Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Chatty Twins, $319 Million Mega Lottery Winners and Sweet Valley High

Rafiki: Did you see this video of the twins that was making the rounds today?

Red Jade: Are you talking about the twins chatting with each other? Hilarious! What could they be saying?

Rafiki: All day, I have been wondering what they were saying. The most fascinating thing was how they each took a turn to say something and how the other responded. It was definitely something really funny because they were both so tickled.

Red Jade: Too funny! At first it seemed like Twin 2 (next to the stove) did not understand Twin 1 who I assume is his brother (are they boys or girls?). Twin no 2 looked a bit clueless and Twin 1 was trying really hard to get his point across. Finally Twin 2 burst out laughing.

Rafiki: They were really cute. They looked like two boys but you never know since all they were wearing was diapers. They were absolutely adorable. Did you hear about the 7 coworkers who won the 319 million jackpot? It left me wondering if I should start playing the lottery. $2.00 per person does not seem that bad for a 19 million dollar return!

Red Jade: Yes, I did! Holy Molly! I believe none of them has been back to the office since they won. I would quit too if I won the lottery-but I guess I should start playing first. The group has been playing for a number of years.

Rafiki: My twisted mind thought that any IT people that are looking for jobs should consider Albany, New York.

Red Jade: Great idea! The "Albany 7" are not going back to their jobs. Who gave them that name? Sounds like a crime gang. Anyway, they also made a very public appearance while collecting their money. I am sure there are all kinds of people who have turned up claiming to be long lost relatives. If I won, I would not say a word to anyone. Then I would take the money, pay for a cruise around the world, bank the rest and take off for a year to think about what to do with the $$$.

Rafiki: I always think I would not say anything to anyone either and I would not want to spend the money immediately. I have seen a documentary on lottery winners and how their lives change after that and some of them really struggle with people that spring up.

Red Jade: Let's hope that does not happen to the "Albany 7". What else is going on out there in the world?

Rafiki: Sweet Valley High is coming back as an adult book. Did you ever read Sweet Valley High?

Red Jade: What? Who?

Rafiki: Sweet Valley High was a teen book series that many girls read. It was like Hardy boys which I loved. I wish they would bring them back as adults because they were my heroes. Sweet Valley High was more girlie and was about girls in high school.

Red Jade: I don't think I read that series. I was more into Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. So the girls of Sweet Valley High are all “grown up now”? Where are they? Have you ordered your advance copy?

Rafiki: I was not into Sweet Valley High but I read a few. I guess I just did not identify with the US high school life in my Kenyan boarding school. So no advance copy yet. It will probably be like “90210” and for someone who loves “Housewives of Atlanta”, that is too much drama for me. :)

Red Jade: Ha, ha. Tough choices there. I'll take the twins and leave the drama to you. Check them out one more time . . .


Introduction To The American Education System

The American education system is different from many other countries. Education is primarily the responsibility of state and local government, and so there is little standardization in the curriculum compared to other countries that have a national curriculum. 

The individual states have great control over what is taught in their schools and over the requirements that a student must meet, and they are also responsible for the funding of schooling through taxes. Therefore, there is wide variation regarding courses, subjects, and other activities which depends on where the school is located. The commonalties include; the division of the education system into three levels: elementary/primary education, secondary education, and postsecondary/higher education (college or university).



Formal schooling lasts 12 years, until around age 18. Compulsory schooling, though, ends by age 16 in most states; the remaining states require students to attend school until they are 17 or 18. All children in the United States have access to free public schools. Private schools (religious and non-sectarian) are available, but students must pay tuition to attend them. Approved home school programs are also an option. 

The first levels of the U.S. education system are organized as follows:

Structure

U.S. educators frequently use the terms K-12 education, and sometimes PK-12 education, to refer to all primary and secondary education from pre-school prior to the first year or grade through high school graduation. One of the following three models is used in any given school district:
  • Elementary school (K-5), middle school (6-8), high school (9-12);
  • Elementary school (K-6), junior high school (7-9), senior high school (9-12); or
  • Elementary school (K-8), high school (9-12).

