Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/JC_House/statuses/53613726854688768
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The Art of Handling Criticism Gracefully
Conventional people are roused to fury by departure from convention, largely because they regard such departure as a criticism of themselves.' ~Bertrand Russell
Post written by Leo Babauta.
If you're going to do anything interesting in the world, criticism is an unavoidable fact.
You'll be criticized, because you'll make mistakes, because some will be jealous, because people have opinions about anything interesting, because people want to help you, because some want to drag down those doing anything different.
The trick to navigating the icebergs of criticism is to figure out which are helpful, and steer clear of those that aren't.
And above all, do it with grace.
Criticism on Zen Habits
Once Zen Habits started to take off I had 26K subscribers at the end of my first year in 2007 I received all kinds of criticism. Many of them were from new readers, who were mostly incredibly positive and encouraging, but who sometimes would leave scathing comments on a post.
I learned a tactic that worked extremely well. If a comment was mean, I'd take a minute to calm myself down, and then ask, "Does this person have a point (despite their rude tone)?"
Then I would respond and thank the commenter for his criticism. I'd acknowledge their point without being defensive. I'd respond with my reasoning, if I felt I had a point, or if the critic was right I would agree and let them know I was going to change things. Either way, I was grateful for their criticism.
This had a startling effect: the commenter would often respond very positively. Thanking the commenter and acknowledging their point is disarming. People who leave rude comments don't expect you to listen to them, much less be grateful and empathetic. I had many of my critics become friends after doing that I've never seen a tactic have better results.
I'd also get criticism from other sites. My usual response has been to ask myself (again, after calming down), "Does this person have a point?" If they do, I'll see what I can do to change. If not, I'll move on.
I've learned that criticism is a fact of the game. I can respond with anger, or let it stop me from doing things, or I can let it help me. Or accept that it's there and move on. I choose the last two.
How Not To Handle Criticism
Criticism can bring you down if you let it. People get discouraged when faced with criticism, and just give up. That can be understandable, but why let the words of someone having a bad day (or month) stop you from doing something great? What would have happened if Shakespeare had stopped writing the first time an audience member jeered one of his lines? Or if Gandhi had given up just because the Brits weren't happy with his ways?
Often people will instead respond to criticism with anger. They'll lash out, attack, become defensive and aggressive.
If you haven't read this now-infamous comment thread for a review of an indie book, I highly recommend it. The review is fine, but the comments left by the author of the book are simply incredible. She's a train wreck that you can't look away from.
This is how not to respond to criticism. It was the worst way to react. If you're angry, you do not tell people to fuck off. You do not attack them, blame them for your mistakes, deny that you made any mistakes, and feed fuel to the fire by compounding your mistakes with more mistakes. It would be so much better just to stay silent.
Do Amazing Things
Don't let criticism stop you from doing anything. If someone tells you that your writing sucks, keep doing it. Make it better. Study people who do it well and rip them off, then make it your own and let your voice infuse what you do. Be great by being honest, by seeking the truth and telling that truth when no one else will.
Create amazing things. Contribute to the world, make the version of the world you want to see.
Go out and do something different. Don't do things just because everyone else does it. Here's a secret:
If you find yourself swimming along with all the other fishes, swim the other way. They don't know where they're going either.
Do something amazing, and share it with the world. Criticism can be necessary, but often it is just dragging down the people trying to do amazing things. Don't let it stop you.
How to Handle It Gracefully
Calm yourself down before responding. Always. Responding to a critic in anger is never, ever, ever a good idea. In case I didn't make that clear: don't ever ever ever respond in anger.
Ask yourself why the criticism was made. Is the person trying to help, to make things better, to help you avoid making mistakes, to suggest positive improvements? Is the person just in a cranky rude mood, having a bad day? Is the person just mean, or jealous? Is there good reason for the criticism?
Regardless of the motivation, ask yourself if there is validity in the criticism. Sometimes there really is, but instead of letting that get you down, let it help you improve. Admit that you're not perfect at what you do (though you are perfect), and that not everything you do is exactly right, and that you want to improve. I, for one, certainly make mistakes all the time and have a lot I can improve.
Thank the person offering the criticism. Sometimes they're coming from a place of wanting to help you. That takes courage, and is a very generous thing. Be grateful for that. Even when they're not trying to be helpful, they've taken the time to respond to you and trust me, getting a response is better than absolute silence. Provoking a reaction means you've done something interesting and for that, you should be thankful. Either way, thanking the critic will help lead to a positive exchange.
