Hey guys,
So just a few days ago Google/Blogger flagged my blog as spam and shut it down. Therefore, it was offline for a few days as a "brief intermission". Anyone who visited during that period will have found, to their dismay, a message proclaiming that my blog has been removed.
I logged in and discovered that both of my blogs had been deleted along with all of my posts that I put a ton of effort into... That is not so! Indeed my blog is in full functionality and we are up and running once more. And of course, you'll note that my posts are still right here =).
There is actually a process to follow when your blog has been targetted as spam. Basically, it is an automated system that looks for red flags to suggest that you are a spammer. But if you can request a review and post on the help forums that your blog is not spam (assuming that you have no broken any of their Terms of Service or criteria for spam) then they will reinstate your blog. The logic is that since you can make this request and post on the help forums... Clearly you must not be a bot. So you get your blog back (seriously, huh.)
Anyway, I'd just like to give you guys some tips to getting your blog back in case it ever gets deleted or locked:
1) Check your dashboard page when you log in to see if there is a link to "request a review" of your blog. If there is, then follow it and submit your request. If not, skip this step.
2) Visit the Blogger Help Forums and click Post a Question. Simply explain your situation that your blog has been shut down, and explain that you are not a spammer.
3) Wait for a response from the moderator. They will get someone (an actual human, not a bot) to check over your blog and reinstate it if appropriate.
4) Meanwhile, read over Blogger's TOS to determine whether you really did violate any terms, knowingly or unknowingly.
If all goes well, your blog will get reinstated and you can continue blogging! Otherwise, your last recourse is to submit an appeal, the link to which can be found with a quick search on the blogger help forums for "my blog is gone!".
Good luck, and happy blogging!
Friday, 29 April 2011
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Cool Android Apps!
Hey guys,
As a proud Android owner I can say that one of my favourite pastimes is to find fun apps to install on my phone. Let's face it, Google apps is the best thing to come to cell phones since 300-bit pixel screens!
Anyway, check out these 7 Mind-Blowing Free Android Apps that are seriously as cool as they sound. I personally love Google Goggles, even though it's a bit buggy and can't recognize everything you throw at it.
I've always wanted to become an app developer and create apps that other people can use to their enjoyment... Too bad I know so little about app programming and cell phones...!
As a proud Android owner I can say that one of my favourite pastimes is to find fun apps to install on my phone. Let's face it, Google apps is the best thing to come to cell phones since 300-bit pixel screens!
Anyway, check out these 7 Mind-Blowing Free Android Apps that are seriously as cool as they sound. I personally love Google Goggles, even though it's a bit buggy and can't recognize everything you throw at it.
I've always wanted to become an app developer and create apps that other people can use to their enjoyment... Too bad I know so little about app programming and cell phones...!
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Customer relationship management
When I first saw this video on customer relationship management software, I laughed pretty hard! But if a lemonade stand run by 8 year olds can benefit from CRM, then so can you.
Customer relationship management should always be one of the top priorities of a firm. Everybody should know CRM. On the most basic level, customer relationship management is a company-wide business strategy to solidify customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. The end result is reduced costs and increased profitability.
True CRM brings together information from all data sources within an organization (and, where appropriate, outside the organization) to give a single holistic view of each customer in realtime. This allows customers facing employees in such areas as sales, customer support, and marketing to make quick yet informed decisions on everything from cross-selling and up-selling to target marketing strategies to competitive positioning tactics.
Customer relationship management should always be one of the top priorities of a firm. Everybody should know CRM. On the most basic level, customer relationship management is a company-wide business strategy to solidify customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. The end result is reduced costs and increased profitability.
True CRM brings together information from all data sources within an organization (and, where appropriate, outside the organization) to give a single holistic view of each customer in realtime. This allows customers facing employees in such areas as sales, customer support, and marketing to make quick yet informed decisions on everything from cross-selling and up-selling to target marketing strategies to competitive positioning tactics.
Monday, 25 April 2011
Management Information Systems
Hey guys, so I found out some of you are still a bit confused as to what Management Information Systems is! That's ok, it to me a while to grasp it as well at the beginning of my course. Here's a quick video that should make it clearer:
"...the combination of both business and information systems." This quote really about sums it up! I'll post the next Management Information Systems technology tomorrow, so look out for that!
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Enterprise Resource Planning
Alright, next big Management Information System software is Enterprise Resource Planning software (or ERP software). ERP basically integrates all departments and functions throughout an organization into a single IT system. So employees can make companywide decisions by viewing companywide information on all business operations.
Confused yet? So let's say we're a manufacturing firm. We have many different departments: Manufacturing, accounting, finance, marketing/sales, and human resources. So EACH of these departments have their own management information system to keep track of all their own data. In reality, there's TONS of overlap; the accounting and manufacturing sides could be keeping track of the same data from their client orders, the finance and human resources departments could be looking at compensation so both have that data in their system. This is not efficient! Without ERP software, there is lots of redundancy, overlap, and entry and reentry.
With Enterprise resource planning systems, there is a centralized database that is the same across the company. So all finance information, all accounting information, all client data etc are inputted. There is of course one overarching format to the entries, and all the data is structured in the same way and correspond to the rest of the data. Now, whenever a department needs information (say manufacturing needs to find the address to ship to, and accounting needs to know the address to send the bill) then they can directly access the same database and look up the same information cell.
Sounds simple no? Well you'd be surprised. In 2002, FoxMeyer, a bankrupt pharmaceutical distributor, sued SAP (a popular ERP software vendor) and Andersen Consulting. The suit charged that the failure of an SAP system led to the drug distributor's collapse. Eventually, both Andersen and SAP settled to the tune of $500 million.
So yeah, it sounds like a great idea that every company should have. But it's a highly risky move! One failure could destroy the organization, as seen in the story above. In fact, it is insanely hard to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning system, and there are many easier alternatives that provide the simple requirements of ERP.
Here's a SAP commercial that doesn't really have anything to do with anything. Enjoy!
