Selecting the right college - go away to school

There are many factors you need to consider when selecting your college. Once you have narrowed down the schools, give extra consideration to the schools where you would need to live away from home (on campus).

If you can afford it, you should live on campus. It is a large part of the college experience. It is a large part of the maturation process…
Living with people. Relationships. Doing laundry. Budgeting time .Parties. Managing money. Social life. Parties. Study groups. Parties. Girls. Parties. And More… It’s the best memories of school…

Living away from home is not always easy and you have to grow up quickly. The benefits and memories are endless.

Of course it is much better living on campus not at a “commuter school”. You will see that more often than not, the people you live with in college will be some of your best life-long friends.

Do it if you can!

Good luck.

(photo www.hawaii.edu)

Selecting the right college – public versus private - school services

Let’s preface this post… For any school you are considering you need to do your homework. Check with all resources: the school, students, blogs/online, anything you can think of… be creative. We also realize a private school is typically more expensive that attending an in-state private school.

Before selecting a school, you need to know who you are. Are you ambitious? A go-getter? Would you prefer things handed to you? A part of the selection process should be for the student to take a self inventory… know who you are… and then match to the characteristics of the school.

I have a friend who had twins graduate from 2 different universities. One graduated from Boston College (private) and the other from University of Delaware (public). Both are great schools. Both kids got good educations and had fun college experiences.

The difference in the schools was how the services worked for the students. A few examples…
• At Boston College, the career planning department followed up and prep’d students and made sure they were ready for interviews. There was more “spoon feeding” going on.
• At The University of Delaware, they got you interviews but you (the student) needed to be more independent getting ready for the interview.
• At Boston College it is easy to get a tutor.
• At The University of Delaware, it took our student 7 weeks to get his tutor.

This is just an example and may greatly vary from school-to-school and department-to-department. Of course it also varies on the personality of the student.

So, when selecting a school, look into services such as extra help and career guidance. Get some detailed information and speak to some students about it. It can make your school education and your job-search experiences much easier and productive.

Good luck!

(photo wwwdelivery.superstock.com)

Selecting the right college – remember the alumni and school name

These days it’s easy to apply to 10, 15, or even 20 schools. If you have the money, the Common Application makes it pretty simple. As a result of the increase in applications, there is a corresponding increase in the number of acceptances.

So, now I have been accepted to 7 schools, how do I decide which school to attend?

Do your homework. Take a look at the standard sources of data such as US News And World Reports college ratings. What will you study (major)? How much school can you afford? Are you going to graduate school? Etc…

It is important to take into consideration the name of the school and the strength of the alumni.

When you are applying for jobs, the school alumni can be an incredible help. Certain schools have strong presences at major companies. (I can personally give you examples. When I worked at American Express, my division had an inordinate number of Columbia University graduates. True, Columbia is a good school, but it was because of a VP who attended Columbia.)

Another example is Notre Dame. They have an incredibly strong alumni that does everything in its power to assist it brothers.

Certain schools are stronger in certain regions. Ask around and surf to find out. You should also research some of the interesting companies in your area. Quite often companies have reputations as “[blank] shops” ( as in “Columbia shops”)

Keep it in mind when you make this important decision.

Good luck!

(photo www.virginmedia.com)

“He’s already dead, DO SOMETHING!” — True Story — Father brings his son back to life

It’s summer. Kids are out of school and in pools.

Here is an email from a friend who saved his 4 year old son after he had drowned (or nearly drowned) in a friend’s pool… It can happen anywhere and anytime. A story that fortunately had a happy ending because people acted quickly. (Note: This is a true story but the the names were changed.)

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From: “Alan Smith”
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 8:54 AM
To: “AlanSmith@xxxx.com”
Subject: Michael nearly drowned Sunday

If you didn’t hear, my four year old son Michael nearly drowned Sunday.
He’s finally home recovering after spending two days in the Pediatric ICU. I wanted to send this email both to let my friends and family know what happened, and also to pass on the lessons my wife Elsee and I learned.

We had just arrived at a friends house Sunday and couldn’t wait to get into the pool on the 95 degree day. Within ten minutes, there were three adults and four kids in the water having fun. This was not a big party where you sometimes read about how a child drowns right in front of 50 people. Honestly, I can see how that could happen.

It was me, Elsee and Rob, the owner of the house, in the shallow end of the pool. The four boys were spread out throughout the pool. Two can swim, two can’t.

The next thing we know, my eight year old son Ronald, who happens to be on the swim team, noticed his brother floating face up under the water. He went to Michael and was trying to hold him over the water when Elsee spotted this going on and quickly realized something was terribly wrong.

