Two of the federal agents working to shut down the former underground market known as “Silk Road” have been charged with stealing or otherwise illicitly handling bitcoins during the investigation. The Department of Justice released a copy of the criminal complaint today, which says that both former DEA agent Carl Mark Force IV and former Secret Service agent Shaun Bridges … Continue reading
Amazon is dreaming of a world where its drones deliver products, and the FAA is publicly cringing at the prospect. The FAA did get around to granting Amazon an element of permission for testing its drones, but it was a matter of too little too late. Amazon isn’t waiting for the FAA to speed things up, and has instead simply … Continue reading
While Ross Ulbricht was found guilty for creating and running the online black market known as Silk Road, it seems that a couple of Federal agents assigned to the case weren’t so innocent either. The US Justice Department has just charged two former …
If you’ve been wondering when Microsoft would finally roll its brand new Project Spartan web browser into a version of Windows 10 you can try, wonder no longer. The Redmond crew has released a preview build of the operating system (10049) that includ…
Flipping between your multiple email accounts in Gmail has always been a bit of a pain, especially on mobile devices but that changes today with the release of Google’s new “All Inboxes” option for Gmail’s Android app. It does exactly what it sounds …
We toss the word “disruption” around far to frivolously here but I think we’ve finally found a product that deserves to be called amazing, magical, game-changing, and – dare I say it? – disruptive. It is an Easy Cheese 3D printer, four words that have never been brought together in the English language yet that are so important to the future of mankind. What are… Read More
Celebrity sibling rivalries can get INTENSE.
This post originally appeared on College Advice, and has been edited below for ease.
To a very small subset of our population, March is seen as a joyous month, filled with blooming flowers and a new bright, yellow-filled wardrobe. But that lucky cohort doesn’t have to face college application notification letters. Namely, Ivy Day.
On March 31st, the Ivy Leagues announce their decisions for students interested in attending their fine institutions. Under the legislation of the Common Date, all Ivy institutions are forbidden from announcing Regular Decision applicant’s status until the common date, typically in late March (Dartmouth Admissions).
I remember rushing home, nearly breaking the screen of my laptop to check my email before even taking off my backpack. At first, there were no messages, so I incessantly refreshed until — at 5p.m., I saw! and pulled up Brown and Columbia’s emails simultaneously, one of which would decide my fate. And although one of the two played the school’s anthem, I couldn’t shake off my stung-heart feelings from being rejected.
Rejection from any college sucks. However, it’s important to understand that there is a world outside college admissions, and life is actually okay with a rejection letter from anywhere between one and infinite schools. Here’s my breakdown on how to best equip yourself this week:
1. College Admittance ≠ Self Worth.
Despite what others argue on College Confidential and Gossip Girl, the college you attend has very little to do with who you are as a person. It may say something about you, but your value as a human being is not produced by the name of your alma mater.
Dispel the association of your school determining who you are. Even if you go to Brown. (#BlairWaldorf.)
2. Look at the yes’s (and maybes).
Although the Ivies announce their applicants’ status simultaneously, there are approximately 4,000 number of colleges — and you applied to at least one other school that you hopefully have already heard back from. Know that rejection is not the end, but rather a bump along the way.
Also understand that the wait list is not a rejection, or even a “polite rejection.” From the perspective of the college admissions office, there are simply not as many seats in their class roster for as many great applicants. This sounds like the cliché bullshit others report, but it’s true!
Being waitlisted means yes, just not right now.
3. Consider the rejection the right choice.
If you weren’t accepted to a college, it might reflect more on the school than you. Schools have unique personalities with certain student types, or “personas.”
Columbia wouldn’t be Columbia without its overambitious, overachieving hungry-for-success students, just as Brown without it’s laid-back approach to academics and small New England town feel. Admission officers know who will fit well within the institutions they recruit for, and take a student’s personality into serious consideration when deliberating her application.
4. Appeal if they’re wrong.
But if you believe there was a fundamental error in your application, there is a second hope — by means of appealing. An appeal involves petitioning a school’s decision, and arguing for a potential second chance at reviewing an app.
It’s strongly important to keep in mind that some schools do not even consider appeal processes. For instance, Columbia has no appeal process, and “applicants are not re-considered for admission” (Columbia Student Affairs).
Furthermore, your application is very unlikely to be reviewed a second time given a university’s careful selection process the first-time around.
However, if you possess significant new information (ie. new test scores, a better letter of recommendation, climbing Mt. Everest last weekend) or realize that a part of your application was submitted in error (ie. wrong test scores, wrong essay), you may be able to submit a petition for an appeal at a college or university. Before appealing, be prepared to endure many rejected phone calls and emails, and be willing to spend a large chunk of time just convincing the college to reread your app.
5. All else fails, apply to transfer next year.
If your heart is still set on a particular school, even after reviewing your other options and taking some time to think about them, consider applying as a transfer application in the following year. Who knows — maybe in time you’ll learn that, like my relationship with Brown, it wasn’t the school for you.