Confused yet? So let's say we're a manufacturing firm. We have many different departments: Manufacturing, accounting, finance, marketing/sales, and human resources. So EACH of these departments have their own management information system to keep track of all their own data. In reality, there's TONS of overlap; the accounting and manufacturing sides could be keeping track of the same data from their client orders, the finance and human resources departments could be looking at compensation so both have that data in their system. This is not efficient! Without ERP software, there is lots of redundancy, overlap, and entry and reentry.
With Enterprise resource planning systems, there is a centralized database that is the same across the company. So all finance information, all accounting information, all client data etc are inputted. There is of course one overarching format to the entries, and all the data is structured in the same way and correspond to the rest of the data. Now, whenever a department needs information (say manufacturing needs to find the address to ship to, and accounting needs to know the address to send the bill) then they can directly access the same database and look up the same information cell.
Sounds simple no? Well you'd be surprised. In 2002, FoxMeyer, a bankrupt pharmaceutical distributor, sued SAP (a popular ERP software vendor) and Andersen Consulting. The suit charged that the failure of an SAP system led to the drug distributor's collapse. Eventually, both Andersen and SAP settled to the tune of $500 million.
So yeah, it sounds like a great idea that every company should have. But it's a highly risky move! One failure could destroy the organization, as seen in the story above. In fact, it is insanely hard to implement an Enterprise Resource Planning system, and there are many easier alternatives that provide the simple requirements of ERP.
Here's a SAP commercial that doesn't really have anything to do with anything. Enjoy!
Friday, 22 April 2011
Document Management Systems
Continuing on with our series of Management Information Systems technologies that I learnt in class, our next topic is the Document management systems. The above video very neatly explains the main functions of the Document management system.
Basically the document management system takes all paper documents, files, folders etc, and scans them into the computer for storage and retrieval. Actually, the benefits are much wider than that. Some other advantages of DMS include:
Definitely something worth looking into if you run a complex business with tons of filings and forms!
Basically the document management system takes all paper documents, files, folders etc, and scans them into the computer for storage and retrieval. Actually, the benefits are much wider than that. Some other advantages of DMS include:
- Flexible indexing
- Improved, faster, more flexible search
- Controlled and improved document distribution
- Improved security
- Disaster recovery
- No lost files
- Digital archiving
- Improved regulatory compliance
Definitely something worth looking into if you run a complex business with tons of filings and forms!
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Network Security Software
Here's one of the videos we watched in class which was very very interesting. Pretty soon all clothing stores are going to be run this way... Frankly, I think it takes all the joy out of shopping. I mean, yeah it removes the hassle of trying on clothes, but seriously... That's the best part!
Anyway, some of you guys expressed interest in learning more about MIS, so I thought I'd tell you guys about Network Security Software.
Basically you can think of it as a firewall or anti-virus, except for a huge network. Network Security System does more than prevent unauthorized access to your network via usernames and passwords, but it also deals with encrypting and storing data properly. In fact, network security also encompasses simple mistakes that people make that cost the company loss of data; these data loss prevention techniques are all aspects of the network security system.
This is a huge issue! In 2007, Winners had a security breach of their website. They had 45.7 million credit and debt cards stolen over half a year by hackers who managed to penetrate the network. Another 455,000 who returned merchandise without receipts were robbed of their driver's license numbers and other personal information.
Eventually, Winners was charged $12 million for the security breach. In total, it has cost Winners about $25 million to date, and countless millions lost from customers who don't have the confidence to use their credit card online or shop with Winners (they were mandated to put a security alert on the front of their webpage regarding the network security issue).
So you decide whether this network security software crap is important!
Anyway, some of you guys expressed interest in learning more about MIS, so I thought I'd tell you guys about Network Security Software.
Basically you can think of it as a firewall or anti-virus, except for a huge network. Network Security System does more than prevent unauthorized access to your network via usernames and passwords, but it also deals with encrypting and storing data properly. In fact, network security also encompasses simple mistakes that people make that cost the company loss of data; these data loss prevention techniques are all aspects of the network security system.
This is a huge issue! In 2007, Winners had a security breach of their website. They had 45.7 million credit and debt cards stolen over half a year by hackers who managed to penetrate the network. Another 455,000 who returned merchandise without receipts were robbed of their driver's license numbers and other personal information.
Eventually, Winners was charged $12 million for the security breach. In total, it has cost Winners about $25 million to date, and countless millions lost from customers who don't have the confidence to use their credit card online or shop with Winners (they were mandated to put a security alert on the front of their webpage regarding the network security issue).
So you decide whether this network security software crap is important!
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Done Exams!
Yay I'm done, I'm done and I'm as free as a bird! Now I can really enjoy my summer. Man there were some pretty nice weather over the last few weeks that I was stuck in a classroom studying. But now's the chance to go out and enjoy it!
My last exam was Management Information Systems, and I can say that it was probably the worst out of all 5 I wrote. Definitely not a good way to end the year. I'm not sure if a lot of people out there know what Management Information Systems are, so I'd like to share with you guys today.
The course basically talks about IT management software; using different technology to run a business. First it explained how to analyze the company based on threats and opportunities, then how to identify their competitive advantage and business strategy, but all that is pretty routine I think.
After that it introduces the business management software, and the types of software are endless. If you guys want, I can explain some of them which are all kind of neat (there are really cool accompanying class videos he showed us too). In the business management software side, we start talking about how we can specifically pick IT that will directly benefit our competitive advantage and our main value proposition/business strategy (which is sorta like a vision statement, but more focused).
Then it talks about how the data would be gathered, and who would use the data. Also what levels of management need the information: operational, managerial, strategic.
I probably make it sound more bland than it actually is... But it's cool! We learnt about ubiquitous computing (mobile, laptops, RFID, basically computing on-the-go), Amazon's recommendation agent (bet you didn't even realize it was there!) and Document Management System (it's more than just a scanner and folder).
Let me know if you guys wanna know more about any of these business systems, I'd be happy to write about it =).
My last exam was Management Information Systems, and I can say that it was probably the worst out of all 5 I wrote. Definitely not a good way to end the year. I'm not sure if a lot of people out there know what Management Information Systems are, so I'd like to share with you guys today.
The course basically talks about IT management software; using different technology to run a business. First it explained how to analyze the company based on threats and opportunities, then how to identify their competitive advantage and business strategy, but all that is pretty routine I think.
