Jobs That Will Never Go Away
Accountant As long as there are taxes, there will be a need for skilled accountants to work with clients, helping them keep their books in order.
Computer Support SpecialistIf you thrive on helping your friends and family solve their computer woes, consider becoming a computer support specialist. With computers playing such an important part of daily life, computer support specialists provide their clients much needed technical assistance. As a computer support specialist, you will meet with clients in person or answer questions remotely, via Internet, or on the phone. Many computer support specialists either have a bachelor's degree in computer science or an associate's degree in a computer-related program. In 2007, computer support specialists made an average annual salary of $45,300, according to the BLS.
Entrepreneur To be an entrepreneur you need to be an independent, outgoing risk taker as you establish your own business or company. Although it may be hard to know whether a business will succeed, there will always be a need for a variety of goods and services and businesses to supply them. An online degree in business can help make your dreams a reality, as you earn your associate's or bachelor's degree. Although salaries can vary greatly with the self-employed, small business owners made an average annual wage of $36,000 to $75,095 in 2008, according to Pay Scale.
Mechanic As anyone who commutes or runs to the store knows, we live in a nation of automobiles. If you know the make and model of every automobile that zips by and have an interest in what's under the hood, consider becoming an automotive service technician or mechanic. Automotive service technicians and mechanics diagnose problems with cars and light trucks and fix them. Mechanics need to be analytical, good problem solvers, and willing to work with computerized diagnostic tools and programs as well as traditional tools. You can also specialize in an area such as brakes or cooling systems. Online career training can get you started. Programs range from six months to two years. Mechanics made an average annual salary of $36,480 in 2007, according to the BLS.
Paramedic. Paramedics make life and death decisions, assessing injuries and providing emergency medical care. To be a paramedic you have to be agile, strong, and be willing to work under pressure. Although the hours can be long, many paramedics find great satisfaction in helping others. An EMT paramedic has usually taken courses in anatomy and physiology and completed a one-to-two-year program -- or the equivalent of an associate's degree. Basic and intermediate certification can get you started in this fast paced, much needed career. According to the BLS, paramedics earned an average of $30,870 annually in 2007.
Teacher As long as human beings continue to have children, there will be a need for teachers. If you enjoy working with young children and want to teach, you can make $50,040 on average annually if you are an elementary school teacher, and $52,450 annually if you are a secondary teacher, according to the BLS. Elementary teachers have the pleasure of teaching all subjects. Secondary teachers also get to follow their bliss. By focusing on specific certification areas, secondary teachers specialize in the subjects they want to teach. Many online programs can get you started towards a bachelor's degree in education and certification.
Whatever your calling may be, with the right degree and career training, your career prospects for these much-needed jobs can help keep you from becoming outsourced or even worse, obsolete.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Computer off?
Admittedly I don't think much about it at all. I leave my laptop running overnight because I know it'll take five minutes or more to get things going in the morning -- not just booting up, but launching the various apps I start the day with, downloading my overnight email, filtering out the spam, and otherwise "getting settled."
But all the power wasted while computers are sitting idle overnight adds up, and one study has finally tried to measure it. The tally: An estimated $2.8 billion wasted on excess energy costs each year in the U.S. alone.
On a CO2 basis, that's 20 million tons of carbon dioxide, about the amount produced by 4 million cars on the road.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
My letter to board of education
Dear Board Members:
I saw a nice boy who has failed algebra1 five times here at Magruder HS. According to his teacher, he is too low to pass. Although he is a unique person, more students like him are appearing. They are coming from closed learning centers. Their lack of knowledge is a result of excessive acceleration of mathematics in their younger years. Most of them are minority students and they do not see much hope of graduation.
Is it possible to bring MAPS1, MAPS2 back or make new courses in pre-algebra for them? These young folks can actually improve from current levels and become more capable. My own daughter passed high school with MAPS, algebra1, PGA, and geometry.
Best Regards,
Ed Hsu Magruder Mathematics 2/2009
I saw a nice boy who has failed algebra1 five times here at Magruder HS. According to his teacher, he is too low to pass. Although he is a unique person, more students like him are appearing. They are coming from closed learning centers. Their lack of knowledge is a result of excessive acceleration of mathematics in their younger years. Most of them are minority students and they do not see much hope of graduation.
Is it possible to bring MAPS1, MAPS2 back or make new courses in pre-algebra for them? These young folks can actually improve from current levels and become more capable. My own daughter passed high school with MAPS, algebra1, PGA, and geometry.
Best Regards,
Ed Hsu Magruder Mathematics 2/2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Tests and more Tests
" What's wrong about teaching to the test is that life is not simply about deriving a 'right' answer. What is the right answer to being alive? What is the right answer to a Rodin sculpture, a Da Vinci drawing or a Picasso painting? What is the right answer to the existence of the universe, the language of whales, the process of entropy? What is the right answer to creativity, the emotions of opera, the love we feel for each other? "
-Peter Henry in Becoming Mr. Henry
-Peter Henry in Becoming Mr. Henry
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Identity Theft
1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
4. Place the&nbs p;contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or some one you know:
5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address.Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
4. Place the&nbs p;contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or some one you know:
5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
Monday, March 9, 2009
Math practices
By ERIC WALSTEIN BrookevilleSunday, March 1, 2009; Page C07 Washington Post
As a teacher in the Montgomery County Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet program, I have the privilege of teaching some of the best young minds in the United States. But even as standardized test scores have risen and the county has claimed great strides in math instruction, our program has had to offer a week of remedial math classes during the summer for our entering ninth-graders.