Respond rationally and calmly. Instead of being defensive, be honest. Share your reasons, acknowledge the other person's points if there's any validity, and come to a rational conclusion rather than jealously guarding your way of doing things.
Or stay silent. If you can't respond with grace, then just don't respond. Silence is a much better response than anger or defensiveness or quitting.
Carry on. You've responded gracefully, now get back to doing your amazing things.
Tweetness
Post written by Leo Babauta.
If you're going to do anything interesting in the world, criticism is an unavoidable fact.
You'll be criticized, because you'll make mistakes, because some will be jealous, because people have opinions about anything interesting, because people want to help you, because some want to drag down those doing anything different.
The trick to navigating the icebergs of criticism is to figure out which are helpful, and steer clear of those that aren't.
And above all, do it with grace.
Criticism on Zen Habits
Once Zen Habits started to take off I had 26K subscribers at the end of my first year in 2007 I received all kinds of criticism. Many of them were from new readers, who were mostly incredibly positive and encouraging, but who sometimes would leave scathing comments on a post.
I learned a tactic that worked extremely well. If a comment was mean, I'd take a minute to calm myself down, and then ask, "Does this person have a point (despite their rude tone)?"
Then I would respond and thank the commenter for his criticism. I'd acknowledge their point without being defensive. I'd respond with my reasoning, if I felt I had a point, or if the critic was right I would agree and let them know I was going to change things. Either way, I was grateful for their criticism.
This had a startling effect: the commenter would often respond very positively. Thanking the commenter and acknowledging their point is disarming. People who leave rude comments don't expect you to listen to them, much less be grateful and empathetic. I had many of my critics become friends after doing that I've never seen a tactic have better results.
I'd also get criticism from other sites. My usual response has been to ask myself (again, after calming down), "Does this person have a point?" If they do, I'll see what I can do to change. If not, I'll move on.
I've learned that criticism is a fact of the game. I can respond with anger, or let it stop me from doing things, or I can let it help me. Or accept that it's there and move on. I choose the last two.
How Not To Handle Criticism
Criticism can bring you down if you let it. People get discouraged when faced with criticism, and just give up. That can be understandable, but why let the words of someone having a bad day (or month) stop you from doing something great? What would have happened if Shakespeare had stopped writing the first time an audience member jeered one of his lines? Or if Gandhi had given up just because the Brits weren't happy with his ways?
Often people will instead respond to criticism with anger. They'll lash out, attack, become defensive and aggressive.
If you haven't read this now-infamous comment thread for a review of an indie book, I highly recommend it. The review is fine, but the comments left by the author of the book are simply incredible. She's a train wreck that you can't look away from.
This is how not to respond to criticism. It was the worst way to react. If you're angry, you do not tell people to fuck off. You do not attack them, blame them for your mistakes, deny that you made any mistakes, and feed fuel to the fire by compounding your mistakes with more mistakes. It would be so much better just to stay silent.
Do Amazing Things
Don't let criticism stop you from doing anything. If someone tells you that your writing sucks, keep doing it. Make it better. Study people who do it well and rip them off, then make it your own and let your voice infuse what you do. Be great by being honest, by seeking the truth and telling that truth when no one else will.
Create amazing things. Contribute to the world, make the version of the world you want to see.
Go out and do something different. Don't do things just because everyone else does it. Here's a secret:
If you find yourself swimming along with all the other fishes, swim the other way. They don't know where they're going either.
Do something amazing, and share it with the world. Criticism can be necessary, but often it is just dragging down the people trying to do amazing things. Don't let it stop you.
How to Handle It Gracefully
Calm yourself down before responding. Always. Responding to a critic in anger is never, ever, ever a good idea. In case I didn't make that clear: don't ever ever ever respond in anger.
Ask yourself why the criticism was made. Is the person trying to help, to make things better, to help you avoid making mistakes, to suggest positive improvements? Is the person just in a cranky rude mood, having a bad day? Is the person just mean, or jealous? Is there good reason for the criticism?
Regardless of the motivation, ask yourself if there is validity in the criticism. Sometimes there really is, but instead of letting that get you down, let it help you improve. Admit that you're not perfect at what you do (though you are perfect), and that not everything you do is exactly right, and that you want to improve. I, for one, certainly make mistakes all the time and have a lot I can improve.