After that it introduces the business management software, and the types of software are endless. If you guys want, I can explain some of them which are all kind of neat (there are really cool accompanying class videos he showed us too). In the business management software side, we start talking about how we can specifically pick IT that will directly benefit our competitive advantage and our main value proposition/business strategy (which is sorta like a vision statement, but more focused).
Then it talks about how the data would be gathered, and who would use the data. Also what levels of management need the information: operational, managerial, strategic.
I probably make it sound more bland than it actually is... But it's cool! We learnt about ubiquitous computing (mobile, laptops, RFID, basically computing on-the-go), Amazon's recommendation agent (bet you didn't even realize it was there!) and Document Management System (it's more than just a scanner and folder).
Let me know if you guys wanna know more about any of these business systems, I'd be happy to write about it =).
Monday, 18 April 2011
Sorry for the inactivity!
Sorry for the inactivity guys, I've been too busy studying for exams. Still have 2 more exams to get through tomorrow. Expect a nice long post by Wednesday!
Thanks for all your support, you guys are amazing!
Thanks for all your support, you guys are amazing!
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Security Cameras
For the Vancouverites out there who take the bus,
Does anyone notice the Security Cameras that are on some of them??
I mean, I very rarely look up at the ceiling on the bus, but when I did, I realized that big black bulbous thing is actually the black bulletproof encasing of the security camera, as found in many stores and casinos even.
You're being watched!
Does anyone notice the Security Cameras that are on some of them??
I mean, I very rarely look up at the ceiling on the bus, but when I did, I realized that big black bulbous thing is actually the black bulletproof encasing of the security camera, as found in many stores and casinos even.
You're being watched!
Friday, 15 April 2011
Time to sell those old textbooks
Hey guys, thanks for all the tips! It never occurred to me to just rent the carpet cleaning machine... That's exactly what I'll do!
Now that 3 of my exams are done, I'm already looking to get rid of my old textbooks... I know it's quick, but seriously I threw away my notes as soon as the exam was over :D. Basically every school term, I hit up Saveonbook.com and Craigslist to grab all my textbooks used, sometimes old editions, for a fraction of MSRP. Then at the end of the year, I dump the books back on SaveonBook and Craigslist and get some or all of my money back.
For those of you who are buying books full price, please, please stop! Every year I save several hundred dollars, guaranteed, by visiting a few "selling used textbooks online" sites. Here's a few sites that I recommend:
Books 4 Exchange
Save On Book
Craigslist
Textbook Exchange
Also, check out your university bookstore, as they usually have a day where they let you sell your old textbooks to them for cash. Even though they buy the textbooks back at like 50% of what you buy it used for... Still better than nothing.
And one more tip, even if you buy textbooks from the bookstore, buy the used ones that other people sold back! They're usually placed right next to the new textbooks, and selling at like 10-30 bucks cheaper.
Goodluck!
Now that 3 of my exams are done, I'm already looking to get rid of my old textbooks... I know it's quick, but seriously I threw away my notes as soon as the exam was over :D. Basically every school term, I hit up Saveonbook.com and Craigslist to grab all my textbooks used, sometimes old editions, for a fraction of MSRP. Then at the end of the year, I dump the books back on SaveonBook and Craigslist and get some or all of my money back.
For those of you who are buying books full price, please, please stop! Every year I save several hundred dollars, guaranteed, by visiting a few "selling used textbooks online" sites. Here's a few sites that I recommend:
Books 4 Exchange
Save On Book
Craigslist
Textbook Exchange
Also, check out your university bookstore, as they usually have a day where they let you sell your old textbooks to them for cash. Even though they buy the textbooks back at like 50% of what you buy it used for... Still better than nothing.
And one more tip, even if you buy textbooks from the bookstore, buy the used ones that other people sold back! They're usually placed right next to the new textbooks, and selling at like 10-30 bucks cheaper.
Goodluck!
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Carpet Cleaning
Woot! The Triple Threat has finally been defused. And I'm proud to report that I believe I did rather well on all three of those exams! Unfortunately, this didn't come without some collateral damage...
One of my friends who were studying with me in my dorm commons was hit pretty hard by the stress of multiple upcoming exams, plus I think he was coming down with a flu recently. Long story short, he couldn't keep his dinner in (we had a pretty large dinner, 3 pizzas between 4 of us plus wings and breadsticks) and puked all over the carpet. Ugh.
So now there's a huge stain in the middle of the floor where my roommates and I watch television. And you know what, we just got the carpets cleaned last month, from another incident. This is ridiculous!
Anyway, I wasn't too pleased with the carpet cleaners that we hired last time. Does anyone know a good carpet cleaning company in the Vancouver area? It has to be cheap of course, we can't afford this stuff otherwise (he's a good friend of mine I didn't hold him accountable for the carpet cleaning costs, though he volunteered). Wet cleaning preferably, dry carpet cleaning I've heard isn't very effective. Let me know if you can recommend!
One of my friends who were studying with me in my dorm commons was hit pretty hard by the stress of multiple upcoming exams, plus I think he was coming down with a flu recently. Long story short, he couldn't keep his dinner in (we had a pretty large dinner, 3 pizzas between 4 of us plus wings and breadsticks) and puked all over the carpet. Ugh.
So now there's a huge stain in the middle of the floor where my roommates and I watch television. And you know what, we just got the carpets cleaned last month, from another incident. This is ridiculous!
Anyway, I wasn't too pleased with the carpet cleaners that we hired last time. Does anyone know a good carpet cleaning company in the Vancouver area? It has to be cheap of course, we can't afford this stuff otherwise (he's a good friend of mine I didn't hold him accountable for the carpet cleaning costs, though he volunteered). Wet cleaning preferably, dry carpet cleaning I've heard isn't very effective. Let me know if you can recommend!
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Tattoo Removal
I know this is a weird topic to blog about, but during today's exam (which went pretty well!), this guy sitting in front of me had a tattoo on the back of his neck of a pair of eyes. And I thought, what a neat/terrible looking tattoo! Then I got to thinking about how he might get the tattoo removed if he wanted to in the future, because I'd be willing to put money on his removing this tattoo.
