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I finally passed my MO200 exam...I am so happy. I can proudly say I have finally done it, along with the rest of my classmates. It was a thrilling and exciting semester with a fair share of challenges, but I am happy it is over. 

The other thing I want to talk about is about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I wonder when the government will do something about it? How many times does this have to happen for them to realize that we have a serious problem? It is scary!!! My heart goes out to all the family members who are suffering the loss of their loved ones. I pray God give them the strength to go through these tumultuous time they are facing. 

MOS

I am happy I had the opportunity to take the MOS certifications. Even though I still have another to complete, the fact that I was able to achieve something for free that could have easily cost hundreds of dollars, makes me feel so grateful of such accomplishment. Further, I found out that MOS certification carries a lot of weight, which at the beginning of the semester, had very little meaning to me. That's because I had no idea what the MOS certification really meant.

World Cup Football

I just wanted to share my love for the sport of football, not American football (NFL), even though I am a fan of that game as well...shout out to my team, Baltimore Ravens, but the real football that you actual kick with your feet. In America, it is called Soccer, but everywhere else in the world, it is called football. For the first time in the history of the sport, the world cup will be played in December. Reason being, is that Qatar will host the tournament, and to avoid player dying, or potentially hurting themselves from heat exhaustion, the football governing body (FIFA) opt to have the competition in one of the cooler months of the year.

Team USA did not qualify for the previous competition which was held in Russia of 2018, but they did qualify for this upcoming one, Qatar 2022. I am happy for them and also anxious to see how well they will do on the world stage. They do have a good, young, and talented crop of players this year, so I think they will do well.

Their are quite a few favorites: Belgium, Germany, Spain, Brazil, and Argentina. However, England, Holland, and Portugal also stand a good outside chance. My number one choice to win though is Brazil.

A Big Deal

Elon Musk recently purchased Twitter for $44 billion dollars. In a two week span, Elon Musk went from an outsider, of a "poison pill," according to to the social media company, to the new owner. I wonder why he purchased it, and why did Twitter sold the company  in the first place? Does anyone thinks that Mr. Musk is an advocate for free speech, or he just simply wants his own platform to market his business? It will be interesting to hear what you guys think.

Slide Management

The topic I want to write about is slide management. PowerPoint gives you several options to create slides. Like most systems, there is always a default programing that they are associated to. In PowerPoint, there are additional options for creating new slides with different options and settings. You can create a new slide each time you add information for presentation, or you can duplicate the previous slides. You can also add different slides with different layout and design.

The New Mental Health Crisis Hotline {9-8-8}

The Biden Administration has created a strategy to help address the nationwide mental health crisis by creating a Mental Health Hotline. Mental health has become even more of a concern since the pandemic, and has drawn many attention because of the thousands of people who have died of an overdose and by suicide.

The Health and Human Services (HHS) announced recently that it will award a $1 million grant to help the launching of the 9-8-8 hotline here in Nevada.

The hotline will launch nationwide this summer, and is slated to be as effective as 9-1-1. If someone has a mental health challenge, or suffering from serious distress, instead of calling 9-1-1, call 9-8-8 for immediate help.

Templates and Themes

One of the many things I learn in excel is templates and themes. Templates makes life so much easier for those who want to get a head start in recording data. You can find template in the backstage view area. Click file, then new, and you can choose the one you prefer from the list that appears. Once you find one you are comfortable with, select it, then proceed to document your data. For example, if want to keep a record of your monthly expenditures, you can find a template for that. Then all you have to do is plug in the expenses as needed since the template has all the space for such expenditures. It is a real easy-to-use tool. You can also modify it to the theme and style you prefer.

Facts about Nevada

Along with IS101, one of the other three classes I am currently taking this semester is History 102 and it includes the history of Nevada and the roll Nevada plays in the U.S. Constitution. I want to share a few things I learn about our beautiful State of Nevada.

Nevada is the 36th State to join the Union and was granted Statehood on October 31, 1864. It also played a vital roll in re-electing Abraham Lincoln for President of the United States. Nevada also had the largest silver deposits in the country, which is located in Virginia City. Eighty-four percent of the State is Federal land. The executive office is made up of six officials: Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Attorney General, and State Controller. The only power the Governor has over those offices is veto power. Therefore, he cannot pass a legislation without the approval of the other executive officials. The other thing is that prostitution is legal in Nevada, however, it is illegal in Clark County. 