Thank the person offering the criticism. Sometimes they're coming from a place of wanting to help you. That takes courage, and is a very generous thing. Be grateful for that. Even when they're not trying to be helpful, they've taken the time to respond to you and trust me, getting a response is better than absolute silence. Provoking a reaction means you've done something interesting and for that, you should be thankful. Either way, thanking the critic will help lead to a positive exchange.
Respond rationally and calmly. Instead of being defensive, be honest. Share your reasons, acknowledge the other person's points if there's any validity, and come to a rational conclusion rather than jealously guarding your way of doing things.
Or stay silent. If you can't respond with grace, then just don't respond. Silence is a much better response than anger or defensiveness or quitting.
Carry on. You've responded gracefully, now get back to doing your amazing things.
Tweetness
Jean Shinoda Bolen
"I think people don't place a high enough value on how much they are nurtured by doing whatever it is that totally absorbs them."
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Movie Event this Fri., 4.1.11, and Change of Meeting Site for Parent Support Group, Tuesday, 4.12.11
From :holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us
Date :Mon Mar 28 10:10:45
Hello Parents and Professionals,
Join our community in celebrating Autism Awareness Month by attending the Kern Autism Network's Educational Movie Event this Friday, 4.1.11, at 6pm in the Stockdale High School Theatre. This is a FREE family event. Stockdale High is located at 2800 Buena Vista Rd., at the intersection of Buena Vista and White Lane.
Secondly, our upcoming High Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome Parent Support Group meeting will be at the Stockdale High School Library on the SECOND Tuesday of April on 4.12.11. Please see attached. Only April's meeting location has changed. All future meetings will be at our usual site in downtown Bakersfield at the KCSOS Bldg. When you join us in April, there is parking available in a lot on Buena Vista Rd., near the corner of White Lane. There is also parking available in a lot on White Lane, near the corner of Buena vista Rd.
This is a very unique meeting in that we will have an adult professional from our community who has Asperger Syndrome speaking. He spoke to our support group last year and it was extremely well-received. Junior high and older students are welcome to attend with you. This person is very articulate and offers unique insights.
Please RSVP by email. I do hope there will be a large turnout like last year and a "heads up" is most appreciated. Hope to see you this Friday at the movie and in two weeks for our wonderful presenter.
Again please note that our support group meeting is on the SECOND Tuesday of the month due to the upcoming holiday schedule and the one time change of location for the meeting. See attached.
Holley Arbeit
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kern High School District
Stockdale High School
Room 606
2800 Buena Vista Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
O: 661.665.2800
Fax: 661.665.0914
Intradistrict: 62068
Kern Autism Network activities, not affiliated with Kern High School District
Date :Mon Mar 28 10:10:45
Hello Parents and Professionals,
Join our community in celebrating Autism Awareness Month by attending the Kern Autism Network's Educational Movie Event this Friday, 4.1.11, at 6pm in the Stockdale High School Theatre. This is a FREE family event. Stockdale High is located at 2800 Buena Vista Rd., at the intersection of Buena Vista and White Lane.
Secondly, our upcoming High Functioning Autism/Asperger Syndrome Parent Support Group meeting will be at the Stockdale High School Library on the SECOND Tuesday of April on 4.12.11. Please see attached. Only April's meeting location has changed. All future meetings will be at our usual site in downtown Bakersfield at the KCSOS Bldg. When you join us in April, there is parking available in a lot on Buena Vista Rd., near the corner of White Lane. There is also parking available in a lot on White Lane, near the corner of Buena vista Rd.
This is a very unique meeting in that we will have an adult professional from our community who has Asperger Syndrome speaking. He spoke to our support group last year and it was extremely well-received. Junior high and older students are welcome to attend with you. This person is very articulate and offers unique insights.
Please RSVP by email. I do hope there will be a large turnout like last year and a "heads up" is most appreciated. Hope to see you this Friday at the movie and in two weeks for our wonderful presenter.
Again please note that our support group meeting is on the SECOND Tuesday of the month due to the upcoming holiday schedule and the one time change of location for the meeting. See attached.