So then I realized, one of my biggest curiosities was, how does tattoo removal work? Well look no further than this video:
Neat huh? Didn't think the particles just get left there to be removed by the body... That was surprising. I also thought the white "shadow" image left after the particles get broken down were just horrid. Hope they aren't permanent, because that would suck. Oh, and I totally think the guy in this vid should've kept it.
Arf. Two exams down, three more to go!
So then I realized, one of my biggest curiosities was, how does tattoo removal work? Well look no further than this video:
Neat huh? Didn't think the particles just get left there to be removed by the body... That was surprising. I also thought the white "shadow" image left after the particles get broken down were just horrid. Hope they aren't permanent, because that would suck. Oh, and I totally think the guy in this vid should've kept it.
Arf. Two exams down, three more to go!
Treadmills
Quick update:
Been at school the entire day today study for my triple threat finals. Today's exam was piece of cake... Finished in an hour and a half (don't mean to toot my horn!) Great start to the marathon. Tomorrow's is definitely going to be more challenging...
Anyway, studying Stats is driving me crazy. I'm doing past exam after past exam, and each one of course takes like 2 hours to complete. But yeah, I've done about 3 now but I'm still getting only like 60%. And that's generous. It feels like I'm going nowhere, like I'm stuck on a treadmill machine... Or an elliptical machine. I like elliptical machines. Or a rowing machine, I like those too! But they're not as active as the elliptical.
Which reminds me, I haven't been to the gym in ages! Even my boyfriend is telling me I'm getting rounder. I need to go work out a bit. I've seen some blogs about weightlifting and I might try that too. I'm dying to hit the treadmills + ellipticals at this point. Maybe this weekend... Or after exams.
Stat exam tomorrow night, wish me luck again guys!
Monday, 11 April 2011
Exam tomorrow! -- Car insurance quotes
So this week is terrible. I have exams on three consecutive days so unfortunately I won't be able to post as often. But I'll let you guys know how they go.
My first exam is tomorrow morning.
Wish me luck guys!
EDIT:
Before I head off to sleep, just want to share one last thing! This is something I learnt today, studying for one of my courses....
Those of you who have bought car insurance or gotten car insurance quotes before will understand what this is about. And for those of you who are actuaries, you'll appreciate this even more.
The big factors that go into deciding your car insurance quote or insurance premiums are the following:
Driving history.
The single biggest factor of your auto insurance. If you've crashed a bunch of times, you can forget about getting a decent discount on your insurance. On the other hand, if you have a clean record, car insurance companies LOVE to have you.
Age.
I know I know, it's not a just world. But when it comes to car insurance, it's not only unjust, its downright judgmental, stereotypical, and discriminatory. If you are under 25, you WILL be subject to higher premiums. That's just the insurance law... Sucks to be a teen or new driver because your car insurance will be through the effing roof. But don't fear, upon your 25th birthday they will send you "driving skill" as a birthday present right to your door.
Type of vehicle.
Sports cars or coupes will always cost more insurance-wise than a sedan. That's because sporty cars are much more likely to speed and collide. Newer cars also get charged more, because of the replacement costs. However, if you vehicle has safety features and alarm systems, you might get a discount. Van insurance is surprisingly the same as sedan insurance.
Location.
If you live in a bad town, the theft part of your auto insurance will cost you an arm and a leg. Urban drivers also get charged more than rural dwellers... Makes sense if you think about it, less people to hit, less cars to collide. California is an auto insurance black hole.
Type of coverage.
A lot of people skimp on their coverage to save money on their insurance policy. Some will opt for high deductibles (which is the amount you MUST pay every time you make a claim, unless the other party is 100% at fault). Others will go for reducing the total amount of coverage (there's a lower limit that you can't go below of course). Still others will choose the option of NOT covering their own car, only the other party's costs... Depends what flavour you want, what risk you can take on.
That's it for tonight, exam is in a few hours and I have to sleep. G'night!
My first exam is tomorrow morning.
Wish me luck guys!
EDIT:
Before I head off to sleep, just want to share one last thing! This is something I learnt today, studying for one of my courses....
Those of you who have bought car insurance or gotten car insurance quotes before will understand what this is about. And for those of you who are actuaries, you'll appreciate this even more.
The big factors that go into deciding your car insurance quote or insurance premiums are the following:
Driving history.
The single biggest factor of your auto insurance. If you've crashed a bunch of times, you can forget about getting a decent discount on your insurance. On the other hand, if you have a clean record, car insurance companies LOVE to have you.
Age.
I know I know, it's not a just world. But when it comes to car insurance, it's not only unjust, its downright judgmental, stereotypical, and discriminatory. If you are under 25, you WILL be subject to higher premiums. That's just the insurance law... Sucks to be a teen or new driver because your car insurance will be through the effing roof. But don't fear, upon your 25th birthday they will send you "driving skill" as a birthday present right to your door.
Type of vehicle.
Sports cars or coupes will always cost more insurance-wise than a sedan. That's because sporty cars are much more likely to speed and collide. Newer cars also get charged more, because of the replacement costs. However, if you vehicle has safety features and alarm systems, you might get a discount. Van insurance is surprisingly the same as sedan insurance.
Location.
If you live in a bad town, the theft part of your auto insurance will cost you an arm and a leg. Urban drivers also get charged more than rural dwellers... Makes sense if you think about it, less people to hit, less cars to collide. California is an auto insurance black hole.
Type of coverage.
A lot of people skimp on their coverage to save money on their insurance policy. Some will opt for high deductibles (which is the amount you MUST pay every time you make a claim, unless the other party is 100% at fault). Others will go for reducing the total amount of coverage (there's a lower limit that you can't go below of course). Still others will choose the option of NOT covering their own car, only the other party's costs... Depends what flavour you want, what risk you can take on.
That's it for tonight, exam is in a few hours and I have to sleep. G'night!
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Learn CPR!
So I realized not everyone has needs for a mass email marketing server like mail chimp... But that's okay! Hopefully that will all be useful reference information should the need actually materialize =).
SO you'll never guess what happened today. I was at school (on a Saturday, I know...) studying in Irving Barber Learning Center which is basically a big study hall with tons of chairs and tables for students to use as study space and whatnot. Great environment to concentrate in, the buzz of academic chatter is really helpful in getting the brain juice flowing and the focus down.
