Tuesday, March 22, 2011
66% women unaware of sexual harassment
Women don't report sexual harassment because they simply can't identify such behaviour. This isn't our opinion but the finding of a study conducted by a medical student of D Y Patil Medical College who said that of the 200 medical students she surveyed, more than 66% has sketchy knowledge of sexual harassment. Another important finding was that men also reported harassment at work. The study which was conducted under the guidance of Dr Amitav Banerjee, head of community medicine department at the medical college sought to measure awareness about sexual harassment in the workplace among future professionals.
"The study was conducted over a few months by a third-year student which found men guilty of not realising what behaviour amounts to harassment. Most importantly, respondents only identified physical approach as harassment but didn't think that harassment could be verbal, mental and even non-verbal," said Dr Banerjee.
The survey also showed that most respondents felt that the onus to stop harassment lay on the victim with 51% stating that the victim should report it to stop it. However the biggest shocker is that 49% of surveyed respondents held the woman responsible in some manner for the harassment.
Article found: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/mar/220311-sexual-harassment-D-Y-Patil-Medical-College-Pune.htm
Monday, March 21, 2011
Moving Back Home After College With Your Dignity Intact
Step 1: Take a breather - Transitioning from college to the real world is no easy feat. So move home. Take a little time to chill out and get your head together before launching into full-fledged adulthood.
Use your downtime to set goals and investigate career options.
Step 2: Set rules - Talk with your parents, and lay down some mutually agreeable house rules. That 10 p.m. curfew needs to be a thing of the past, but you might have to compromise in other areas.
Step 3: Respect the 'rents - Unless your parents are bikers or roadies, they may not want your beer pong tournaments in the living room. Try to be respectful of the people who are putting you up—and offer to pay some rent.
Step 4: Make a plan - Make a plan and a realistic time line for achieving the goals that will let you fly the nest. This’ll keep you on track, give you and the folks an accurate forecast of how long you’ll be around, and help remind you that it won’t be forever.
Step 5: Redecorate - Those boy band posters you put up in junior high might feel a little outdated. Upgrade your room to reflect the new you.
Step 6: Save up - Become the master of your finances! Since you’re probably not paying much for rent or utilities, you can boost your savings account, which means being able to afford rent on your own place a lot faster.
Step 7: Ride the party line - Nosy relatives, doubting dates, and trust fund babies may not understand why you’re cohabitating with the folks. Come up with a simple excuse, like “Once you become an adult you realize how much you owe your parents—I’m sticking around a little while to help them out.”
Friday, March 18, 2011
You Have ADHD? Lucky!
The distractibility and impulsiveness that is the hallmark of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have a silver lining, according to a new study that suggests those with the disorder are more creative than those without.
Researchers gave 60 college students, half with ADHD, a series of tests measuring creativity across 10 domains -- drama, music, humor, creative writing, invention, visual arts, scientific discovery, dance, architecture and culinary arts. The students also answered questions about their problem-solving styles, including preferences for generating, structuring, refining and implementing ideas.
The ADHD group scored higher on creativity across the board, the study authors said, and also exhibited a greater preference for brainstorming and generating ideas than the non-ADHD group, which preferred refining and clarifying ideas.
The study, a follow-up to one conducted in 2006, is published in the April issue of Personality and Individual Differences.
"Personality traits like stubbornness could be seen as a negative thing or it could be seen as a strength . . . and I think it's similar with distraction," said study author Holly A. White, an assistant professor of psychology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. "But it can also mean they're open to a lot of new ideas coming in. It allows for collisions of ideas we otherwise might not see."
ADHD, affecting approximately 5 percent of American youths, is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, disorganization and difficulty focusing, among other traits. The condition persists into adulthood in 30 percent to 50 percent of those affected.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Digital Textbooks Are The Future
Sales of digital textbooks still only account for a small fraction of the U.S. college market. But according to the latest report by the social learning platform Xplana, we have reached the tipping point for e-textbooks, and the company predicts that in the next five years digital textbook sales will surpass 25% of sales for the higher education and career education markets.
That figure is a revision from the company's report last year, which predicted that one in five college textbooks would be digital by the year 2014. Due to the rate at which colleges are embracing digital textbooks, Xplana now projects that sales will grow by 80 to 100% over the next four years.
One of the major reasons why Xplana's report has more optimistic figures for textbook adoption is the popularity of the iPad. Xplana's 2010 report was published before the impact of the iPad could really be assessed. No doubt, the success of the iPad has fueled the consumption of digital content in general. But the iPad has also spawned a number of new digital textbook companies, such as Inkling.
Along with their embrace of the iPad, consumers have also bought e-readers in higher-than-expected numbers. Only about 5% of millennials own e-readers according to a recent Pew Study on the adoption of electronic gadgetry, but undoubtedly, the exploding popularity of trade e-books will impact the acceptance of e-textbooks.