Ø     The majority of U.S. children begin their education prior to entering regular school. Parents who send their children to pre-schools/nursery schools (age 2-4) and kindergartens (age 5-6) have to finance these institutions privately. Children learn the alphabet, colors, and other elementary basics. Government subsidies are available depending on income levels. 

Ø     U.S. children enter formal schooling around age 6. The first model is the most common one. Elementary students are typically in one classroom with the same teacher most of the day.

Ø     After elementary school, students proceed to middle school, where they usually move from class to class each period, with a new teacher and a new mixture of students in every class. Students can select from a wide range of  academic classes and elective classes.

Ø     In high school, students in their first year are called freshman, in their second year sophomore, in their third year junior, and in their last and fourth year senior.
There is an even greater variety of subjects than before. Students must earn a certain number of  credits (which they get for a successfully completed course) in order to graduate and be awarded with a High School Diploma – there is no final examination like in many other countries. 


The credits required and assortment of classes necessary depend on the school district and on the kind of diploma desired. Students can enroll in postsecondary education once they have a high school diploma or its equivalent. It is important to know that colleges and universities sometimes require certain high school credits or tests (e.g. SAT) for admission, and students must plan their high school career with those requirements in mind.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Latest Music From Africa!

I am working late today and the only thing keeping me going is this ChopChop Supermix, a fantastic compilation of African sounds, both classic and contemporary pop music. The mix is by DJ Zhao and it is available through Akwaaba Music.

Time was when it was difficult to find African music from countries other than your own (if you lived in Africa, that is). Now, thanks to the internet and to producers like Akwaaba, African contemporary pop music is very accessible. Akwaaba is devoted to the cause of producing, supporting and popularizing African music and the artists that make that music. To get plugged in, check out www.akwaabamusic.com. Happy Listening!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

2011 “I Am An Entrepreneur” Photo Competition



Website: http://www.sevenfund.org/entrepreneur-image/
About: This competition recognizes the outstanding use of photography to tell compelling stories of role model entrepreneurs from around the world.The objective with this competition is to gather stunning photographs profiling individual entrepreneurs from around the globe.
Participants: Anyone is welcome to participate in this competition.
Award: The competition will award twelve (12) prizes, one per month, over a period of one year. Each month, one finalist will be selected and will receive a prize of $100. The grand prize winner (selected from among the 12 finalist photographs) will receive $1,000 at the end of the year.
Application deadline: Rolling deadline every month

Click here to join the competition. 

Monday, March 28, 2011

Looking For A New Job?

I came across this article that suggests a different approach to the job search. Instead of focusing on the "title" of the job, create a list of the things you want to get out of the job.

Patricia Noel Drain, the author of the article, had 7 things she wanted from any new job. The list included flexible work hours, use of her communication skills and a short commute.

She interviewed for several jobs in different industries including the resort industry and the real estate industry. After each interview she would evaluate the job to see if it offered the 7 things she was looking for.

With this approach, she was able to eliminate job after job until she found one as a "salesperson at an executive recruiting firm". She knew the job would be a good fit for her because it offered her 6 of the 7 things she was looking for.

I think this approach can work for other life situations such as: moving to a new city, choosing a partner, and deciding what college to attend.

If you are not sure what your next move should be, read the article and do the exercise. You will find clarity of thought that will help you re-focus your efforts in a way that will bring you closer to the success you are looking for.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

8 Myths and Facts About Immigration

With the immigration debate raging in the US and other countries around the world, it is difficult to tell what is true and what is not. Here are 8 interesting myths and facts that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has come up with.


MYTH: Immigrants are a drain on our social services.
FACT: By paying taxes and Social Security, immigrants contribute far more to government coffers than they use in social services.


 MYTH: Immigrants have a negative impact on the economy and the wages of citizens and take jobs away from citizens.
FACT: Immigration has a positive effect on the American economy as a whole and on the income of native-born workers.