Anyway, some dude a couple tables down starts coughing out of the corner of my ear... Unnoticeable at first, until he starts coughing louder and louder and that's when I look up from my textbook to see what's going on. His face is crimson red and he's coughing, his hands are crossed on his neck (universal sign for choking!) and it's pretty evident there's an obstruction in his throat. I look around his area to try to figure out what could've happened, and see an open tupperware bowl full of grapes. Ah.
He keeps coughing until suddenly, no sound comes out of his throat anymore. He's wheezing at this point and unable to get any air out... Full obstruction. Luckily, another guy from a table away jumps up and offers him CPR. He starts doing J-thrusts on his abdomen to force the grape out... Pop! Shoots it across the table.
Basically everyone in the hall just witnessed a guy inches away from death... Then being rescued through CPR.
I personally took a few courses in CPR and I can't stress how useful it is. If anyone you know (god forbid) should drop down and start having a heart attack, you will be SO thankful that you spent the hundred-ish dollars to take that CPR course. In fact, it doesn't have to be a full on CPR course, most of them come in the form of a First Aid course with CPR, so it comes with general first aid treatments and stuff. Check out St. John's for the courses, they offer tons of these. I think you might even be able to find CPR course online to a similar effect; just be sure they issue the certification for it so you know it's legit. However, I advise against online CPR courses simply because there's a lot you learn from doing hands on.
I think some other places call it ACLS, or Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Should be similar to CPR though, perhaps more specialized. Some AED training courses (automated external defibrillator, basically the shock paddles that doctors shock patients with when they go into cardiac arrest) also have CPR bundled. CPR comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes, but really it's an excellent skill to have under your belt, even at the beginner's level. Accidents happen everywhere, and you need to be prepared for it... If that guy hadn't jumped up and offered CPR, we'd have had a dead student on our hands. No laughing matter.
Get trained in first aid!
SO you'll never guess what happened today. I was at school (on a Saturday, I know...) studying in Irving Barber Learning Center which is basically a big study hall with tons of chairs and tables for students to use as study space and whatnot. Great environment to concentrate in, the buzz of academic chatter is really helpful in getting the brain juice flowing and the focus down.
Anyway, some dude a couple tables down starts coughing out of the corner of my ear... Unnoticeable at first, until he starts coughing louder and louder and that's when I look up from my textbook to see what's going on. His face is crimson red and he's coughing, his hands are crossed on his neck (universal sign for choking!) and it's pretty evident there's an obstruction in his throat. I look around his area to try to figure out what could've happened, and see an open tupperware bowl full of grapes. Ah.
He keeps coughing until suddenly, no sound comes out of his throat anymore. He's wheezing at this point and unable to get any air out... Full obstruction. Luckily, another guy from a table away jumps up and offers him CPR. He starts doing J-thrusts on his abdomen to force the grape out... Pop! Shoots it across the table.
Basically everyone in the hall just witnessed a guy inches away from death... Then being rescued through CPR.
I personally took a few courses in CPR and I can't stress how useful it is. If anyone you know (god forbid) should drop down and start having a heart attack, you will be SO thankful that you spent the hundred-ish dollars to take that CPR course. In fact, it doesn't have to be a full on CPR course, most of them come in the form of a First Aid course with CPR, so it comes with general first aid treatments and stuff. Check out St. John's for the courses, they offer tons of these. I think you might even be able to find CPR course online to a similar effect; just be sure they issue the certification for it so you know it's legit. However, I advise against online CPR courses simply because there's a lot you learn from doing hands on.
I think some other places call it ACLS, or Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Should be similar to CPR though, perhaps more specialized. Some AED training courses (automated external defibrillator, basically the shock paddles that doctors shock patients with when they go into cardiac arrest) also have CPR bundled. CPR comes in a wide range of shapes and sizes, but really it's an excellent skill to have under your belt, even at the beginner's level. Accidents happen everywhere, and you need to be prepared for it... If that guy hadn't jumped up and offered CPR, we'd have had a dead student on our hands. No laughing matter.
Get trained in first aid!
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Email Marketing Campaign
Welcome everyone! As you may know, I recently closed down the other blog, PuzzledYet. I felt that I wasn't able to devote enough time to my followers, plus it's tough coming up with puzzles every day to challenge you guys with! So for those of you guys who got redirected from PuzzledYet, welcome to AlphaBetaLife! Here I mostly talk about the going-ons of my life in the University of British Columbia. Hope you enjoy your stay, I appreciate your continued support =).
Today, I'd like to tell you guys about mail chimp... Seriously, this is email marketing made easy! As you guys know, I am involved with the Accounting Club which has over 700 members. This translates to a very long mailing list in order to keep every member updated with the latest news and our weekly newsletter.
For the past year or so I've been in charge of sending this newsletter out, and I've been using mail chimp to maintain the mailing list and mass email. We need to use it because gmail and the likes won't let you send out mass email marketing campaigns.
There are many benefits to using mail chimp. It certainly provides for VERY affordable email marketing, especially for not-for-profit student organizations like ours. Mail chimp describes themselves as an email marketing company, and they basically handle all your email listing needs.
As far as email marketing solutions, mail chimp is a pretty sweet deal. For a list of our size, it's still only around $15 per month (for 500-1000 subscribers) and rest assured it's worth it. They also have some Pay-As-You-Go plans as well. Adding emails to the list is insanely easy, and can be done by copying and pasting straight off an excel document or any list you have.
They offer you some great templates for sending emails, to make them look professional or whatnot. You can build them directly there, or use your own if you have one. It has a bunch of analytics software for you to check how your email campaign is running; testing to increase open rates; inbox inspector; iphone compatibility; facebook integration, and tons more. It's extremely feature risk, and that's only a few I've named.
So yeah, if you guys need a mass emailing solution, I highly recommend mail chimp. Granted, I haven't used any other vendor... But I don't plan to either =)
Today, I'd like to tell you guys about mail chimp... Seriously, this is email marketing made easy! As you guys know, I am involved with the Accounting Club which has over 700 members. This translates to a very long mailing list in order to keep every member updated with the latest news and our weekly newsletter.