Holley Arbeit
Speech-Language Pathologist
Kern High School District
Stockdale High School
Room 606
2800 Buena Vista Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
O: 661.665.2800
Fax: 661.665.0914
Intradistrict: 62068
Kern Autism Network activities, not affiliated with Kern High School District
April is Autism Awareness Month-Activites
From Kern Autism Network:
Reply-To: kernautism@gmail.com
Event: Autism Awareness Month of Activites
Date: Kick off of Events to start Friday, April 1st and end April 30th
For more information click here:
http://www.kernautism.org
Dear Friends of Kern Autism Network, April is Autism Awareness Month! Please join us as we celebrate with our kick off event this coming Friday, April 1st, with an Educational Autism Awareness Film at Stockdale High School-3800 Buena Vista Road.
Admission is FREE and a Raffle basket will be given to one lucky family. Autism Awareness merchandise will be sold as well.
This event will be followed by Saturday, Father's Support Group and El Torito Fundraiser. Throughout the month, other events will occur and can be found on our website at
www.kernautism.org
Please come support our events in honor of Autism Awareness Month!
Best Regards-
Kern Autism Network
Autism Society Chapter
Reply-To: kernautism@gmail.com
Event: Autism Awareness Month of Activites
Date: Kick off of Events to start Friday, April 1st and end April 30th
For more information click here:
http://www.kernautism.org
Dear Friends of Kern Autism Network, April is Autism Awareness Month! Please join us as we celebrate with our kick off event this coming Friday, April 1st, with an Educational Autism Awareness Film at Stockdale High School-3800 Buena Vista Road.
Admission is FREE and a Raffle basket will be given to one lucky family. Autism Awareness merchandise will be sold as well.
This event will be followed by Saturday, Father's Support Group and El Torito Fundraiser. Throughout the month, other events will occur and can be found on our website at
www.kernautism.org
Please come support our events in honor of Autism Awareness Month!
Best Regards-
Kern Autism Network
Autism Society Chapter
Fiverr: A $5 Marketplace For Anyone Looking For A Service
Imagine you've got a photo of yourself or a friend which you really like, but you know it could be made perfect with just a little Photoshop magic. Except you don't really know much about retouching photos yourself so you're a little stuck. What you really need is a friend or helper who can just do it for you, maybe in return for a few drinks. How will you find that person? Well, these days we have Fiverr.
Instead of hassling your friends, you can browse Fiverr to find someone offering the right sort of services. You can even check out examples of their work and ratings from previous customers before you ask them to do the job. And when you make the deal, you're only promising $5. It's only as risky as asking a friend to do you a favour and promising a few drinks in return. How's that for a great idea?
What's Fiverr?
In short, Fiverr is a marketplace, connecting people who have skills they'd like to sell for $5 with people who want small things done for $5. The $5 price point is crucial and leads to some fascinating offers.
Sign-up is quick, directly through Fiverr or even quicker with a Facebook login.
What Do People Sell for $5?
On Fiverr, there are people selling Photoshop skills, offering to draw pictures for you, offering to post postcards from a particular country, offering virtual assistant duties, posting special family recipes, singing happy birthday, offering critiques of websites, giving tourist advice of their local area, songwriting, giving industry advice, writing your name in Chinese calligraphy or elvish, taking photos of messages in coffee froth, proofreading and all sorts of other random offers.
Browse by popularity, rating or the type of service and you'll get a feel for the variety of skills available on Fiverr. The ideas are wild and varied — some of them are so unexpected! Browse away and you'll find yourself thinking "Hey, that would be cool. Yeah, I'd pay $5 for that!".
If you do want to buy someone's services, Fiverr links into PayPal to make payments simple.
What If No-One Offers The Skill I Want?
If no-one's offering the service you're after specifically, you can also advertise as a buyer in need of that service. To do this, look for "Request Gigs" in the right-hand column. Say what you'd like done for $5 and see if anyone takes you up on your offer.
What Could You Sell For $5?
As you've seen, there are many possibilities as to what you can sell through Fiverr. What is clear though, is that people selling their skills must quantify exactly what they will do. For example, "I will proofread one essay under 2,000 words within three days". If you don't specify how long the essay, how many essays you will proofread or how long you will take, things will get confusing for the buyer. Also be careful if you're offering to post things — think of how much it would cost to post worldwide before you offer!
It seems as if some sellers are trying to undercut others by offering to do an incredible amount of work for their $5 fee. That sort of thing happens everywhere — just don't buckle to the pressure if you think you're worth more (which you are). Browse the site thoroughly as there are some very imaginative offers out there which would be quite useful for the buyer and yet easy for the seller to do. Let them inspire you into profitable ventures.