So those are just a few things I learn about Nevada that I wanted to share with you all.

The Price of Water

We all live here in the beautiful city of Las Vegas, and I am pretty sure some privileges go unnoticed, but does anyone realize or have any idea how expensive water really is here in the Valley? First point I want to make is that ninety-five percent of our water is recycled water. The City puts a lot of chemicals in the water to deem it legally drinkable. If anyone drinks tap water, what that simply means is that we are consuming loads of chemicals, which could ultimately leads to complications. Unfortunately, we may not drink it directly from the tap, but most of us cook with it and so forth.

Recently I installed a new soft-water system in my house and is cost me $3,000.00. It was also recommended to me that I should replace my hot water tank because it is outdated. I inquire about my options on replacing it and it can cost anywhere between $500 to $11,000.00, depending on the system you want to install. The point I am making is that, water is extremely expensive. One way or the other, it costs, so if anyone is considering buying a house, please take that into consideration.

At The Pump

Has anyone been noticing the gas prices lately? I remember two years ago the gas price was in and around the $3.50 mark, give or take. Back then I thought it was high, especially coming from the East Coast, but now, it is out of control. Now, it seems like it is always over $5.00/gallon. It is so unfortunate for us, because we all depend so heavily on gas. I wonder if I should invest in a bicycle... hahaha...just kidding. Nonetheless, it is shocking to see how expensive it has gotten, and to my understanding, it is even more expensive in other States, like California.

Cell Phones

Recently I had some issues with my phone where I could not make or receive any calls. I could do everything else, including making WhatsApp calls, browsing the internet, send and receive text messages, send and receive emails, paying my bills online...etc., except for receiving and making calls. I went to my service provider and I was told that they shut the system for those older 3G model phones. I needed and upgrade anyway, so I decided to just go ahead and take care of that. To my surprise, phone prices were from $1,100.00 to $1,800.00 for a new phone. Can you imagine? I could buy two brand new computers for the price of one phone. I thought it is crazy how expensive these devices are. 

The Thesaurus

The skill I want to write about today is from lesson 4.6.3, The Thesaurus. So when I write an essay or a research paper for class, one of the things I tend to do is proofread and spell-check my work. Well, the thesaurus works in a similar way. I learned about this in lesson 4.6.3 as mention above. The cool thing about thesaurus is that it enhances my paper to the synonym of words that can be used instead of what I originally writes. I wasn't aware of this feature before taking IS101, so this is another lesson I attain from this class.

My Take

I went over the Introspection post that Professor Wu posted and I did made a comment on it. I want to also add my take to it. Taking IS101 is a blessing, to say the least. I realize how much I have been behind in basic digital literacy. The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I needed to take this class. There are so much...actually, I am barely scratching the surface, on the wealth of knowledge there is to gain in Information Systems. I feel like I am in the elementary level of learning.

I took the MOS and it took me a few attempts to get it. Two things affected me the most: time, and not comprehending some of the task. I must admit, however, practicing did play a vital role as well, but I am learning. Nonetheless, I feel proud of myself because I can see the progress I have made on this journey so far, and I am excited to take on the other challenges that is ahead.

Ukraine vs Russia

Recently Russia invades Ukraine wreaking havoc in most of the major cities across the Country. In 2004, Russia annexed Crimea, formerly a part of Ukraine. Now they have gone a step further by bombarding the mainland and terrorizing its citizens. Many Ukrainian lives has been lost, families and residents displaced, and the people are suffering.

While we watch and grieve for those unfortunate people, we wonder what the outcome will be. Should the United States or NATO render some assistance to Ukraine, or maybe take it a step further and join the war? Grant you, joining the war will subsequently lead to more casualties and saving lives is what everyone should be aiming for. I am sharing this vlog with my fellow classmates because I would like to hear your feedback on what you guys think.

