learning System Treats
One Learning System (name withheld) offers voice navigation throughout their mobile app. Which I find very cool. I do wish other vendors did this, but go beyond navigation – and also enable it multi-platform. Example – “Click Course. Start Course” – That would be innovative.
Degreed is launching Degreed Intelligence soon – I saw one component that just blew me away. It is very cool and will do wonders for some many folks. Promised to hold off on what it is, until after the Degreed LENS show in early Nov. – But it just pushed so many ideas around what they could do with it.
EdCast XP aka TXP continues to get better and better. I love that they now included Domo, a robust BI tool as part of the system, at no additional charge. A few other items are in the works, one that I see as more vendors doing in 2022, as EdCast will become just the second vendor to offer it, but the first that includes it at no additional charge (the other vendor charges for it). It takes building/developing to a whole new level – for anyone, not just the tech person you can never find.
I still believe that Fuse’s natural language search capability where you can ask a question that then produces the content relevant to it, is a big-time game changer. They are the only system to offer it today, everyone else does tags or similar.
Learn Amp’s latest version of the system, is another wonderful win. From UX to skills development, there is a lot to like. Learn Amp continues to be under the radar for so many.
IMC-AG will be rolling out something called Channels in 2022, along with a few other new capabilities. With a slick UI/UX, definitely of interest.
All included is definitely the way to go, when selling a learning system – a “suite” if you will. You can always turn off a capability or mod (for example), then turn it on, when you are ready. Add-ons just saw extra fees. I understand the vendor’s perspective on the add-on, in some cases, the “new add-on” is tied to a 3rd party provider which isn’t free to the vendor, so they need to offset the cost, by passing a bit onto you. On the other hand, there are vendors who just include it. After all, there are plenty of ways to generate additional revenue – what you think pricing is based on a formula? Then there is a setup fee – easy to place the “add-on” there, as part of the whole package. In other words, it is better to pay one-time, then yearly. Speaking of which..
Docebo’s Discovery, Coach and Share is really quite nice. I wish it had an updated UI, that said, the content curation capability (pulling free content down from the web, BTW is not their AI doing this), selecting and asking experts, and a few other items, brings this out. Not a fan of the “Quora” approach, personally, still, I have always liked it. The downer? It is an add-on to the LMS – Learn. And you pay yearly for it. No surprise, it is their best seller.
Learning system vendors continue to add course/content marketplaces, some refer to it as “elearning marketplace, ignoring that the term is actually e-learning, but I digress”. Always remember that the client, could be you, selects and buys the 3rd party aka off-the shelf courses/content, sticks it in the learning system – and your learners access it for free.
Not a total surprise, but in 2021, the “combo system”, this is one which targets employees and customers, that I saw (and so far, I have seen nearly 30% of the global space), skews towards employees, when it comes to features, messaging and capabilities. There are a several outliers, Skill Jar for one, targets and messages customer ed, although at one time this year, their split was 50-50. Valamis, acquired a vendor who focuses on employee onboarding. Which is odd, since Valamis pushes the whole customer-ed angle.
Enterprise continues to be defined – by user base – all over the map with learning system vendors. The number one range is 1,000 to 2,500; with 5,000 to 10,000 coming in second. However, I continue to see 500 to 2,500, 500 to 1,000, and even, 1,000 to 10,000 being defined as “Enterprise”. One vendor bases it on total revenue – bad idea, another starts at 25,000 users as “Enterprise”.
If you are an Enterprise, and the vendor says we have a lot of clients who are Enterprise, ask how many are in your user base range, and what does the vendor define as Enterprise – by active user base. If they can’t tell you or won’t share, move on.
The two best systems I have seen in 2021 for the customer education market, are well, systems whose client base is over 85% customer focused. One of these systems is over 90%. They are Thought Industries and Intellum, in that order.
Looking forward to seeing Biz Skills, the new learning platform from Biz Library, which launches in early Nov (so if you are reading this post, by the 2nd week of Nov – it will be live). What I have seen so far, I like.
Drag and Drop on the Admin side, with administrators being able to select from a series of “widgets or blocks” continues on the upswing. I am a huge supporter of this, especially when you can customize the widgets – in a simple manner. This is specifically for the admin, to speed up the process, looking at key data points.