Just as new devices have helped spawn the growth in e-books, Xplana also points to some significant
developments around open educational resources (OER) and open textbooks. States and institutions have embarked on a number of OER initiatives to help address the affordability and availability of textbooks, including Washington State's Open Course Library project, a program that aims to make core college materials available on the Web for less than $30 per class.
An oft-cited study by the Book Industry Study Group found that 75% of college students say they prefer print textbooks. But Xplana says that rather than take that study as a sign that students will refuse use digital books, we should instead marvel that, at a time when only 1% of college textbooks are available in an electronic format, that already 25% of college students say they prefer to study this way.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Mediterranean, Not Only Good But Good For You
After conducting a review of the results of 50 published studies on the Mediterranean diet with more than 500,000 participants, researchers have found that the Mediterranean food helps in reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
The findings suggested that the natural foodsbased diet was linked with low risks of high blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides and it also helped in reducing the risk of a drop in good cholesterol.
Dr. Demosthenes Panagiotakos, an Associate Professor at Harokopio University of Athens in Greece, said, "It is one of the first times in the literature, maybe the first, that someone looks through a meta-analysis at the cardiovascular disease risk factors and not only the hard outcome of heart disease and other conditions".
Published in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, this study suggested the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products, weekly consumption of fish, poultry, tree nuts, and legumes.
Researchers also linked the consumption of Mediterranean food to the decreased metabolic syndrome risk and they believed that a more advanced study was required to develop more clarity on the issue.
Dr. Ronald Goldberg, Professor of medicine at the Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, believed that the findings were no surprise as many previous studies had confirmed the role of Mediterranean diet on reducing heart disease.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Forget The Treadmill, Get a Dog
If you’re looking for the latest in home exercise equipment, you may want to consider something with four legs and a wagging tail.
Several studies now show that dogs can be powerful motivators to get people moving. Not only are dog owners more likely to take regular walks, but new research shows that dog walkers are more active over all than people who don’t have dogs.
One study even found that older people are more likely to take regular walks if the walking companion is canine rather than human.
“You need to walk, and so does your dog,” said Rebecca A. Johnson, director of the human-animal interaction research center at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s good for both ends of the leash.”
Just last week, researchers from Michigan State University reported that among dog owners who took their pets for regular walks, 60 percent met federal criteria for regular moderate or vigorous exercise. Nearly half of dog walkers exercised an average of 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. By comparison, only about a third of those without dogs got that much regular exercise.
Just last week, researchers from Michigan State University reported that among dog owners who took their pets for regular walks, 60 percent met federal criteria for regular moderate or vigorous exercise. Nearly half of dog walkers exercised an average of 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. By comparison, only about a third of those without dogs got that much regular exercise.
The researchers tracked the exercise habits of 5,900 people in Michigan, including 2,170 who owned dogs. They found that about two-thirds of dog owners took their pets for regular walks, defined as lasting at least 10 minutes.
Unlike other studies of dog ownership and walking, this one also tracked other forms of exercise, seeking to answer what the lead author, Mathew Reeves, called an obvious question: whether dog walking “adds significantly to the amount of exercise you do, or is it simply that it replaces exercise you would have done otherwise?”
The answers were encouraging, said Dr. Reeves, an associate professor of epidemiology at Michigan State. The dog walkers had higher overall levels of both moderate and vigorous physical activity than the other subjects, and they were more likely to take part in other leisure-time physical activities like sports and gardening. On average, they exercised about 30 minutes a week more than people who didn’t have dogs.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Academic ‘Coaching’ Boosts Graduation Rates
A Stanford University School of Education study being released today suggests that undergraduates who receive executive-style “coaching” — including guidance on setting goals and time management — are more likely to remain in college and graduate.
A Stanford professor, Eric Bettinger, and a doctoral student, Rachel Baker, reviewed the academic records of more than 13,500 undergraduates at eight colleges and universities during the 2003-4 school year, and again in 2007-8.
The researchers calculated a 10-percent to 15-percent increase in retention rates among those who had received coaching and mentoring — a finding of no small import at a moment when hundreds of thousands of students are dropping out before graduation, or taking upward of six years to complete their degrees.
For those readers of The Choice bound for college next fall, I believe the results underscore the importance of seeking out mentors early, not only among the staff of deans and counselors, but upperclassmen, too.
“The results are clear: coaching had a clear impact on retention and completion rates,” Professor Bettinger said in a statement released with the report. “And not only does coaching improve the likelihood students will remain in college, but expenditures on coaching are much smaller than the costs of other methods to encourage persistence in college.”