She yelled to me and I ran over to get Michael. His face was turning blue and he was foaming at the mouth. In what seemed like HOURS, I was trying to check his breathing and calling his name to wake him up. I honestly expected him to wake up. WAKE UP, MICHAEL! He wasn’t waking up.

I was afraid that once I started CPR, it meant this was really happening. With the three adults near by, and the other three adults in the house not aware of what was happening, the words of the instructor of the CPR class that I just took TWO MONTH PRIOR were in my head: “He’s already dead, DO SOMETHING!”

I yelled for someone to call 911, which Elsee immediately conveyed to Katina (the homeowner). Then I startedchest compressions. I was worried that I couldn’t remember the new “rules” on how to do CPR. They actually just changed the guidelinesagain (see the link below). So I started off with 30 chest compressions, at which point John, another guest at the house and NYC cop and volunteer fire fighter, ran over and immediately started the breathingpart of CPR.

We worked on Michael for what I estimate to be 90 seconds (but who knows), stopping only to turn him on his side and clear the vomit from his mouth a few times. Then… he started to cry! HE’S CRYING! I haven’t heard him cry like that since the day he was born. HE’S CRYING! THANK G-D HE’S CRYING!

A Suffolk Police Officer was first on the scene as I recall, and within seconds there were many, many EMS, firemen and policemen standing over us; each holding an AED and other rescue gear.

Michael was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Islip (we were in Commack at the time) because they have a strong Pediatric ICU department. Everyone there was terrific; wonderful. I cannot say enough about them!

Michael, my Michael– he’s a terrific patient; always has been. He put up with the neurological exams every two hours, the treatments, the tubes, wires and literally dozens of doctors and nurses that came to see him over the next two days. He has a way of deeply touching everyone he’s around. He’s just a sweet boy. A pleaser, as his mother says. To the point where he doesn’t complain even when he should!

So with fluid in his right lung, which is also partially collapsed, his spirits sky high and being all excited about “graduating” from pre-school today from XXXXXX School, he’s home. He’s home because:

- Ronald spotted him floating in the water.
- Elsee saw something was terribly wrong.
- We called 911.
- I started CPR.
- John ran over to help perform CPR.
- Every emergency and medical provider did their job.
- And in concert, we all performed a miracle!

Thank you.
I thank every single person I saw, met (and those I didn’t see or meet) over the last few days that helped. Thank you, my friends, neighbors co-workers and family members who called and offered your support.

Thank you xxxxx and xxxxxx for teaching the CPR class.
Thank you XXXXXXXXXXXX Little League for offering the CPR class at no cost to the coaches.

So what is the point of this email other than being therapeutic for me to write? I said at the onset that I wanted to share a few lessons Elsee and I learned. Hopefully they WILL help you:

- THIS WAS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE! That’s the scariest and most valuable part. We were right there IN the pool with Michael, but yet for a few seconds, we didn’t notice that he slipped on the drop-off at the beginning of the deep end. (Michael told us he was reaching to recover Ronald’s goggles for him.)

- Call 911! I cannot tell you how that basic step is so easily overlooked. Because of how it became ingrained in my head from the class, I called out for Elsee to call 911. I honestly don’t think it would have dawned on me to do that without practicing it in class. Amazing as that sounds, it’s the truth.

- Do something, because he’s already dead! Every time I think it, I get the chills and start to cry.

- And lastly, attend a CPR class. They’ve actually changed a lot of it since 9th grade health class (30/2 now, not 5/2)! They even changed it since I took the class a few months ago recommending compressions-only as an acceptable method. Also, there are some great web sites and flyers to read on the subject. Just reading it once in a while could be helpful.

But remember, at the time of an emergency, there are no instructors grading or critiquing what
you’re doing. Did I do it right? Could I have done it alone without John’s help or vice versa? If we did nothing but wait for 911responders would Michael be alive today? Would he have brain damage? Who knows. What I do know, is that I’m bringing my video camera today because I’m sure it’s going to be a tearful, happy day!

Here’s a great link with concise CPR instructions:
http://depts.washington.edu/learncpr/

Also, the children’s ICU at xxxxxxxxxxxxx, has a new play room. It even has a cool outdoor roof-top play area. Michael was SO excited to go there every day. They accept all kinds of donations. Michael told me they are lacking in the Thomas the Tank Engine department and he
wants to give them some of his toys.

Thanks for reading.
Signed,
Michael’s Dad
PS I tried to email this to my friends and family that have young kids or grandkids. If I missed anyone, please feel free to forward this note to anyone you think may benefit from reading it. Thanks.