This past summer, the teachers administered a test of concepts we thought the students should know coming out of algebra, geometry, and algebra II. I constructed the test, and the other teachers reviewed it. We grouped the students into four levels based on their magnet qualifications. We gave them one hour to complete the exam. We did not let them use calculators. It had 27 questions and yielded eye-opening results.
I was assigned to the top group, which averaged only 15 questions right. The other groups scored commensurately lower, some as few as three or four questions right. Students found many of the ideas of algebra and geometry foreign, reporting that many core ideas had never been taught. This process of giving summer math help has been going on for five years now, and the knowledge trend has been down each year. This is a direct consequence of policy decisions of the Montgomery County Board of Education to eliminate course objectives, to push students to take algebra earlier -- often before they are ready -- and to rely heavily on calculators.
Cumulatively, these decisions leave students in an untenable position. They lack the rich math background to fully understand their current work. So, to get their work done, they have no option but to memorize the current work and punch unfamiliar buttons on a calculator. This technique masks their lack of connection between current tasks and previous concepts they supposedly know.
Calculators used incorrectly enable children to "solve" problems they don't actually understand. They not only hide the intellectual connections between ideas that mathematicians seek to have students understand, but they also impair math strategy, long a staple of math curriculum design. Used correctly, calculators can be an important tool. Used incorrectly, they subjugate mathematical progress and reasoning to a list of questions with a corresponding list of answers.
A Montgomery school official once told me that calculators are important because they give more students "access to math." That's wrong. They give students access to answers disconnected from math concepts. Many of my current students complain that curriculum acceleration made them move too quickly without proper understanding. Take the calculators away, as we did, and even the county's brightest bulbs now get a failing grade on material they supposedly have learned with top marks.
Our magnet program students bring to the table a significant amount of mathematical knowledge and talent. Their work ethic is impressive; they make extensive use of the additional materials that a school with real resources can provide.
The students have the ability, but the school system is not matching their commitment.
As a teacher in the Montgomery County Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Magnet program, I have the privilege of teaching some of the best young minds in the United States. But even as standardized test scores have risen and the county has claimed great strides in math instruction, our program has had to offer a week of remedial math classes during the summer for our entering ninth-graders.
This past summer, the teachers administered a test of concepts we thought the students should know coming out of algebra, geometry, and algebra II. I constructed the test, and the other teachers reviewed it. We grouped the students into four levels based on their magnet qualifications. We gave them one hour to complete the exam. We did not let them use calculators. It had 27 questions and yielded eye-opening results.
I was assigned to the top group, which averaged only 15 questions right. The other groups scored commensurately lower, some as few as three or four questions right. Students found many of the ideas of algebra and geometry foreign, reporting that many core ideas had never been taught. This process of giving summer math help has been going on for five years now, and the knowledge trend has been down each year. This is a direct consequence of policy decisions of the Montgomery County Board of Education to eliminate course objectives, to push students to take algebra earlier -- often before they are ready -- and to rely heavily on calculators.
Cumulatively, these decisions leave students in an untenable position. They lack the rich math background to fully understand their current work. So, to get their work done, they have no option but to memorize the current work and punch unfamiliar buttons on a calculator. This technique masks their lack of connection between current tasks and previous concepts they supposedly know.
Calculators used incorrectly enable children to "solve" problems they don't actually understand. They not only hide the intellectual connections between ideas that mathematicians seek to have students understand, but they also impair math strategy, long a staple of math curriculum design. Used correctly, calculators can be an important tool. Used incorrectly, they subjugate mathematical progress and reasoning to a list of questions with a corresponding list of answers.
A Montgomery school official once told me that calculators are important because they give more students "access to math." That's wrong. They give students access to answers disconnected from math concepts. Many of my current students complain that curriculum acceleration made them move too quickly without proper understanding. Take the calculators away, as we did, and even the county's brightest bulbs now get a failing grade on material they supposedly have learned with top marks.
Our magnet program students bring to the table a significant amount of mathematical knowledge and talent. Their work ethic is impressive; they make extensive use of the additional materials that a school with real resources can provide.
The students have the ability, but the school system is not matching their commitment.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Marijuana
At SAP meeting yesterday I learned that M, like other drugs, changes different people in different ways. It renders students "not interested" in (learning) things. Users becomes clumsy and bumps into things or can not stand up. Not all cylinders are firing is obvious. Users' eyes are not red anymore since eye drops are often used. The blank look, or deer in the head light look is often present.
By Richard Edwards of Potomac Ridge Center.
By Richard Edwards of Potomac Ridge Center.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Funny Chinese names
據中國公安部 姓名 查詢系統指出，全國最爆笑的人名 … 劉 產 ; 黃月京 ( 還是個男的 ) 范劍 ; 范統 ; 姬從良 夏建仁 ; 朱逸群 秦壽生 ( 虧他父母想得出 ) 龐光 ; 杜琦燕 ; 魏生民 矯厚跟 ; 沈京兵 ; 杜子騰 排名第一的是： 史珍香
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