The data for the study was provided by InsideTrack, a company that has been a pioneer in providing students with such counseling, including at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., which was the subject of a feature article in USA Today in 2005.
The full study has been posted today on the Web site of the National Bureau of Economic Research
Article found: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/10/coaching-2/?src=mv
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Study Aboard in North Korea
Pack a suitcase for Pyongyang. Study Korean in Kaesong. North Korea may be an unlikely destination for study abroad, but its border has been breached. The P'yongyang Project, a Beijing-based nonprofit organization, has been organizing study tours, or “delegations,” to North Korea since 2009, and this summer Lafayette College, in Pennsylvania, plans to become the first American university to offer a credit-bearing study abroad program above the 38th parallel.
"This is an amazing opportunity for Lafayette College and, frankly, for Americans to get into parts of the world that many people think are completely blocked off," says Allison Alexy, an assistant professor of anthropology and Japan expert who will co-lead the program. "Part of the point of this program is that nothing and no one and no culture is nearly as isolated as we might think it is, and it seems this might be a great way to demonstrate that point experientially."
The 2.5-week program, organized by the P'yongyang Project, will focus on intersections between the cultures of China, North Korea and South Korea. Students will split their time between the three countries, spending five days in North Korea, traveling to Pyongyang, the capital; Nampo, on the western coast; and Kaesong, near the demilitarized zone. Per the itinerary, planned excursions and activities within North Korea include visiting Kim II Sung’s mausoleum, a Korean history museum and a "people’s commune"; meeting with students at Kim II Sung University and Kim Ch’aek Science and Technology University; attending the famous Arirang Mass Games, watching a performance of the Pyongyang Circus, and riding the rides (imported from Italy) at the Pyongyang Amusement Park. Students will tour the DMZ from the North with a Korean People’s Army guide, and will also have the opportunity, later in the program, to visit the DMZ from the South Korea side.
"We’ve organized the program so it’s really about appreciating and acknowledging the different cultures in Northeast Asia, not including Japan, unfortunately, but China, North Korea, and South Korea, and also paying attention to the ways that different cultures are connected," Alexy says.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Throw a Housewarming Party
Moving can be a stressful yet adventurous task. To relieve some of the tension and allow your legs to breathe from carrying boxes up flights of steps, consider throwing an apartment warming party for you and some friends.
There are numerous reasons for apartment warming parties. First and foremost, to show off your new pad! Invite friends over to see how you just bought the apartment of your dreams and maybe bounce some ideas off them as to how you will fill those spaces. Secondly, you can use the party to get to know those who will be living around you. If you plan on staying here for a while, it might be a good idea to invest some time in getting to know those down the hall. Your living situation will be a whole lot better if you can walk the halls and greet your neighbors by name. Thirdly, it can be a short break from the whole process. Packing your things, moving them, loading them into the new place and unpacking them is a long and strenuous process. Give yourself a short breather. Set out some finger foods, a couple of drinks and surround yourself with friends. That will help things go a lot easier.
The first part of the party will be sending some invitations out a week and a half to two weeks prior. If you are inviting the people next door, you don’t even need to mail the invites. You can simply knock on doors and hand them invitations or slip them under the door. If you are inviting friends from out-of-town that would be here for a couple days for the event, give them a couple pieces of information about the town so they don’t feel like complete strangers. List some good places to eat, cheap places to stay and where all the nightlife lives. No matter who you are inviting, it is important that you give good directions to your new place. If they need to buzz in, give them that number and an alternative phone number they can call if you’re not there. Be specific!
Next on your agenda should be the shopping. You’ll want to provide your guests with some food and drink for the gala affair, so make a list. Get cans or small glass bottles of beverages so unused portions can be shoved into the fridge instead of going to waste. For food, consider getting finger foods that are easy to make. Get a good variety of cold and hot so you don’t have to do much cooking beforehand. Don’t forget plates, cups and utensils. Make sure to buy more than you have people invited. They’ll be sure to leave a drink somewhere and forget it.
You’ll want to assemble a small team to pull off the party. Guests will be arriving and leaving off and on. If you plan on giving tours to your guests, be sure to gather a couple friends to either play host while you’re showing guests around, or to act as tour guides. You can even allow guests to tour at their own bidding. Depending on how many people are slated to show up, you may want help cooking your delectable snacks earlier in the morning. Finally, you should have a go-to friend in case you run out of ice or food that can make a jaunt to the store to pick up more.
Article Found: http://living.apartments.com/entertaining/hosting-an-apartment-warming-party/
Monday, March 7, 2011
MSU Project to Study How Air Pollution Affects Health
Could the air we breathe trigger chronic conditions like diabetes? Can it help make us fat?