For the past year or so I've been in charge of sending this newsletter out, and I've been using mail chimp to maintain the mailing list and mass email. We need to use it because gmail and the likes won't let you send out mass email marketing campaigns.
There are many benefits to using mail chimp. It certainly provides for VERY affordable email marketing, especially for not-for-profit student organizations like ours. Mail chimp describes themselves as an email marketing company, and they basically handle all your email listing needs.
As far as email marketing solutions, mail chimp is a pretty sweet deal. For a list of our size, it's still only around $15 per month (for 500-1000 subscribers) and rest assured it's worth it. They also have some Pay-As-You-Go plans as well. Adding emails to the list is insanely easy, and can be done by copying and pasting straight off an excel document or any list you have.
They offer you some great templates for sending emails, to make them look professional or whatnot. You can build them directly there, or use your own if you have one. It has a bunch of analytics software for you to check how your email campaign is running; testing to increase open rates; inbox inspector; iphone compatibility; facebook integration, and tons more. It's extremely feature risk, and that's only a few I've named.
So yeah, if you guys need a mass emailing solution, I highly recommend mail chimp. Granted, I haven't used any other vendor... But I don't plan to either =)
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Think i'm becoming bipolar.
Oh man, I've been cooped up all day indoors cramming away for three back-to-back exams next week and I think I'm showing symptoms of bipolar disorder...
Quick search of bipolar symptoms on google reveals that during the manic phase of bipolar disorder, one exhibits such signs and symptoms:
Feeling unusually high and optimistic or extremely irritable
Yup, I've been feeling terrible and biting everyone around me one second... Then jumping around on a crazed energy high euphora the next. Gulping down freaking energy drinks by the galloon.
Unrealistic, grandiose beliefs about one's abilities or powers
Seriously? I think that it's possible to even get a passing mark on all three exams. If that's not an unrealistic belief, I don't know what is.
Sleeping very little, but feeling extremely energetic
Haven't slept a wink.... And I'm still bouncing up the walls from the inactivity. That could be from the caffeine though.
Talking so rapidly that others can't keep up
Hmmmmthisoneisnttrueidontthinkbecauseithinkimtalkingrelativelyslowlystillrightamiaminoproblemshererightthisisntasymptomimexhibitingyes?
Racing thoughts; jumping quickly from one idea to the next
My brain is just a flurry right now! Can't seem to keep my mind on one idea.
Highly distractable, unable to concentrate
Oh yeah, no doubt about this one. It also explains why I'm on here blogging right now. In fact, I have so little concen-
Delusions and hallucinations
Well.. No, not quite yet, but this would be cool =).
So there you have it guys, I am currently exhibiting almost all signs and symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Heightened energy, creativity, euphoria... You name it. Gonna go cry to myself now.
Quick search of bipolar symptoms on google reveals that during the manic phase of bipolar disorder, one exhibits such signs and symptoms:
Feeling unusually high and optimistic or extremely irritable
Yup, I've been feeling terrible and biting everyone around me one second... Then jumping around on a crazed energy high euphora the next. Gulping down freaking energy drinks by the galloon.
Unrealistic, grandiose beliefs about one's abilities or powers
Seriously? I think that it's possible to even get a passing mark on all three exams. If that's not an unrealistic belief, I don't know what is.
Sleeping very little, but feeling extremely energetic
Haven't slept a wink.... And I'm still bouncing up the walls from the inactivity. That could be from the caffeine though.
Talking so rapidly that others can't keep up
Hmmmmthisoneisnttrueidontthinkbecauseithinkimtalkingrelativelyslowlystillrightamiaminoproblemshererightthisisntasymptomimexhibitingyes?
Racing thoughts; jumping quickly from one idea to the next
My brain is just a flurry right now! Can't seem to keep my mind on one idea.
Highly distractable, unable to concentrate
Oh yeah, no doubt about this one. It also explains why I'm on here blogging right now. In fact, I have so little concen-
Delusions and hallucinations
Well.. No, not quite yet, but this would be cool =).
So there you have it guys, I am currently exhibiting almost all signs and symptoms of the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Heightened energy, creativity, euphoria... You name it. Gonna go cry to myself now.
Statistics
So my first exam coming up next week is Business Statistics. Statistically speaking, I'm gonna fail!
I just can't get a grasp on how to read the statistical analysis computer printout from the statistical analysis softwares. ANOVA or something like that? They basically give you a table with a bunch of numbers (coefficients, standard error, t-test, p-value) and you have to interpret them. Damned if I know how to do that.
Just now I spent 2 hours working out what the difference between lurking variable and confounding variables are... Even wiki says they're the same! Argh. Then came the gruellingly devilish Experimental Design section. Basically, factors are separated into levels of which different combinations are combined in a treatment. These are then controlled by the levels and factor, and replicated to repeat observations at each treatment. Some subjects are blocked for the factors that might affect response but are uncontrollable. This is called the blocking factor but their levels are called blocks.
You all already know what image is coming up next...
If anyone can tutor me in stats over the internet, please, please drop me a message.
I just can't get a grasp on how to read the statistical analysis computer printout from the statistical analysis softwares. ANOVA or something like that? They basically give you a table with a bunch of numbers (coefficients, standard error, t-test, p-value) and you have to interpret them. Damned if I know how to do that.
Just now I spent 2 hours working out what the difference between lurking variable and confounding variables are... Even wiki says they're the same! Argh. Then came the gruellingly devilish Experimental Design section. Basically, factors are separated into levels of which different combinations are combined in a treatment. These are then controlled by the levels and factor, and replicated to repeat observations at each treatment. Some subjects are blocked for the factors that might affect response but are uncontrollable. This is called the blocking factor but their levels are called blocks.
You all already know what image is coming up next...
If anyone can tutor me in stats over the internet, please, please drop me a message.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Business Writing and Technical Writing
Having taken a few business writing courses and technical writing courses as part of my degree requirement, I can tell you that business writing is something that everyone takes for granted or under-emphasizes. Believe me, it's a lot harder than you think... If you're a writer, you would definitely know what I'm saying. Or maybe you just have The Gift and you don't need to pay attention to the writing, I don't know. In any case, all University students at least should be able to benefit from this post, as I'll give you some tips on how to write more effectively for a business/formal setting.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Laser Hair Removal
Wow, it definitely sucks to hear so many of you guys with bad credit card experiences!
