Sr. Content Developer at Microsoft, working remotely in PA, TechBash conference organizer, former Microsoft MVP, Husband, Dad and Geek.
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Is it 'try and' or 'try to'? What does an epilogue do?

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1226. This week, we look at why so many people say "try and" instead of "try to," including why it may be the older form, why it turns up more in speech than in writing, and why it bothers Americans more than Brits. Then we look at what an epilogue actually does, whether one can belong to a single essay in a collection, and how it differs from an afterword, a postscript, and a coda.


The epilogue segment was written by Karen Lunde. Find her on igofirst.org.


A hearty thank-you to our Keepers of the Commas on Patreon. We appreciate your support!

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Download audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69c1476c007cdcf83fc0964b/e/6abef0c8d2d2814e2c55d547/media.mp3
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alvinashcraft
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e255 “The Ask vs The Offer”

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Show Notes – Episode #255

Presentation designers are responsible to turn complex data into executive-ready stories, manage templates and content libraries, create motion graphics and video, and help organizations maintain visual consistency across thousands of presentations. Or assure the content aligns and is consistent across all slides. The range and number of specialty roles is vast.

In this episode, Troy, Nolan, Sandy, and former design recruiter Stephanie Hogan review real Presentation Designer job postings and break down the details. They compare qualifications, responsibilities, salary ranges, and the fine print behind the listings. Along the way, they found job postings for everything from a part-time freelance 5–20 hours a week gig, to full-time corporate positions. Plus they explore how AI resume filters are eliminating qualified candidates from ever reaching hiring managers.

Listen in for an honest look at today’s presentation design job market.

Highlights:

  • Presentation design job postings and whether compensation matches the responsibilities and qualifications.
  • Salary benchmarks for presentation designers and related design roles, including differences by experience level.
  • How to assess job descriptions for scope, seniority, collaboration, and whether the role is strategic or primarily production-focused.
  • The trade-offs of hybrid and freelance roles.
  • The range of skills employers request, such as PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, information design, storytelling, and animation.
  • The use of presentation designers to train AI models, and concerns about the work’s terms and long-term impact.
  • AI-driven resume screening, potential bias, and the value of networking in a job search.
  • How to evaluate job postings by comparing their requirements, salary ranges, and working conditions.

Resources from this Episode:  

Show Suggestions? Questions for your Hosts?

Email us at: info@thepresentationpodcast.com

New Episodes 1st and 3rd Tuesday Every Month

Thanks for joining us!

The post e255 “The Ask vs The Offer” appeared first on The Presentation Podcast.

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alvinashcraft
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Reduce Database Costs with Flexible Savings Plans

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From: Microsoft Developer
Duration: 7:35
Views: 194

In this episode of the Azure Essentials Show, Maria Jose and Kyle Ikeda look at a common challenge for FinOps and architecture teams: controlling database costs while the environment keeps changing. The conversation introduces the savings plan for databases, a flexible, spend-based way to get discounts that follow your workloads across services and regions. They also cover how it fits next to Azure Reservations, so teams can match each workload with the right cost strategy, and finish with a demo and practical steps for getting started.

In this episode, you will learn…
- How the savings plan for databases gives you flexible discounts that follow your workloads across services and regions
- When to use a savings plan, when to use Azure Reservations, and how they work together
- How to get started, from getting a recommendation that fits your usage to buying and tracking your plan

Resources
- Azure Advisor https://azure.microsoft.com/products/advisor
- Savings plans https://azure.microsoft.com/pricing/offers/savings-plans
- More Essential resources! https://azure.com/AzureEssentials
- Azure Portal https://portal.azure.com

Related episodes
- Azure Cost Estimation: Navigate Database Pricing https://aka.ms/AzEssentials/247
- Azure Cost Estimation: Plan Confidently with the Azure Pricing Calculator https://aka.ms/AzEssentials/231
- Watch more Azure Pricing episodes https://aka.ms/AzurePricingVideos
- Watch the Azure Essentials Show https://aka.ms/AzureEssentialsShow

Connect
- Maria Jose Fernandez https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariajosefm/
- Kyle Ikeda https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-ikeda-49ab7a30/

Chapters
00:00 In this episode …
00:17 Introduction
00:54 Why is cost management harder?
01:37 What is the savings plan for databases?
01:59 How does the savings plan apply to a changing environment
02:38 How does it work
03:25 Comparison to Azure reservations
04:27 Purchase savings plans in Azure Advisor
05:23 Purchase savings plans in the Azure portal
06:31 How to get started
07:08 Ask us anything

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alvinashcraft
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Loose lips sink AI ships.

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Welcome in! You’ve entered, Only Malware in the Building. Join us each month to sip tea and solve mysteries about today’s most interesting threats. Your host is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Selena Larson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proofpoint⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ intelligence analyst and host of their podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DISCARDED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Inspired by the residents of a building in New York’s exclusive upper west side, Selena is joined by her co-hosts ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠N2K Networks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dave Bittner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Keith Mularski⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, former FBI cybercrime investigator and now Chief Global Ambassador at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Qintel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Being a security researcher is a bit like being a detective: you gather clues, analyze the evidence, and consult the experts to solve the cyber puzzle. This week, our hosts discuss how AI is changing cybersecurity awareness, from the risks of feeding sensitive corporate data into AI tools to the growing use of agentic AI and the importance of understanding where data goes. They explore how AI is affecting threat actors, phishing, exploit development, executive protection, and even the ways people share personal information, images, and family data with AI systems. Finally, they discuss the role of human behavior in security, arguing that organizations need layered safeguards and better awareness rather than placing the full burden of cybersecurity on individual users.





Download audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/CYBW1209779536.mp3
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alvinashcraft
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How to Choose Your Personal Agent

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From: AIDailyBrief
Duration: 20:52
Views: 2,126

Dots, Muse, GrokBot, OpenClaw and more are competing to become your personal AI agent. But which one is right for you? NLW breaks down the trade-offs that matter most, from work versus personal use to model choice, ease of setup and data privacy, and walks through an interactive quiz designed to help you choose where to start.

The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI.
Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614
Get it ad free at http://patreon.com/aidailybrief
Learn more about the show https://aidailybrief.ai/

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Hello, Aspire 13.6

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From: aspiredotdev
Duration: 7:10
Views: 902

Aspire 13.6 is here! In this video, Maddy, Aspire PM, shows you one of the most requested Aspire features ever - dashboard persistence! She also shows you how powerful the in-dashboard terminal emulator has gotten this release.

📃 13.6 Blog: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/aspire/whats-new-aspire-13-6/
💫 Full 13.6 What's New: https://aspire.dev/whats-new/aspire-13-6/

✏️ Learn about Aspire: https://aspire.dev
💬 Join us on Discord: https://aka.ms/aspire-discord
💙 Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aspire.dev
🩷 Follow us on X (Twitter): https://x.com/aspiredotdev
📺 Streaming on YouTube and Twitch: https://youtube.com/@aspiredotdev and https://twitch.tv/aspiredotdev

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