Those questions are part of a five-year, $8-million research project at Michigan State University . It builds on previous research suggesting some pollutants increase blood pressure and blood sugar levels in laboratory animals -- the kinds of indicators associated with cardiovascular and metabolic disease and the warning signs of diseases such as diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Renters Thoughts on Apartment Crime
Recently, Apartments.com conducted a poll to current renters about their thoughts on crime prevention.
It’s really no surprise that 97% of the people that took the survey said that when they look for an apartment, crime rate plays a significant part in where they choose to live. By selecting apartment locations in perceived “safe” neighborhoods, renters are more likely to feel at ease in their homes.
According to the National Crime Prevention Council, the organization best known for McGruff the Crime Dog®, apartments are eighty-five percent more likely to be victimized by burglaries than other types of housing. The Apartments.com survey, however, revealed that 78% of renters feel extremely to moderately safe in their apartment and that being a victim of a violent personal attack is the number one crime concern to renters (37%) followed closely by theft/burglary (33%). Even though you may feel safe, you still need to practice vigilance and prevention to avoid becoming a victim of property theft or other crimes.
Most renters are proactive about protecting themselves and employ one or more measures to prevent crime in their apartment. Renters identified installing deadbolts (44%) as the most common protective measure in their apartments. Twenty-five percent arm themselves with mace or pepper spray and twenty-three percent use light timers.
The National Crime Prevention Council offers this safety checklist to avoid crime in apartment communities:
Inside the apartment: Renters should make sure that they have a deadbolt installed on entry doors. A wooden rod should be inserted in tracks and pins in the overhead frame of sliding doors to prevent them from being lifted out. Renters should know exactly who has copies of entry keys, if your landlord will not, or can not, tell you who has copies of keys, you can request that your locks be re-keyed. Around the building: Renters should be comfortable with speaking to the landlord or building manager if there are suspicious persons on the property. Building managers should keep mailboxes, garbage receptacles, laundries, walkways, entrances, elevators, hallways, stairways and other public areas well lit.
Get to know the neighbors: Renters and building managers are encouraged to join or organize an apartment or neighborhood watch group. Building management and renters should work together to identify and solve potential crime hazards such as proper lighting and suspicious persons.
Apartment communities are also mindful of creating a safe environment for their residents. Fifty-nine percent of renters state that their management company/landlord has installed deadbolts or other heavy duty locks on apartment doors, twenty-five percent of renters live in gated communities and twenty-one percent live in communities where there is an organized neighborhood watch program. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, 20 million people participate in Neighborhood Watch programs in the United States. If you live in an apartment building that does not currently have a Neighborhood Watch program, speak up! Talk to your landlord and other tenants about starting one today. For more information on how to start a Neighborhood Watch program, visit the National Crime Prevention Council website at http://www.ncpc.org.
Article Found: http://living.apartments.com/safety/what-renters-think-about-apartment-crime/
Thursday, March 3, 2011
How to Find the Perfect Roommate
Step 1: Choose a gender
Determine whether you want a male or female roommate, and how either will affect your lifestyle.
Step 2: Decide on an age range
Decide the age group a roommate would belong to in order to be compatible with your current lifestyle and life preferences.
Step 3: Consider personality
Decide on a personality type that will work for you, such as laid back and reserved or social and independent. Know what you can tolerate, and don’t settle for candidates who don’t fit the profile.
Step 4: Social habits
Establish drinking and smoking requirements. Decide whether you can accept a roommate who drinks or smokes, and to what extent you can tolerate these habits. Aim for tolerable – nobody is perfect.
Step 5: Ask around
Put out the word through friends and acquaintances that you are looking for a roommate.
Step 6: Advertise
Place classified ads in local papers, on community boards, and on the web. Use paper and markers to make fliers and hang them in local establishments
Article Fouund: http://www.howcast.com/videos/241326-How-To-Find-the-Perfect-Roommate
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Hope This Never Happens: How to Tell Your Parents You Flunked Out of School
Step 1: Prepare them
Prepare them for the news by hinting that an earth-shattering tragedy has befallen you. Encourage them to think along the lines of incurable diseases.
Make sure they hear the news from you—not the dean of students.
Step 2: Reframe events
Reframe recent events in such a way that it seems that the college is failing you rather than the other way around.
Step 3: Give perspective
Scour news sources for a world disaster of epic proportions. Remind your parents of the importance of perspective—your failing grades are but an insignificant blip compared with people dying or losing everything as a result of the catastrophe.
Step 4: Give statistics
If the situation is really dire—you’re in danger of being kicked out—tell them that the Foundation of Economic Trends recently concluded that more than 35% of college graduates take jobs that do not require college degree.
Article Found: http://www.howcast.com/videos/217124-How-To-Tell-Your-Parents-Youre-Flunking-Out
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