At the top of most pages in Fiverr is a box where you can offer your services for $5. Start there and it will allow you to add more details in the next page, including specifics and an example picture. They also make it easy for you to share your Fiverr service offers with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or elsewhere.
What Else Might You Use?
Obviously, Fiverr isn't the only online marketplace for services in the world. There are many other ways you could solicit services or offer your services for hire online. The Facebook Marketplace is one of the simpler examples, followed by Craigslist. Any freelancing marketplace shows some similarity to Fiverr, eg. PeoplePerHour or MicroWorkers. Also worth considering are the other tools listed in this article on how teens can make money online.
Despite all these similar market options, Fiverr still has a unique selling point - that is, the $5 price tag. This encourages both the buyers and sellers because it's an appealing amount.
What is the best service you've seen on Fiverr? Have you found it easy to use? What do you sell through Fiverr? Let us know in the comments!
---------------
Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don't forget to share our articles with others! It's really important to us.
---------------
More articles about: buy & sell, job search, marketing, skills
Instead of hassling your friends, you can browse Fiverr to find someone offering the right sort of services. You can even check out examples of their work and ratings from previous customers before you ask them to do the job. And when you make the deal, you're only promising $5. It's only as risky as asking a friend to do you a favour and promising a few drinks in return. How's that for a great idea?
What's Fiverr?
In short, Fiverr is a marketplace, connecting people who have skills they'd like to sell for $5 with people who want small things done for $5. The $5 price point is crucial and leads to some fascinating offers.
Sign-up is quick, directly through Fiverr or even quicker with a Facebook login.
What Do People Sell for $5?
On Fiverr, there are people selling Photoshop skills, offering to draw pictures for you, offering to post postcards from a particular country, offering virtual assistant duties, posting special family recipes, singing happy birthday, offering critiques of websites, giving tourist advice of their local area, songwriting, giving industry advice, writing your name in Chinese calligraphy or elvish, taking photos of messages in coffee froth, proofreading and all sorts of other random offers.
Browse by popularity, rating or the type of service and you'll get a feel for the variety of skills available on Fiverr. The ideas are wild and varied — some of them are so unexpected! Browse away and you'll find yourself thinking "Hey, that would be cool. Yeah, I'd pay $5 for that!".
If you do want to buy someone's services, Fiverr links into PayPal to make payments simple.
What If No-One Offers The Skill I Want?
If no-one's offering the service you're after specifically, you can also advertise as a buyer in need of that service. To do this, look for "Request Gigs" in the right-hand column. Say what you'd like done for $5 and see if anyone takes you up on your offer.
What Could You Sell For $5?
As you've seen, there are many possibilities as to what you can sell through Fiverr. What is clear though, is that people selling their skills must quantify exactly what they will do. For example, "I will proofread one essay under 2,000 words within three days". If you don't specify how long the essay, how many essays you will proofread or how long you will take, things will get confusing for the buyer. Also be careful if you're offering to post things — think of how much it would cost to post worldwide before you offer!
It seems as if some sellers are trying to undercut others by offering to do an incredible amount of work for their $5 fee. That sort of thing happens everywhere — just don't buckle to the pressure if you think you're worth more (which you are). Browse the site thoroughly as there are some very imaginative offers out there which would be quite useful for the buyer and yet easy for the seller to do. Let them inspire you into profitable ventures.
At the top of most pages in Fiverr is a box where you can offer your services for $5. Start there and it will allow you to add more details in the next page, including specifics and an example picture. They also make it easy for you to share your Fiverr service offers with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or elsewhere.
What Else Might You Use?
Obviously, Fiverr isn't the only online marketplace for services in the world. There are many other ways you could solicit services or offer your services for hire online. The Facebook Marketplace is one of the simpler examples, followed by Craigslist. Any freelancing marketplace shows some similarity to Fiverr, eg. PeoplePerHour or MicroWorkers. Also worth considering are the other tools listed in this article on how teens can make money online.
Despite all these similar market options, Fiverr still has a unique selling point - that is, the $5 price tag. This encourages both the buyers and sellers because it's an appealing amount.
What is the best service you've seen on Fiverr? Have you found it easy to use? What do you sell through Fiverr? Let us know in the comments!
---------------
Do you like MakeUseOf articles? Don't forget to share our articles with others! It's really important to us.