MYTH: Immigrants—particularly Latino immigrants—don't want to learn English.
FACT: Immigrants, including Latino immigrants, believe they need to learn English in order to succeed in the United States, and the majority uses at least some English at work.


MYTH: Immigrants don't want to become citizens.
FACT: Many immigrants to the United States seek citizenship, even in the face of difficult requirements and huge backlogs that can delay the process for years.


MYTH: Immigrants don't pay taxes.
FACT: Almost all immigrants pay income taxes even though they can't benefit from most federal and state local assistance programs and all immigrants pay sales and property taxes.


 MYTH: Immigrants send all their money back to their home countries instead of spending money here.
FACT: Immigrants do send money to family members, making it possible for more people to stay in their home countries rather than migrating to the United States. Importantly, sending remittances home does not keep immigrants from spending money in the United States.


MYTH: Immigrants bring crime to our cities and towns.
FACT: Immigrants are actually far less likely to commit crimes than their native-born counterparts. Even as the undocumented population has increased in the United States, crime rates have decreased significantly.


MYTH: Most immigrants are undocumented and have crossed the border illegally.
FACT: Two thirds of immigrants are here lawfully—either as naturalized citizens or in some other lawful status. Moreover, almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States legally.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

What I Learned From My Insurance Claim - Part 2

In my earlier post on Wednesday, I talked about my experience with the insurance company and what to do if you have damage to your property. If you missed the post, you can read it here.

Today, I will wrap up the insurance saga which exposed how little I know about insurance policies and claims. After you file a claim, the insurance company will send an insurance claim adjustor to your house to assess the damage, both the extent of the damage and the cause of the damage.

In our case, because of the water damage, the adjustor also offered the services of a company that does moisture clean up and restoration, which we accepted. Those guys swooped in and quickly tore up the walls and floors to place heaters and humidifiers and dry the house out. It took them several days before they declared that the house was safe with no trace of the scary mold stuff.

Meanwhile, the adjuster wrote up the claim and submitted it to the insurance company with the caveat, “the insurance company could approve or deny my estimates”, i.e. he was just the messenger.

While trying to plan the next move, we waited anxiously to hear from the insurance company regarding the amount they would pay for the claim. After a couple of weeks we received a letter stating “. . . because the policy provided coverage for “Replacement Cost Value” they would pay the claim less the deductible plus less the “depreciation” for all items marked for replacement.” What?

I had never heard of this “depreciation concept”. What exactly did it mean? Why, was this not mentioned when we filed the claim a few weeks before? Our insurance claims agent was not very helpful in explaining any of this to us. Not wanting to annoy her (since she was the one writing the check) we looked elsewhere for answers.

Well, apparently most policies are written this way - it’s in the fine print. And, this is how it works. If there are any items that the adjustor declares should be replaced, the insurance company will consider the age of the items in determining how much they will pay you upfront.

Remember the policy is a “Replacement Cost Value” policy. So if an old carpet is damaged, it means that the insurance company will try and assess the value of that old carpet and pay you for the value of that old carpet. They don’t want to pay you YET for a new carpet because that would be worth more than the old carpet that you owned. After all, you could decide not to replace the carpet at all.

If you actually replace the old, damaged carpet with new carpet and you want to be reimbursed for it, you have to show proof of replacement before they can pay you the “withheld depreciation”.

On the face of it, it makes sense. However, since we did intend to replace the damaged items, it meant a trip back to the now drained piggy bank to calculate if we could afford to make all the repairs, without the full check upfront. Not a pretty place to be. Once the repairs are completed and the paperwork submitted to the insurance folks, we trust that we will get the “withheld depreciation”.

What have I learned? Here’s my 2 cents:

  1. Review all your insurance policies.
  2. Study the fine print.
  3. Understand the amount and type of coverage you have.
  4. Understand the exclusions.
  5. Determine the amount that you would have to pay in order to fully resolve a claim.
  6. Determine if you need extra insurance to cover any gaps in your current insurance.
  7. Shop around for lower rates and more generous replacement policies.

Then feed the piggy bank for a rainy day, and cross your fingers that it doesn’t rain.