Drag and Drop, move around with your mouse various blocks/widgets, and allow the learner to select the blocks they want (via a drop down on their homepage) is overall a work in progress. Nevertheless, the number of vendors offering it, has surpassed last year. I believe it is a must, especially if you continue to push learner-centric.
Learning System Tricks
I’m tired of hearing mobile responsive or mobile first. It means nothing, except spin. Even if a vendor does not have a mobile app, you can view their screens via your mobile web browser, in fact, if a vendor says we have mobile learning, or mobile responsive or mobile first – that is all it means. The screen may not even be the same screen you see on a non-mobile device/it may not allow you to go landscape – Portrait is the most common view, so looking at the system from a tablet, will drive you bonkers. There are vendors who still do not have an Android app, even though Android has over 75% market share worldwide. I understand the reasoning due to technical, but come on. On/Off synch – which you definitely want – continues to be in slug mode. If I hear one more vendor tell me, that everyone can access the net with fast speeds via their mobile app or at home using Wi-Fi, I am going to talk to a tree, because the tree has more brain power. Ever heard of a smart mesh adapter? You probably have at least one at home. It boosts your WiFi speed. And that 5G angle? I will say no more.
If you – the vendor are targeting the customer ed/partner training or B2B, or B2C segment, messaging that your system is “Ideal for the workplace” or “performance management” is a sure way to lose out on those clients. Why would I want a system for PM, when I am selling courses/content to B2B clients or via e-commerce?
Stop telling people that your built-in authoring tool is a “content editor”. Nobody even knows what that means, and well, maybe that is the point. A built-in authoring tool (unless it is via a 3rd party SaaS authoring tool) is never going to match a commercial tool. Yes, it is true anyone can build a course or content, and it is equally true that it will not be highly interactive or engaging – because that is not how these built-in authoring component is designed (again, excluding a 3rd party integration with a legit authoring tool vendor).
Why are vendors (as a whole) not coming with digital assets, especially stock photos, and other tidbits as part of their system? Do you think everyone has these assets readily available? I know of a few vendors who direct folks to sites that offer 100% free stock photos, and one vendor actually has a deal in place with a royalty-free stock photo place (this is paid angle), that the client gets to use for free – it is integrated into the system. I’d add a template for Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, whereas the L&D or Training dept or whoever can edit and put in their own wording. It is not like some small biz has a legal team.
Stop with the AI spin. It’s not AI, it is machine learning, which is based on an algorithm that is trained with a data set (initially) and continues. Not all algorithms are alike, so please do not assume that vendor’s A data set is the same as Vendor B. I always ask what data did they train their algorithm on.
Treat or Trick – Helpful Tips
Skills is huge, massive even. More vendors than ever before are adding skill libraries and taxonomies. Yet, overall, skill capabilities are very low. We are still very much at the infant stage. I saw a system, last week, who doesn’t even have skill ratings (basic skills feature) in their system. This system is growing, and pushes skills, so it is definitely odd.
I see a lot of “on roadmap” when vendors complete my template around the skills tab, and even when I am looking at the system itself. A few vendors, will say they have the feature, then when reviewing the system, they do not. Perhaps it is just a word misunderstanding. But it could easily be, that the salesperson has no idea, after all, they are not privy to what product managers or the product dev team is working on. So rather than saying, “I don’t know or I will find out”, they say yes.
For the Skills data – which they have in their system (if they offer or have it) always, always ask the following:
Does your data come from any 3rd party services or providers? (EMSI, Burning Glass – now owned by EMSI, IBM Talent Watson, Job Boards, LinkedIn, Public sources, etc.) If yes, please list which ones.
Does your data come from clients too? Or just clients?
Please provide the percentages of the data being used in the system from 3rd party sources (Example: 10% LinkedIn, 5% Our own, 25% Job Boards, etc.) – Job Boards is the worst. HowNow for example, data is heavily via Job Boards. Most vendors, who have skill data, will use multiple sources. The #1 (besides the vendor’s own data) is EMSI. EMSI is the best IMO. #2 – LinkedIn.
How often do you validate the data to ensure it is accurate? How often is it updated?
What is your process if a 3rd party site’s data is hacked? How can we be assured that the data will not be corrupted?