---------------
More articles about: buy & sell, job search, marketing, skills
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Alec Bourne
"It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated."
Thursday, March 17, 2011
@Inspire_Us
@Inspire_Us: When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, educate people. -Chinese Proverbs
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspire_Us/statuses/48511214589972481
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Banana Peels Remove Heavy Metals from Water
Seriously, who would have thought .... ?
-JB
-----------------------
An experiment shows how banana peels can be useful for other things besides slapstick comedy. They can also clean up dissolved metals left in water by industrial waste -better than other organic materials, and they are a safer alternative to chemicals currently used.
For the study, Castro and his team dried and ground banana peels, then combined them in flasks of water with known concentrations of metals. They also built water filters out of peels and pushed water through them.
In both scenarios, "the metal was removed from the water and remained bonded to the banana peels," Castro said, adding that the extraction capacity of banana peels exceeded that of other materials used to remove heavy metals.
Link -via Look at This
(Image credit: Christina DiPaola)
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/03/16/banana-peels-remove-heavy-metals-from-water/
--
This article was sent using my Viigo.
For a free download, go to http://getviigo.com
Updated imagery from the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
For the latest NASA imagery showing the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, please visit the Natural Hazards section of the Earth Observatory.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/event.php?id=49622&src=eorss-ann
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
ADHD May Boost Creativity in Adults
An attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis can make many aspects of learning more challenging for children and teens, but some adults with ADHD show signs of enhanced creativity, a study suggests.
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/news/20110315/adhd-may-boost-creativity-in-adults?src=RSS_PUBLIC
Monday, March 14, 2011
@CalgaryBBB
@CalgaryBBB: Scam charities pop up after disasters. Research and pick a charity with long and trustworthy track record http://bit.ly/gDBvog #HelpJapan
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/CalgaryBBB/statuses/47530877642752000
Please register yourself at www.redcross.org/safeandwell.
I honestly was going to wait until there were no disasters - no floods, no fires - to post this. I didn't want to seems to take advantage of the situation. But then the 8.9 earthquake hit Japan with 5.x aftershocks that literally won't quit. And just remember, Bio-Bio, Chile, was devastated months ago - and their 5.x aftershocks still have not stopped!
If you register at this site, you can post your location (when you can) in the event of a disaster. Family and friends can then use this site as a central place to check up on your location and welfare. Please check the website for more.
-JB
-----------------------
Please register yourself at www.redcross.org/safeandwell.
http://twitter.com/safeandwell/statuses/24093952759
--
This article was sent using my Viigo.
For a free download, go to http://getviigo.com
>700 doctors & nurses are treating the injured to #helpJapan. More about their heroic work: http://rdcrss.org/idnQO9
>700 doctors & nurses are treating the injured to #helpJapan. More about their heroic work: http://rdcrss.org/idnQO9
Pat Paulsen
"Assuming either the Left Wing or the Right Wing gained control of the country, it would probably fly around in circles."
Flooding from Tsunami near Sendai, Japan
First shots - satellite
-----------------------
The Japanese coastline near Sendai is flooded in this false-color image, taken March 12, 2011, nearly a day after a earthquake-generated tsunami inundated the coast.
-----------------------
The Japanese coastline near Sendai is flooded in this false-color image, taken March 12, 2011, nearly a day after a earthquake-generated tsunami inundated the coast.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=49630&src=eorss-iotd
Tsunami flooding near Sendai, Japan
Skies over northeastern Japan were entirely cloud-free on March 13, 2011, providing a clear view of tsunami flooding along the coastline.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=49634&src=eorss-nh
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Los Angeles Fire Department Preparedness Booklet
@IdeaGov: RT @LAFDtalk: Ready for an #earthquake or other #disaster? Take a look at http://bit.ly/LAFD-emergency-preparedness-booklet
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/IdeaGov/statuses/46630103567970304
People have one thing in common:
@GiggleFlower: People have one thing in common: they are all different.
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/GiggleFlower/statuses/46626511884779521
Friday, March 11, 2011
Do you know of a church that is holding a prayer service or vigil for the victims of Japan's earthquake?
Eyewitness News - BakersfieldNow
Do you know of a church that is holding a prayer service or vigil for the victims of Japan's earthquake? Let us know.
Do you know of a church that is holding a prayer service or vigil for the victims of Japan's earthquake? Let us know.