So anyway, I was sitting in MIS class today chatting with a friend of mine on Google, when the topic came up about Laser Hair Removal. She basically told me that he's interested in getting laser hair removal therapy. Now I know what you all are thinking - "What the hell, laser hair removal? Does that even flipping work?"
She wants to get it done on her... erm pubic region, and without getting too graphic here, it's not even anything bad to be honest. The whole point of her getting laser hair removal was to avoid having to shave all the time and yada yada.
From what I understand, Laser Hair Removal takes many many sessions and because of the time between treatments, can actually be a fairly drawn out process. To me this sounds like a huge money grab... Especially since these places charge per treatment.
At this point, I'm just trying to find ways to convince her otherwise because of the potential side effects... Skin cancer, rash, abrasive dermatological hypersensitivity (okay I admit I knew nothing about this stuff so I had to make it up). But still! A quick search on the web revealed that you would expect all of the easily foreseeable side effects.
Anyway, I'm still trying to convince her out of it, and get her to just shave her pubes regularly like everyone else does. It's a bit embarrassing, really (it's a girl thing I guess). SO anyone out there with experience doing laser hair removal surgery? Perhaps some good reasons why she shouldn't do it?
...Or even convince me otherwise that it's a safe procedure and worth the effort/money!
So anyway, I was sitting in MIS class today chatting with a friend of mine on Google, when the topic came up about Laser Hair Removal. She basically told me that he's interested in getting laser hair removal therapy. Now I know what you all are thinking - "What the hell, laser hair removal? Does that even flipping work?"
She wants to get it done on her... erm pubic region, and without getting too graphic here, it's not even anything bad to be honest. The whole point of her getting laser hair removal was to avoid having to shave all the time and yada yada.
From what I understand, Laser Hair Removal takes many many sessions and because of the time between treatments, can actually be a fairly drawn out process. To me this sounds like a huge money grab... Especially since these places charge per treatment.
At this point, I'm just trying to find ways to convince her otherwise because of the potential side effects... Skin cancer, rash, abrasive dermatological hypersensitivity (okay I admit I knew nothing about this stuff so I had to make it up). But still! A quick search on the web revealed that you would expect all of the easily foreseeable side effects.
Anyway, I'm still trying to convince her out of it, and get her to just shave her pubes regularly like everyone else does. It's a bit embarrassing, really (it's a girl thing I guess). SO anyone out there with experience doing laser hair removal surgery? Perhaps some good reasons why she shouldn't do it?
...Or even convince me otherwise that it's a safe procedure and worth the effort/money!
Monday, 4 April 2011
Zero Interest Credit Card
As a student, I'm always trying to save. And as a student, every penny helps. That's why I spent hours and hours scouring different credit card companies for a good rewards card.
First of all, I am very picky. I need some or all of the following features:
1) Cash-back
2) No annual fee
3) Low interest rate, if possible zero percent interest
Now, I hear a lot of people deciding about Visa vs Mastercard. In this day and age, that is not a deciding factor! Both are ubiquitous with merchants; where there's one, there's bound to be the other (although buying olympic tickets were a notable exception for Visa). Plus, what's stopping you from getting one of each?
I'll explain why I need each of these features.
Cash back: Getting 1% on every purchase adds up. Therefore, I pay for EVERYTHING with the card and hold minimal cash. $1.50 coffee? Throw it on the card. $0.50 stamp? Throw it on the card. With a monthly $500 balance, I get back a couple bucks per month which is nice.
No annual fee: This one is just silly. I'm not a consistent enough or rich enough user that I can make use of this. Most often paid cards will give you premium benefits like better rewards/cash back or lower interest rates. But you'd need to spend a crapload for it to pay off.
Low interest rate or zero interest rate: If I ever miss a bill, I need to be able to know that I can make the minimum payment and NOT get shot in the leg for holding a balance. Most cards charge you 20% which is just stupidly ridiculously high. The best I've seen are 11%, some perhaps even lower. If you are a student or someone else with a Part Time job or uncertain job, then make sure you have a good interest rate on your credit card! It will come in immensely helpful during those months you find yourself out of work.
AND finally, the juicy part, the solution:
Enter MBNA SmartCash Credit Card.
It gives 1% on all purchases, 3% on groceries and gas; and for the first 2 or 3 months, you get an extra 2% on groceries and gas (yes, 5% in total!). Great cash back for buying gas which is through the roof lately, as well as shopping for groceries which are always a necessity when living on your own.
Interest rate, I admit, is terrible (20%) but I think the smart cash makes up for it. Oh, and of course, no annual fee.
I encourage everyone to check it out and sign up for this card simply because it has the best reward out there right now. HOWEVER, I have no experience with their customer service so I can't comment on that. And with credit cards or financials, good CS can be a godsend.
First of all, I am very picky. I need some or all of the following features:
1) Cash-back
2) No annual fee
3) Low interest rate, if possible zero percent interest
Now, I hear a lot of people deciding about Visa vs Mastercard. In this day and age, that is not a deciding factor! Both are ubiquitous with merchants; where there's one, there's bound to be the other (although buying olympic tickets were a notable exception for Visa). Plus, what's stopping you from getting one of each?
I'll explain why I need each of these features.
Cash back: Getting 1% on every purchase adds up. Therefore, I pay for EVERYTHING with the card and hold minimal cash. $1.50 coffee? Throw it on the card. $0.50 stamp? Throw it on the card. With a monthly $500 balance, I get back a couple bucks per month which is nice.
No annual fee: This one is just silly. I'm not a consistent enough or rich enough user that I can make use of this. Most often paid cards will give you premium benefits like better rewards/cash back or lower interest rates. But you'd need to spend a crapload for it to pay off.
Low interest rate or zero interest rate: If I ever miss a bill, I need to be able to know that I can make the minimum payment and NOT get shot in the leg for holding a balance. Most cards charge you 20% which is just stupidly ridiculously high. The best I've seen are 11%, some perhaps even lower. If you are a student or someone else with a Part Time job or uncertain job, then make sure you have a good interest rate on your credit card! It will come in immensely helpful during those months you find yourself out of work.