Bottom Line
Hey everyone, I’m back. Spirit here. Dad went for a snack, I think it is for me. Cali, my sister, is nearby, watching for Voodoo. I told her, that Dad is getting her a snack, even though it is for me.
I hope you enjoyed the tricks and treats – tell me, did they taste like bacon, because I love bacon, it is my second favorite flavor, after peanut butter.
Do you have any peanut butter for me?
Because treats are meant to be special, like me.
And tricks, well, as Dad always says,
“Back in the day, I would get this Halloween candy that looked like small soda bottles. They were filled with some unknown liquid, which every one drank.
Today, we proudly welcome Lukas Lewandowski as the company’s new regional leader for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH). Based in Germany, Lukas will be responsible for overseeing Coursera’s enterprise business growth in the region, aligning our content portfolio to match local skills demand, and expanding the local team.
Lukas brings over 20 years of education and technology experience from organisations such as EF Education First,Freespee, SAP, and HP. His insights and expertise will help shape our efforts to meet the rising demand for online learning in the region.
Coursera has more than 1.4 million learners in DACH, and over 130 companies use our enterprise offering to power their reskilling and upskilling efforts. Novartis, the global medicines company, provides Coursera to more than 108,000 workers in 140 countries. Similarly, iconic companies like Siemens AG and Deutsche Telekom AG use Coursera to train their talent in high-demand skills.
Industries such as energy, automotive, and manufacturing are particularly vital in DACH. According to Coursera’s 2021 Industry Skills Report, these sectors face challenges with a widening skills gap. We’re encouraged at the pace at which leading companies across sectors are embracing Coursera to drive their digital transformation agenda.
“The DACH region is well-positioned to become an important player in the digital world, and building new and high-demand competencies is a critical focus for companies across industries,” said Lukas Lewandowski. “I’m honoured to join a company that is transforming access to quality online learning and helping companies and employees in the region to navigate change and disruption.”
We’re excited to grow our presence in the region, expand our workforce development initiatives, and help institutions prepare for the digital future.
A CPU (central processing unit) is one of the most important parts of any computer. As the processing center of the device, it interprets data and commands coming from multiple sources to make the actions you take possible.
While CPUs have existed in some form for decades, they’ve evolved over time to become much more powerful. As a result, the average processing speed for common tasks is much faster.
They’ve also become much smaller. With the size of the average CPU shrinking, they’ve evolved to power compact electronics like smartphones and wearable devices.
Still, computers designed for tasks that require a lot of computing power (like gaming) often have multiple CPUs to give them enough processing power to keep up.
But what exactly does a CPU do? What are its components? Read on to find out.
The basics of the CPU
The CPU is a hardware component found in the circuit board of your computer or smart device. It looks like a tiny silicon chip, but it has enormous computing power thanks to its built-in transistors. Transistors hold sequences of binary numbers that allow us to communicate with a computer.
The CPU is found near the graphics chip and physical memory in a traditional computer. In wearable devices with limited space, manufacturers may use a system on chip (SOC) instead. The SOC combines the CPU with other key components to make them easier to insert into a small space.
You can also find CPUs built into virtual machines. Virtual machines use a software called a hypervisor to create CPUs, memory, and other components needed to process computing commands. Several of these virtual machines can be combined in the cloud to create a cluster.
What does the CPU do?
Often compared to a calculator, the CPU does basic computations that allow the computer to respond to your commands. The CPU acts as the brain of the computing device by interpreting commands into binary code, which is then used to make other components within the computer do what’s needed.
When a program sends a command to the CPU (e.g., opening a document, playing an audio file, or navigating to a website address), it calculates how to make the command happen in a series of three steps known as the instruction cycle:
Fetch: In this step, the CPU fetches the command from the computer’s RAM (random access memory).
Decode: The CPU calculates what’s needed to make the command happen.
Execute: The CPU executes the actions needed to complete the command.
Once the process is concluded, the CPU automatically moves to the next task in the queue and begins the instruction cycle again from the first step.
Every CPU has a set of built-in commands known as the instruction set. These basic tasks are hardwired into the CPU and include things like simple mathematical calculations. When a CPU receives complex instructions, it breaks them down into simpler tasks to complete using some of the knowledge stored in the instruction set.
Your computer’s processing speed and response time depend greatly on the CPU. Still, they can also be influenced by memory, core processing power, and other factors.