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=91093559934&story_fbid=91093559934_10150155359699935
Facebook page for the Japan earthquake
Eyewitness News - BakersfieldNow
Here's a Facebook page for the Japan earthquake set up by an Australian news agency. Japan Earthquake
Here's a Facebook page for the Japan earthquake set up by an Australian news agency. Japan Earthquake
http://www.facebook.com/JapanEarthquake
Facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/minifeed.php?id=91093559934&story_fbid=91093559934_116127438464526
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Friedrich Nietzsche
"Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
President Obama Fights Bullying on Facebook
U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle popped up on Facebook to deliver a message about cyber-bullying. The video, exclusive to Facebook, serves as a promo and curtain-raiser for the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention, which takes place Thursday.
Facebook isn't just the messenger, it will take an active role in the summit, along with the Department of Education, the Department of Health, and concerned students, parents and teachers. Facebook will host a Facebook DC Live event at 12:20 p.m. ET.
The live conversation will tackle how we can make the Internet safer and how to promote a shared sense of digital citizenship. It will take place across several pages on Facebook and include big-wigs from Facebook Security, MTV and the White House Office of Public Engagement.
In the video, President Obama jokes about not bugging the viewer for a friend request but instead bringing to light the upcoming conference. "This isn't an issue that makes headlines every day, but it affects every single young person in our country," he says in the video.
The topic also hits a personal note as Michelle Obama mentions their own daughters. Bullying used to be considered a part of growing up, but President Obama refers to the reach of cyber-bullying that can exist between school, your phone and your home life.
Cyber-bullying has been of growing concern to both the White House and Facebook. Facebook has put renewed resources into stopping online bullying, including by creating a Safety Page and Safety Center, while the White House has created its own portal, StopBullying.gov.
This isn't the first video President Obama has made addressing the dangers of bullying. In October, he created a YouTube video in support of "It Gets Better" to address bullying directed at homosexual youth.
It's easy to shrug off cyber-bullying the same way that name-calling often registers below physical violence. However, it can be just as painful and even more dangerous. More and more people, especially youths, are putting their lives online, and cyber-bullying is becoming harder and harder to ignore.
"Out of 15 million children's IM accounts analyzed we found that 5.6 million children received cyber bullying messages," said Adam Hildreth, founder and CEO of Crisp Thinking, a digital watchdog agency concerned with behavioral analysis and Internet safety. That estimate might even be conservative, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. It claims cyber-bullying affects almost half of all American teens; 19,000 attempted suicides occur each year in the U.S. because of cyber-bullying, according to the Cyber-bullying Research Center.
What do you think of using the Internet to fight cyber-bullying? What do you make of the White House and Facebook joining the fight? Let us know in the comments below.
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Facebook isn't just the messenger, it will take an active role in the summit, along with the Department of Education, the Department of Health, and concerned students, parents and teachers. Facebook will host a Facebook DC Live event at 12:20 p.m. ET.
The live conversation will tackle how we can make the Internet safer and how to promote a shared sense of digital citizenship. It will take place across several pages on Facebook and include big-wigs from Facebook Security, MTV and the White House Office of Public Engagement.
In the video, President Obama jokes about not bugging the viewer for a friend request but instead bringing to light the upcoming conference. "This isn't an issue that makes headlines every day, but it affects every single young person in our country," he says in the video.
The topic also hits a personal note as Michelle Obama mentions their own daughters. Bullying used to be considered a part of growing up, but President Obama refers to the reach of cyber-bullying that can exist between school, your phone and your home life.
Cyber-bullying has been of growing concern to both the White House and Facebook. Facebook has put renewed resources into stopping online bullying, including by creating a Safety Page and Safety Center, while the White House has created its own portal, StopBullying.gov.
This isn't the first video President Obama has made addressing the dangers of bullying. In October, he created a YouTube video in support of "It Gets Better" to address bullying directed at homosexual youth.
It's easy to shrug off cyber-bullying the same way that name-calling often registers below physical violence. However, it can be just as painful and even more dangerous. More and more people, especially youths, are putting their lives online, and cyber-bullying is becoming harder and harder to ignore.
"Out of 15 million children's IM accounts analyzed we found that 5.6 million children received cyber bullying messages," said Adam Hildreth, founder and CEO of Crisp Thinking, a digital watchdog agency concerned with behavioral analysis and Internet safety. That estimate might even be conservative, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. It claims cyber-bullying affects almost half of all American teens; 19,000 attempted suicides occur each year in the U.S. because of cyber-bullying, according to the Cyber-bullying Research Center.