Alan Smith

(photo elpaso-cpr.com)

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Sheeple? More like a Naiple!

I have seen people in blogs being called sheeples.

I just walked down the hall and asked 5 people (~ ages 30, 35, 22, 24, 45) if they knew the meaning of the word “sheeple”. No one knew what it meant.

From Wikipedia: Sheeple is a term of disparagement, a portmanteau created by combining the words “sheep” and “people.” It is often used to denote persons who acquiesce to authority, and thus undermine their own human individuality. The implication of sheeple is that as a collective, people believe whatever they are told, especially if told so by authority figures, without processing it to be sure that it is an accurate representation of the real world around them. The term is generally used in a political or religious sense.

The term is also used for those who are tolerant of government intrusion and regulation. In a column entitled “A Nation of Sheeple,” columnist Walter E. Williams writes, “Americans sheepishly accepted all sorts of Transportation Security Administration nonsense. In the name of security, we’ve allowed fingernail clippers, eyeglass screwdrivers and toy soldiers to be taken from us prior to boarding a plane.”[3]

Unfortunately, the people who label others “Sheeples” are often “Naiples”.

From TopOfTheThread-ipedia: Naiples (pronounced “nah-e-ples”) is a term of disparagement, a portmanteau created by combining the words “naive” and “people.” It is often used to denote persons who are quick to label and criticize others, without having the real life common sense as to what is actually necessary to implement change. They live in a theoretical, academic, or virtual world without regard for the actual world. They see things in black-and-white.

The term is also used for those who are critical of government intrusion and regulation without regard for the true real-life minimal affect of the intrusion versus the potential large gain of the action.

In reality Walter E. Williams is a Naiple. The small inconvenience of not being allowed to have fingernail clippers, eyeglass screwdrivers, etc. on a plane, is worth the potential gain of saving hundreds of lives (even if it is a long shot.)

The Naiple would rather scream about their rights, rather than the realize the positive effects and results of actions.

The Naiple, Mr. Williams, sees the limiting of what is allowed on a plane as a black-and-white, when in reality, it is gray.

( Note: Mr. Williams does bring up valid points in his article but certain aspects, like the TSA reference, are off-base.)

(photo pro.corbis.com)
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Colleges doing away with requiring standardized entrance exams? Bad idea!

Colleges doing away with requiring standardized entrance exams is a bad idea! The AP and Boston.com reported “Wake Forest joins schools dropping SAT requirement”

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For years there has been a group of people screaming that the SAT and ACT exams are biased and do not predict the educational performance of an individual.

How else can we objectively compare students during the admissions process?

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200 students apply to the University of TopOfTheThread (a very competitive school).

• Each student has a 90 – 92 average, is in all Honors classes, and has made the Honor Roll every semester.
• Each student has one school activity (school newspaper, or student council, or school yearbook)
• Each student is involved with their house of worship.

So now what?

Let’s have all 200 kids come in for interviews? No way. Too much time. Too much expense.

Let’s look at their schools or school districts. (Is that fair?)
A 92 average in one school district is not the same as a 92 average in another school district. And if the SATs and ACTs get de-emphasized, no telling what unscrupulous school administrators will do! Can you imagine the pressure an administrator could get from the local politicians? Or businesses such as real estate companies? (Residential real estate tends to cost more in better school districts.)

If there is no objective 3rd party entrance exam, a school district can (1) show tremendous improvement in grades, as well as (2) show improvement in their students acceptances to better schools, by simply having the teachers give better grades. <Hopefully it wouldn’tt be that easy.>

And let’s not forget the ever increasing number of overseas students applying to U.S. Colleges? How do you compare the 92 average in China and India with the 92 in the U.S.?

Eliminating the standardized exams is a bad idea. Changing or having improved standardized tests is a better solution.

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(photo symphony.lotus.com)

eBay seller ratings - a diluted commodity (Purchasing safely online)

Purchasing on eBay should not simply be searching for products and looking at the seller’s ratings.

Unfortunately eBay’s online ratings (endorsements) are more and more becoming a diluted commodity as eBay had decided to ”push” users to provide ratings.

Let’s take a look at eBay comments:

Thank you for an easy, pleasant transaction. Excellent seller

Excellent buyer to deal with. Would highly recommend.

Good buyer

Excellent seller A++++++++

Hope to deal with you again. Thank you.

Great communication. A pleasure to do business with.

What kind of crap is this?