AND finally, the juicy part, the solution:
Enter MBNA SmartCash Credit Card.
It gives 1% on all purchases, 3% on groceries and gas; and for the first 2 or 3 months, you get an extra 2% on groceries and gas (yes, 5% in total!). Great cash back for buying gas which is through the roof lately, as well as shopping for groceries which are always a necessity when living on your own.
Interest rate, I admit, is terrible (20%) but I think the smart cash makes up for it. Oh, and of course, no annual fee.
I encourage everyone to check it out and sign up for this card simply because it has the best reward out there right now. HOWEVER, I have no experience with their customer service so I can't comment on that. And with credit cards or financials, good CS can be a godsend.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Let there be light / Cramming tips
Hey guys, thanks for your caring comments. I released the blindfolds today, so to speak, and everything is still kind of blurry but I can see! Need to do regular checkups with the surgeon but it's going along very well.
Other than that, unfortunately not much to update you guys about in regards to University life. Exams are quickly creeping up so it's that season again... Cramming season. And damn, that's the worst season of the year. They say for a student there are only two seasons... Cramming season, and July ;)
Anyway, I know a lot of you guys are also facing upcoming crunch time, so I thought I'd give you guys some tips on how to cram effectively:
1) Be well nourished.
Nothing sucks worth than having hunger pangs or thirst interrupt your studying. In fact, more often than not, getting food or drink is just another procrastination technique. So bring food with you, but don't stock up too much on sugar and caffeine (this will drive you nuts and the subsequent crash will be spectacular). Bring a cool refreshing sports drink like Gatorade or Powerade, something with minerals in it (not friggn red bull, if you can help it). Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, say a salad. Bring healthy junk like oatmeal and energy bars. Don't eat too much in the very beginning! Just hold off the munchies for the first several hours.
2) Set the mood.
Get rid of ALL distractions from your environment. Change into something comfortable, but not PJ's and slippers (this sets the mood for sleep, terrible idea!). Another terrible idea is studying on your bed, just doesnt' work. If it's cold, turn up the heat and or throw on a sweater. Study at a well lit, cleared table away from the TV and computer (use the computer only if you really need it for downloading documents; it's too easy to get distracted on it). Your chair needs to upright, non-mushy. Music is good, but fast or upbeat with no lyrics. Try classical if you've used it in the past, but this often puts people to sleep.
3) Draw an outline.
Set an outline that maps out every 15 to 30 minutes of your studying. I.e. 10:00pm read chapter 1, 10:15 answer chapter 1 questions, 10:30 do supplementary problems. Finishing faster than the allotted time will serve as a motivator, but don't go "hey, I finished early so I can browse the web with the extra 5 minutes!" Nononononono. Finish early, give yourself more time on the next one. If you are late already, push yourself to finish quicker, or set more realistic guidelines. If you can't do it, move on. Furthermore, the outline will help you recall your info during the exam.
4) Don't stress!
Seriously, relax! Cramming is reality! If you stress out and start doubting that you can finish it, then you enter the mentality that you actually won't finish and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. If you have the outline, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to stick to it and finish on time. Stick with it, work diligently. This takes a TON of self discipline so you'll need to work on it.
Best of luck guys! And as always, let me know how your exams go!
Saturday, 2 April 2011
And the medical bills are sky high!
Hey guys, thanks for the kind wishes!
Just went through the surgery this afternoon and everything went swimmingly. Racked up some huge medical bills, so to speak. Thank god for medical insurance I guess...
My eyes are hypersensitive to light right now though so I actually got a friend of mine to transcribe this post. Couldn't keep away from my blogfans =).
Anyway, I'll just be chilllaxing at home with patches over my eyes for the next little while, though docs say they should be coming off in a matter of days. No rush though I say. I'm having the time of my life, just listening to music and whatnot...
I'd like to share a song with you that absolutely touched my heart. Chris Medina - What Are Words. Also watch his performance on American Idol, it's heartbreaking...You'll see!
Cheers.
Just went through the surgery this afternoon and everything went swimmingly. Racked up some huge medical bills, so to speak. Thank god for medical insurance I guess...
My eyes are hypersensitive to light right now though so I actually got a friend of mine to transcribe this post. Couldn't keep away from my blogfans =).
Anyway, I'll just be chilllaxing at home with patches over my eyes for the next little while, though docs say they should be coming off in a matter of days. No rush though I say. I'm having the time of my life, just listening to music and whatnot...
I'd like to share a song with you that absolutely touched my heart. Chris Medina - What Are Words. Also watch his performance on American Idol, it's heartbreaking...You'll see!
Cheers.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Laser Eye Surgery
Hey guys,
So I will be receiving laser eye surgery over the next few days! I'm probably more enthusiastic about it than I should be, but I have acute myopia and my glasses are thick enough to stop bullets. Soooo, after I get the laser eye surgery (or otherwise known as LASIK) I'll be able to see without any glasses or contacts! Sweet deal!
I looked around for cheap laser eye clinics but unfortunately there's not a lot around this city. As a student I'm a bit tight on cash but I didn't want to go for the cheapest ones because these are my eyes we're dealing with after all... There are definitely more LASIK MD's in the states, but I couldn't afford to fly down just to do this operation.
Anyway, at the hospital/laser eye center, I'll have my laptop with me so I'll keep y'all updated!
So I will be receiving laser eye surgery over the next few days! I'm probably more enthusiastic about it than I should be, but I have acute myopia and my glasses are thick enough to stop bullets. Soooo, after I get the laser eye surgery (or otherwise known as LASIK) I'll be able to see without any glasses or contacts! Sweet deal!
I looked around for cheap laser eye clinics but unfortunately there's not a lot around this city. As a student I'm a bit tight on cash but I didn't want to go for the cheapest ones because these are my eyes we're dealing with after all... There are definitely more LASIK MD's in the states, but I couldn't afford to fly down just to do this operation.
Anyway, at the hospital/laser eye center, I'll have my laptop with me so I'll keep y'all updated!
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