Components of the CPU
Several major components make up the CPU, including:
Control unit (CU)
Arithmetic logic unit (ALU)
Memory management unit
The CU directs the memory, logic units, and output of devices by sending out control signals that dictate what each component must do. The ALU is a circuit that performs calculations, while the address computation unit calculates where certain information is stored in the computer’s main memory. In some devices, there’s also a memory management unit that tracks RAM addresses.
Every CPU also has a cache of reserved memory built into the computer, enabling it to perform commands quickly without pulling memory from the main data storage area. Because the CPU cache is located next to the processor core, memory can be retrieved quickly — but only a limited amount is in the cache.
This cache stores copies of information used during the current session to make tasks faster and simpler to complete. Within the CPU cache, there can be multiple layers, with level one typically a split level and level two acting as a place for information from level one to move when full.
Other components used with the CPU
Modern computers have at least two cores operating together to keep up with the number of operations being run at the same time. Some have as many as 24 cores in high-speed processors. This is sometimes called a multicore processor.
These processors, along with the CPU, are capable of performing what’s known as multithreading. This is where the CPU essentially creates two virtual cores that are capable of performing tasks and running operating systems separately, giving the same effect as a multicore processor.
While the CPU is a major player in the computer’s processing speed, it’s not the only factor. Another important factor is the amount of available RAM. RAM powers the applications that the computer uses by providing the short-term memory needed to run them.
RAM is much faster to access than other types of storage on your computer. The data saved is stored while the computer is in use and is erased when the computer is turned off.
In computers with insufficient RAM, when the CPU tries to send a command to be processed, the processing time is much slower as it has to retrieve available memory from another source.
What is CPU Clock Rate?
The clock speed of a CPU is an important part of how it works and ensures the consistent operation of the computer.
The clock signal tells the CPU to restart its sequence of processing operations. A computer with a faster clock rate restarts the sequence more often, making the CPU work faster and leading to faster operations.
Still, the clock rate has to match the CPU’s operations to work properly, so simply setting the clock signal to repeat often won’t make it work faster.
For the computer to function, the CPU must complete a cycle and send all the signals needed to complete an operation before the clock signal is sent again to restart the cycle. In more complex CPUs, multiple clock signals might be put in place. This ensures the CPU stays synchronized and completes the full sequence.
Without a functioning CPU, a computer or smart device can’t interpret and execute the commands a user inputs. So, understanding how this component and other key hardware pieces work is a fundamental part of learning about systems operations and computer programming.
What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?
Tell us in the comments, then read the related Guest Essay to learn more.
Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
Above is an image related to one of the news stories we followed this past week. Do you know what it shows? At the bottom of this quiz, you’ll find the answer.
Have you been paying attention to the news recently? See how many of these 10 questions you can get right.
Do you like tattoos? Would you like to get one someday? What design would you get? And how do you think the people in your life — your parents, your friends — would feel about it?
But what if the tattoo you got would fade away in about a year? Would that change your mind about getting one? Why or why not?
In “Why Do You Tattoo?,” Alyson Krueger writes about Ephemeral, a company that makes a kind of tattoo ink that fades from skin in nine to 15 months:
Unlike other temporary tattoos, such as henna dye or stickers, Ephemeral tattoos, like their permanent counterparts, are applied with needles and ink under the skin.
But some think the idea of a disappearing body art completely defeats the purpose.
Joanna Acevedo, 24, who works in an ice cream shop in Prospect Heights, has more than 100 tattoos all over her body: “The only thing I don’t have tattooed is my chest.” Many of her designs are random, she said, listing “a crocodile, a cat skull, a barbed wire, the words ‘steak fry,’ an eagle, a cactus and an ice cream cone.”
“I like the fact that they are permanent because they are part of me,” she said. “They represent a moment in time, and I like living with all my history.” She equates tattoos she doesn’t like to scars, another remnant, she said, from bad choices you made when you were younger.
The article continues:
Despite the bravado required to commit to a permanent tattoo, regrets are as old as tattoos themselves.
Sometimes the fix involves a lot of effort, as with laser tattoo removal. “A laser light breaks up the tattoo particles and fragments them,” said Dr. Roy Geronemus, director of the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York.
