Thursday, February 1, 2018

Netiquette IQ Security Bulletin - National Cyber Awareness System: Cisco Releases Security Updates




Tricky Cases of Subject-Verb Agreement
by Richard Nordquist from www.thoughtco.com
Updated January 29, 2018
In the present tense, a verb must agree in number with its subject. That's the basic principle of subject-verb agreement. It's a simple enough rule, but on certain occasions even experienced writers can slip up on it.
Let's have a look at three of the trickier cases of subject-verb agreement:
  1. Making subject and verb agree when words come between them
  2. Reaching agreement when the subject is an indefinite pronoun
  1. Making the verbs have, do, and be agree with their subjects

CASE #1: Making Subject and Verb Agree When Words Come Between Them
In determining subject-verb agreement, don't let yourself be confused by words that come between the subject and the verb. Let's compare these two sentences:
This box belongs in the attic.
This box of ornaments belongs in the attic.

In both sentences, the verb belongs agrees with its subject, box. Don't let the prepositional phrase in the second sentence fool you into thinking that ornaments is the subject. It's simply the object of the preposition of and does not affect the agreement of subject and verb.
Prepositional phrases (as well as adjective clauses, appositives, and participle phrases) often come between a subject and a verb. So to make sure that a verb agrees with its subject and not with a word in the phrase or clause, mentally cross out the interrupting group of words:
One (of my sister's friends) is a pilot.
The people (who survived the explosion) are in a shelter.
A man (chasing unicorns) is on the terrace.

Remember, then, that the subject is not always the noun closest to the verb. Rather, the subject is the noun (or pronoun) that names what the sentence is about, and it may be separated by several words from the verb.
CASE #2: Reaching Agreement When the Subject Is an Indefinite Pronoun
Remember to add an -s to the end of the verb in the present tense if the subject is one of the indefinite pronouns listed below:
  • one (anyone, everyone, no one, someone)
  • anybody (everybody, somebody, nobody)
  • anything (everything, something, nothing)
  • each, either, neither
As a general rule, treat these words as third-person singular pronouns (he, she, it).
In the following sentences, each subject is an indefinite pronoun and each verb ends in -s:
Nobody claims to be perfect.
Everybody plays the fool sometimes.
Each of the divers has an oxygen tank.

In that last sentence, note that has agrees with the subject each, not with divers (the object of the preposition).
CASE #3: Making Have, Do, and Be Agree With Their Subjects
Although all verbs follow the same principle of agreement, certain verbs seem to be a little more troublesome than others. In particular, many agreement errors result from the misuse of the common verbs have, do, and be.
We need to remember that the verb have appears as has if the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Dana Barrett has ghosts in her bedroom.
If the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun I, you, we, or they, use have:
The Ghostbusters have a new client.
In a nutshell, "She has," but "They have."
Similarly, the verb do appears as does if the subject is a singular noun or, once again, a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Gus does the housework.

If the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun I, you, we, or they, use do:
Gus and Martha do the chores together.
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Then let's mix it up just a little bit.
The verb be has three forms in the present tense: is, am, are. Use is if the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Dr. Venkman is unhappy.
Use am if the subject is the first-person singular pronoun (I):
I am not the person you think I am.
Finally, if the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun you, we, or they, use are:
The fans are in the stands, and we are ready to play.
Now, let's take one more look at these three verbs—-but from a different angle.
Sometimes a subject may follow (rather than precede) a form of the verb have, do, and be. As shown in the sentences below, this reversal of the usual order occurs in questions that require a helping verb:
Where has Egon parked the car?
What do you do in your free time?
Are we having a test today?

In all of these sentences, the present forms of have, do, and be serve as helping verbs and appear in front of their subjects. Another case in which a form of the verb be comes before the subject is in sentences beginning with the words there or here:
There is a unicorn in the garden.
Here are the photocopies
.
Just keep in mind that no matter where a verb appears in a sentence, it must still agree with its subject.

========================

   Good Netiquette And A Green Internet To All!  =====================================================================
Tabula Rosa Systems - Tabula Rosa Systems (TRS) is dedicated to providing Best of Breed Technology and Best of Class Professional Services to our Clients. We have a portfolio of products which we have selected for their capabilities, viability and value. TRS provides product, design, implementation and support services on all products that we represent. Additionally, TRS provides expertise in Network Analysis, eBusiness Application Profiling, ePolicy and eBusiness Troubleshooting. We can be contacted at:
sales@tabularosa.net  or 609 818 1802.
 ===============================================================
In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:


Anyone who would like to review the book and have it posted on my blog or website, please contact me paul@netiquetteiq.com.

In addition to this blog, I maintain a radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Netiquette IQ Blog Of 1/31/2018 - Subject-Verb Agreement





Tricky Cases of Subject-Verb Agreement
by Richard Nordquist from www.thoughtco.com
Updated January 29, 2018
In the present tense, a verb must agree in number with its subject. That's the basic principle of subject-verb agreement. It's a simple enough rule, but on certain occasions even experienced writers can slip up on it.
Let's have a look at three of the trickier cases of subject-verb agreement:
  1. Making subject and verb agree when words come between them
  2. Reaching agreement when the subject is an indefinite pronoun
  1. Making the verbs have, do, and be agree with their subjects

CASE #1: Making Subject and Verb Agree When Words Come Between Them
In determining subject-verb agreement, don't let yourself be confused by words that come between the subject and the verb. Let's compare these two sentences:
This box belongs in the attic.
This box of ornaments belongs in the attic.