Mask Mandate

Hello to all my classmates. I hope everyone is feeling well and in good spirits. I want to talk about the new mask mandate the Governor issued approximately two weeks ago. A lot of people has their own opinion on whether mask should be required or not. Their has also been a lot of controversy about people getting the vaccine, but that is another story. The point I want to make is this, while we lift the mask mandate here in Nevada, we allow people from other States to visit that still requires mask wearing. So, are we any safer with or without the mask? Should the State have lifted the mandate from a long time ago, or should it remain in place? Even though people have the option of wearing them today, the fact remains that visitors are going to come to Vegas who still requires to wear it in their Sate. Personally, I am happy that I don't have to wear it anymore, except for traveling through the Airport which the FAA still requires it, but I cannot speak for anyone else. I caught Covid twice: one without vaccination, and the other while I was vaccinated. 

Desktop vs. Mobile Devices

I chose to write about the different devices that are available to us nowadays. In chapter 2.1.2, we learn about Desktop, Notebooks, and Mobile Devises. All those devices has their advantages and disadvantages: Desktop computers are more powerful of all the others. They can be assembled specifically for the purpose its needed for. They are easier to repair and it's the best devise for a programmer or graphic designer. Unfortunately, they are immobile and requires a constant power supply. Notebooks are nice because they are mobile and easily accessible. They have a lot of the features as a Desktop computer, but not as powerful. Reason being, is that Notebooks uses battery for its power supply, which sometimes run out, if not charged. One of the Disadvantages is that it is harder to upgrade and a lot more expensive than a Desktop. However, if you have to travel for work, or you are a student going to school everyday, then your best bet is to get a Notebook. Mobile devices, on the other hand, are most mobile of all three devices. They have cameras, microphone, and touch screen. They are less expensive, but doesn't have as much productivity as a Desktop or Notebook. They can be hard to repair, easier to lose, and doesn't have as much power as the others.

BMX

My first time learning how to ride my bike was very scary. Not because the task was difficult, but I was just too scared to fall in front of my friends. Reason being, I knew they were going to laugh at me. So in an effort to avoid the embarrassment, I waited till I had some time by myself and practiced on my own.

My friend, Adrian, had a BMX bicycle that I had my eyes set on to do my training. First, I sat on the bar with both of my legs dangling about three to four inches off the ground. That was my method for preventing me from falling. I knew I would loose balance, so that way I can prevent any potential bruising.

After a number of attempts down the hill, I realized I was coasting without falling. Secondly, I sat on the seat to see if I can repeat the same feat without falling. I was exited because I could see the progress... that I am actually balancing and not falling. Third, I incorporated pedaling into my training, which was a bit awkward at first, but over time, I gradually got better at it.

So once I got a feel of what it was, then I continued practicing until I could compete with my friends. And that was how I learnt how to ride a bike.

Email Etiquette

One of the skills I learn in IS101 is skill 1.3.10 email etiquette. I learn how to send and reply to emails of multiple recipients. For example, if I need to reply to one person, I simply click on that person's email and reply. If I need to send an email to multiple recipients, then I would type in all their email address and send it. The other thing is how to send an email to a lot of people without highlighting everyone's email address. I would compose the email, click on the carbon copy (Cc) option, which will take you to another page that will give you the Bcc (blind carbon copy) link to keep everyone else's email address private.

Hurricane Gilbert

I was twelve years old when I experience my first hurricane. The media gave us hourly updates about the storm, Hurricane Gilbert, and tells us how to prepare for it. Most people took it for granted and did not pay attention to what the news was broadcasting. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was about to experience my first real natural disaster. The storm came and a lot of people in my community and the entire country lives was changed forever.

I remember looking through the back window in my kitchen and seeing giant trees breaking in half like toothpicks. Trees tumbling over, houses with roof flying in the wind, and people crying for help. It was devastating. I will never forget.

Fortunately, me and my entire household was okay. We weren't affected like most people were, but the sight of the damages the storm left behind is something to remember.

Baby step into a new journey

Like a baby learning how to take their first step, that is how I feel about learning how to navigate through Microsoft Office. I am anxious, excited, and afraid of this new task. Afraid, because of fear of not doing well. Babies are afraid to walk because of fear of falling. Excited, because I am learning something new. Anxious, because my emotions are bursting through my veins. Nonetheless, I am optimistic and I know I will do well. The tools and resources are at my disposal for me to be successful and I intend to take full advantage of them. So I am going to enjoy this journey moving forward.