What are your best tips for handling rejection? Leave them in the Comments space below.
Since it’s one of the times of the year when most everyone I know is celebrating something religious, I thought it would be fitting to do a post with some religious undertones.
Exodus tells the story of how the Jews, having escaped slavery in Egypt, were wandering the dessert. Moses got word to climb Mount Sinai, where he was given the 10 Commandments, a list of expected behaviors for all.
This got me thinking. In my house, I have a list of expected behaviors, too. I, by no means consider myself to be divine. Nor do I mean any disrespect to my religion or any other. But through all this Bible talk, I’ve had an epiphany. What my household needs is not just the 10 Commandments from the Bible, but our own 10 Commandments of my home.
So, I’m starting with G-d’s, because they are a perfect example of the expectations of the morals and values I, too, expect in my home. But I need to change them, just a little, to fit the circumstances.
The 10 Commandments of my home:
1. I am your Mother. I went through hell to conceive you, used all the toilet paper in the land while carrying you and suffered a lengthy and excruciating ordeal to have you. You will accept me as your Mother or I will farm you out into bondage.
2. Thou shalt have no other mother besides me. I do not care how much nicer you think every other mother on the planet is; I am yours and you are stuck with me and only me.
3. Thou shalt not take the name of your mother in vain. Just so we’re clear, this means you can’t swear at me, OR call anyone else a mother… anything.
4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Give me a break, at the very least on the weekends.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother. Notice how I’ve generously included Dad in this one.
6. Thou shalt not kill. No matter what consequences you’ve suffered for whatever action you decided to take, you cannot have murderous thoughts towards me. Change your behavior, ’cause I’m here to stay.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. If you even know what this is, you’re grounded for life.
8. Thou shalt not steal. That means that what’s mine is mine. You cannot take my things and then try to pretend I never had them. I KNOW it was there yesterday.
9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbor. STOP blaming your brother. I’m not stupid, I know it was you.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house. Do well in school, get into college, get a good job and buy a bigger one.
And thou shalt love thy mother with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy might.
Or there will be an exodus. And it will not be mine.
Click here for Charoses recipe
This piece was previously posted as Baking In A Tornado, The Ten Commandments
Karen is a former Director of Social Service and Retail Buyer, now adjusting to a semi-empty nest. She blogs and shares recipes at BakingInATornado.com
Karen’s been featured on websites including BlogHer, The Daily Meal, Mamapedia, Scary Mommy, GenerationFabulous, Treat a Day, Foodie Network, Wellnez TV, Midlife Boulevard, and BA50. She’s a BlogHer Influencer as well as a contributor to The Culinary Content Network and Felicity Huffman’s What the Flicka. Karen has been published in the Life Well Blogged series and co-authored the book The Mother of all Meltdowns.
For updates, visit her blog at Baking In A Tornado
and her facebook community at Baking In A Tornado FB community
The first Fashion Week (then called Press Week) was held in New York in 1943. Today, there are two Fashion Weeks in the city each year, in February and September. New York’s version is considered one of the four major fashion events in the world (the others are in Paris, Rome, and Milan). If you’re lucky enough to be invited to a fashion show, there are some general rules for behavior that you should observe.
1. Invitations come at a premium, so remember that you’re the guest of a fashion house and be sure to RSVP your invitation.
2. Be punctual. The show will not begin late just because you are, which means your seat will be filled before you can beg for forgiveness.
3. You’re not obliged to wear clothes from the designer of the show you’re attending unless you’re an A-list celebrity who will be photographed.
4. Take your seat, not Kim Kardashian’s. If the seat does not have your name on it, it’s not yours. A certain A-list celebrity once took my seat, but I had no problem getting it back.
5. If you’re sitting in the front row, don’t cross your legs. With the different lengths of hemlines these days, the photographers might capture more than they should.
6. Manage your accessories. If you have chopsticks in your hair, remove them for the guests behind you. Turn off your cell phone and keep your umbrella pointed down. If you’re carrying a large bag, place it close to your chair so no one can trip over it.
7. Never chew gum here or anywhere else in public. You might end up in an unflattering video.
8. It’s okay to use your smartphone, but do so discreetly. It’s distracting to the people around you otherwise.
9. Once the show begins, stay in your seat. It’s rude to leave for any reason except an emergency.
10. Clapping for the designer at the end of the show is fine, but hooting and waving your arms as if you were at a football game is not.
Lisa Mirza Grotts is a recognized etiquette expert, an on-air contributor, and the author of A Traveler’s Passport to Etiquette. She is a former director of protocol for the city and county of San Francisco and the founder and CEO of The AML Group (www.lisagrotts.com), certified etiquette and protocol consultants. Her clients range from Stanford Hospital to Cornell University and Levi Strauss. She has been quoted by Condé Nast Traveler, InStyle magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times. To learn more about Lisa, follow her on www.Twitter.com/LisaGrotts and www.Facebook.com/LisaGrotts.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