In both sentences, the verb belongs agrees with its subject, box. Don't let the prepositional phrase in the second sentence fool you into thinking that ornaments is the subject. It's simply the object of the preposition of and does not affect the agreement of subject and verb.
Prepositional phrases (as well as adjective clauses, appositives, and participle phrases) often come between a subject and a verb. So to make sure that a verb agrees with its subject and not with a word in the phrase or clause, mentally cross out the interrupting group of words:
One (of my sister's friends) is a pilot.
The people (who survived the explosion) are in a shelter.
A man (chasing unicorns) is on the terrace.

Remember, then, that the subject is not always the noun closest to the verb. Rather, the subject is the noun (or pronoun) that names what the sentence is about, and it may be separated by several words from the verb.
CASE #2: Reaching Agreement When the Subject Is an Indefinite Pronoun
Remember to add an -s to the end of the verb in the present tense if the subject is one of the indefinite pronouns listed below:
  • one (anyone, everyone, no one, someone)
  • anybody (everybody, somebody, nobody)
  • anything (everything, something, nothing)
  • each, either, neither
As a general rule, treat these words as third-person singular pronouns (he, she, it).
In the following sentences, each subject is an indefinite pronoun and each verb ends in -s:
Nobody claims to be perfect.
Everybody plays the fool sometimes.
Each of the divers has an oxygen tank.

In that last sentence, note that has agrees with the subject each, not with divers (the object of the preposition).
CASE #3: Making Have, Do, and Be Agree With Their Subjects
Although all verbs follow the same principle of agreement, certain verbs seem to be a little more troublesome than others. In particular, many agreement errors result from the misuse of the common verbs have, do, and be.
We need to remember that the verb have appears as has if the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Dana Barrett has ghosts in her bedroom.
If the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun I, you, we, or they, use have:
The Ghostbusters have a new client.
In a nutshell, "She has," but "They have."
Similarly, the verb do appears as does if the subject is a singular noun or, once again, a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Gus does the housework.

If the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun I, you, we, or they, use do:
Gus and Martha do the chores together.
Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Then let's mix it up just a little bit.
The verb be has three forms in the present tense: is, am, are. Use is if the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it):
Dr. Venkman is unhappy.
Use am if the subject is the first-person singular pronoun (I):
I am not the person you think I am.
Finally, if the subject is a plural noun or the pronoun you, we, or they, use are:
The fans are in the stands, and we are ready to play.
Now, let's take one more look at these three verbs—-but from a different angle.
Sometimes a subject may follow (rather than precede) a form of the verb have, do, and be. As shown in the sentences below, this reversal of the usual order occurs in questions that require a helping verb:
Where has Egon parked the car?
What do you do in your free time?
Are we having a test today?

In all of these sentences, the present forms of have, do, and be serve as helping verbs and appear in front of their subjects. Another case in which a form of the verb be comes before the subject is in sentences beginning with the words there or here:
There is a unicorn in the garden.
Here are the photocopies
.
Just keep in mind that no matter where a verb appears in a sentence, it must still agree with its subject.


========================

   Good Netiquette And A Green Internet To All!  =====================================================================
Tabula Rosa Systems - Tabula Rosa Systems (TRS) is dedicated to providing Best of Breed Technology and Best of Class Professional Services to our Clients. We have a portfolio of products which we have selected for their capabilities, viability and value. TRS provides product, design, implementation and support services on all products that we represent. Additionally, TRS provides expertise in Network Analysis, eBusiness Application Profiling, ePolicy and eBusiness Troubleshooting. We can be contacted at:
sales@tabularosa.net  or 609 818 1802.
 ===============================================================
In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:


Anyone who would like to review the book and have it posted on my blog or website, please contact me paul@netiquetteiq.com.

In addition to this blog, I maintain a radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Netiquette IQ Blog Of 1/30/2018 - Great Topic - Filter Bubble




Filter Bubble
A filter bubble is an algorithmic bias that skews or limits the information an individual user sees on the internet. The bias is caused by the weighted algorithms that search engines, social media sites and marketers use to personalize user experience (UX).
Filter bubbles, which affect an individual's online advertisements, social media newsfeeds and web searches, essentially insulate the person from outside influences and reinforce what the individual already thinks. The word bubble, in this context, is a synonym for isolation; its context comes from a medical device called the isolator, a plastic bubble that was infamously used to sequester a young patient with immunodeficiencies in the 1970s.

While the goal of personalization is simply to present the end user with the most relevant information possible, it can also cause a distorted view of reality because it prioritizes information the individual has already expressed an interest about. The data used to personalize user experience (UX) and create an insulating bubble comes from many sources, including the user's search history, browsing choices and previous interaction with web pages.

While default search settings are convenient, they also tend to skew an individual's perception of what products and information the rest of the world sees. It is recommended that users periodically review the privacy and personalization settings of the browsers and social media websites they use to prevent query results from becoming unnecessarily discriminatory and newsfeeds from being weaponized.

==============

   Good Netiquette And A Green Internet To All!  =====================================================================
Tabula Rosa Systems - Tabula Rosa Systems (TRS) is dedicated to providing Best of Breed Technology and Best of Class Professional Services to our Clients. We have a portfolio of products which we have selected for their capabilities, viability and value. TRS provides product, design, implementation and support services on all products that we represent. Additionally, TRS provides expertise in Network Analysis, eBusiness Application Profiling, ePolicy and eBusiness Troubleshooting. We can be contacted at:
sales@tabularosa.net  or 609 818 1802.
 ===============================================================
In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:


Anyone who would like to review the book and have it posted on my blog or website, please contact me paul@netiquetteiq.com.

In addition to this blog, I maintain a radio show on BlogtalkRadio  and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and  Yahoo.  I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ and  PSG of Mercer County.