What do you think of using the Internet to fight cyber-bullying? What do you make of the White House and Facebook joining the fight? Let us know in the comments below.
More About: barack obama, bullying, charity, cyber-bullying, michelle obama, non-profit, potus, President, president obama, social good
For more Social Good coverage:
Follow Mashable Social Good on Twitter
Become a Fan on Facebook
Subscribe to the Social Good channel
Download our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Signs Your Child Might Be Getting Bullied
@stopbullyingtb: Follow-Up to ' Signs Your Child Might Be Getting Bullied' #moms #dads http://tinyurl.com/2717r9x #parenting #kids
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/stopbullyingtb/statuses/45237075359969280
Inspired Quotes
@Inspire_Us: I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. -Nelson Mandela http://twitpic.com/30lrmt
Twitter Link: http://twitter.com/Inspire_Us/statuses/45234777837682688
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Ronald Reagan
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'"
Henry Miller
"Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself."
Anonymous
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
New York May Require License Plates For Bicycles
Ooooooooo-okay!?!
JB
-----------------------
New York is proposing a new bicycle law. They want all bikes to have license plates. Bicycle owners would pay $25 for the first year and then $5 each year after that.
The idea is not going over too well upstate.
"Collecting money from parents and from little kids - that would give us their allowance money to be able to ride their bicycle - to pay for a license plate . . . that's gone too far," says Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul.
Ed Reilly of WKBW ha more: Link
http://www.neatorama.com/2011/03/02/new-york-may-require-license-plates-for-bicycles/
Bakersfield College may impose unit limits to early registration
Bakersfield College is thinking about imposing a 14 unit limit during early registration.
Of course BC is trying to stop certain students from hogging all of the classes in early registration, dropping down to what they really want to carry.
Due to tight budgets, community colleges have fewer classes to offer. With "registered", "waiting list", and (unofficial name) "waiting to get on the waiting list", the old system of showing up hoping to get into class when people drop is ancient history. And with UC and CSU systems fees rising, more students are going to community colleges vying for those precious fewer classes.
If the proposal is implemented, there would be as much as 900 or more class positions available for students per semester. But if you or anyone you know is someone who takes 18 units ("to get this done and move on"), that may get a lot harder.
Aprocrypha
Pre-social network wisdom!
JB
-----------------------
"Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in a few words."
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Spring Break
Cartoon Crazy
April 18 - 22, 2011
Students grade 4 and 5 with Asperger's Syndrome, high functioning autism and
other social communication needs are invited to a 5-day workshop.
"Cartoon Crazy" will teach the art of cartoon drawing 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the
Bakersfield Museum of Art,
1930 R Street.
Award-winning artist Nicole Saint-John and her group of qualified
instructors will teach the basics of this popular art form as well as social
communication skills
and reading and writing skills.
The program costs $25, materials included.
Registration is limited and on a first-come-first-serve basis.
To register contact the Arts Council of Kern at 324.9000
This program is partially underwritten by a grant from
the Bakersfield Californian Foundation
____________________________________________________________
$65/Hr Job - 25 Openings
Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access
http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL3241/4d6d615632585329f1st06vuc
Asperger Syndrome/High Functioning Autism
Support Group
Who: Parents, Professionals or Other Caretakers
When: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
6 - 7:30pm
Where: Kern County Superintendent of Schools Bldg.
Room 1A, Main Floor
1300 17th St.
Bakersfield 93301
The building is on the northwest corner of 17th and L St.
Free parking available in the parking lot on 18th St., between K St. and L
St. Garage connects to KCSOS Bldg.
*
Why: "Take Away" Information: Emotional Compaction in Social Interactions
*
Parent Exchange of Successes and Frustrations
*
This is a free informational presentation.
*
KAN and KHSD are not endorsing the purchase or participation of these
services.
RSVP by email:
Holley Arbeit, Speech-Language Pathologist
661.665.2800 or 661.204.8531
<mailto:holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us> holley_arbeit@khsd.k12.ca.us
____________________________________________________________
$65/Hr Job - 25 Openings
Part-Time job ($20-$65/hr). Requirements: Home Internet Access
http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL3241/4d6d6121b0947121e0ast04vuc
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