A standard buyer-seller deal should be well done. It used to be that comments were “voluntarily” posted from buyers and sellers. Now eBay sends you messages, reminding you to leave comments. It ends up in the “My eBay” section.

Does every transaction warrant a comment? eBay thinks so!

The truly good transactions are diluted because most (good and average) transactions are put up as good transactions. The bad transactions are disproportionately overweighed because there are too many good transaction comments!

So today I get 100 comments on 105 transactions. 98 of the comments are positive and 2 are bad. My 98% positive rating is a positive with regards to people bidding on my items.

* * * * * * *

How many of those positive ratings would have occurred if eBay didn’t notify us about leaving comments? 50? (Let’s use 48 for easier math.)

How many of those negative ratings would have occurred if eBay didn’t notify us about leaving comments? 2. The negative comments would still be there.

So 48 positive and 2 negative ratings create a 96% positive rating. The 96% is less diluted with “pressured” positive ratings and the entire system is more legit.

The only thing people would need to change is their thought pattern regarding the reference number. “I would never do business with a seller who has less than a X% positive rating…”

Simple. Done. Good, top sellers should want this process. The average and less than average vendors benefit from the diluted ratings.

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photo (unarco.com)

Technology - Greatest and smartest inventions of all time

Let’s think about some of the greatest inventions of all time

• The printing press
• Telephone
• Car
• Airplane
• The Internet (Thanks Al Gore)
• Computer / microchip / PC
• The television and radio
• electricity
• etc…

… you get the point.. Obviously there are many missing discoveries… but let’s take a minute to discuss a group of logical and simple inventions that are almost always overlooked…

The auto-flush toilet (urinal) and the touchless sink.

Stupid? No. Great idea. Think about it.

Previously you sit down on the public toilet. Who the heck has been using it (urinal, toliet) before you. You do your business and then flush. (You touch something that had been touched by the previous user, right after he had touched his genitals! Disgusting).

Now we have the auto-flush toilet so we do not have to touch that dirty handle. Simple idea. Great execution. Bravo to the inventor.

Now you walk over to the sink to wash your hands (If you are one of those people who do not wash your hands, don’t tell me!) Previously you had to touch the sink knobs to turn on the water. You, with your dirty hands, touching the knobs, also touched by the previouse people’s dirty hands. Disgusting!

Now we have the touchless-sink. The water turns on automatically and you wash up without having to touch the dirty knobs! — AGAIN — Simple idea. Great execution. Bravo to the inventor.

(Let’s not forget the touchless paper towel dispenser.)

Whoever invented these simple ideas, thank you. Greatly appreciated.

Barry Bonds, et al, and Additional Repercussions of Performance Enhancing Drugs Use

Dara Torress, 9-time Olympic medalist, 4-time Olympian, attempting to make her 5^th Olympics at age 41. This is a hard working swimmer who has earned medals, and set a new American Swim record at age 41.

She is now a mother and has strategically trained and continued improving at an age when most athletes have long retired.

And, of course in this day and age, the whispers have started… It’s nothing that Dara has done. She does not exhibit any physical symptoms of drug use.. no acne… no enlarged muscles… anger… rages…

But, ever since Barry Bonds, Joses Canseco, Mark Mcguire, etc…. it is the easy route to accuse someone of cheating.

Dara has offered to take every test on a regular basis. WHY SHOULD SHE? This is absolutely no indication she has done anything wrong? She is being totally above board… taking the high road.

I guess anytime anyone does an out-of-the-ordinary athletic feat, they will be accused of cheating.

• Tiger Woods and John Daly hit the ball further than anyone else… HGH… Drug test please!
• Cal Ripken played in 2632 consecutive games… HGH… Drug test please!
• Javier Sotomayor (Cuba) is both the indoor and outdoor world record holder in the high jump 8 feet and 8 feet ½ inch), respectively… HGH… Drug test please!

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

Having a stress-free day …. Practical daily stress management

Having a stress-free day is as simple as doing a few little things…

1. Look around. Appreciate. Smile.– All too often we forget how good we have it. Look at your spouse or partner. Your kids. Your dog. SMILE. The key is to look at them and SMILE. The simple act of smiling helps the body. It works better if you can laugh!

2. Make plans with friends. Have something to look forward to. – Work if fine. It is great to accomplish things and earn a living. You must have something non-work related to look forward to. Even if it is a movie with a good friend. Shut off the rest of the world, enjoy, and give yourself time to rejuvenate.

3. Watch a funny, stupid video. You would be surprised how a minute or 2 watching a video can help. Try this video. Find your own and bookmark your own for whenever you need them…