“It can take anywhere from two sessions to more than 10 sessions depending on the size of the tattoo,” he said. “I did a woman this morning with a few areas on her finger that took me three to four seconds, and yesterday I did someone with a whole sleeve that took half an hour.” Dr. Geronemus said his patients don’t experience any pain with the local anesthetic.
“I do see a number of patients who have made decisions spontaneously without giving a lot of thought to the longstanding nature of what they’ve done,” he said. “A name that is no longer part of your life doesn’t belong on your body. In most cases the next partner doesn’t necessarily like the idea of the ex-partner’s name staring them in the face.”
Students, read the entire article, then tell us:
Now that you’ve read the piece, what do you think? Does the idea of disappearing body art “defeat the purpose” — or decrease the value of the art form — as some of the people interviewed for this article believe? Or, do you think this new technique is a good idea?
Do you want a tattoo or tattoos? If so, what would you get, and why? How much of a role does the knowledge that tattoos are permanent play into your choice? Would you choose differently if you were to get a tattoo that would fade in about a year? How so?
What memorable tattoos have you seen? Do you know the stories behind them?
Do you think tattoos are, or can be, art? Why or why not?
Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
This lesson is a part of our new Accessible Activities feature, which aims to welcome a wider variety of learners to our site and to The Times. Learn more and tell us what you think here.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Americans have grown to rely more on food delivery services for safe and speedy meals brought to their doors. However, protections for delivery workers have been slow to keep up with the increasing dangers they face.
In this lesson you will learn how food delivery workers in New York City are forming watch groups to protect one another. In a Going Further activity, you will share what you learned in a one-pager.
Warm-Up
Share your experiences: How often do you and your family use food delivery services, such as Seamless, Grubhub or DoorDash? Have you been ordering in more food during the pandemic?
Make a list: Brainstorm a list of the challenges you think food delivery workers might face.
Then, find a partner and share and discuss your lists. What do you think would be the advantages and disadvantages of being a food delivery worker? Would you ever want to be one?
Vocabulary:
Here are 10 words you’ll find in this article that you may not know:
Click through and read the article above as a slide show or read it here as a PDF. You can read a longer version of the article here. Then, answer the following questions:
1. Why have delivery workers started watch groups in New York City? Why does Vicente Carrasco, the leader of the Queensboro Bridge watch group, say, “If we don’t do this, no one else will protect us”?
2. What are some challenges and dangers delivery workers face, according to the article? How do these challenges compare with the list you made during the warm-up activity?
3. How are delivery workers supporting and protecting one another? Give two examples from the article.
4. Look at the photos and videos in the article. What story do they tell about the life of a delivery worker in New York City? Which image stands out to you most?
5. How does a recent New York City Council bill improve conditions for delivery workers? What other ideas do you have to better protect them?
6. What’s your reaction to the article? How does it change how you think about food delivery workers? Will you order food in the future? Do you think food delivery workers where you live face similar challenges?
Going Further
Option 1: Create a one-pager.
Share what you have learned by creating a one-pager. You can start with a blank sheet of paper or use a template. If you need inspiration, you can see examples of other students’ work here.
Your one-pager should include:
A drawing that captures the main idea or theme of the article.
One challenge delivery workers face.
One quote or statistic from the article.
One word to capture the feeling or emotions you had while reading the article.
One question you still have about delivery workers.
You can add more images, colors, information and words to your one-pager to make it interesting for your audience. Then, share your creation with your classmates.
Option 2: Learn more about being a food delivery worker.
Read the entire article or just look at the photos and embedded videos, then discuss with a partner. How did the article add to or change your understanding of the skills, benefits and challenges of being a delivery worker? What did you find most surprising or fascinating about Mr. Newman’s firsthand account? What further questions do you have on the subject? Would you ever want to be a delivery worker, even if it’s just a summer or a part-time job?
Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here.
What are your favorite songs? How do you discover new music?
Do you ever recommend songs to your friends? If so, you are not too different from Jon Pareles, the chief pop music critic at The New York Times. In “5 Songs to Listen to Right Now,” he shares five new and notable songs:
Are you familiar with any of the songs or artists on Mr. Pareles’s list? Are there any that you do not know, but might give a listen?
What is one new song you think everyone should hear?
How do you find out about new music? Do you talk about music with your friends or family?
Do you ever make music of your own? If you could be a part of any musical act, what would it be?
Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.
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