Tuesday, September 16, 2008

China toxic milk victim count expected to rise

Shijiazhuang: The number of Chinese infants found threatened by toxic milk powder is likely to rise as the search for victims spreads, state media reported on Tuesday, with the government facing rising public anger.

Over 1,200 infants have been diagnosed with kidney illness after drinking adulterated powdered milk made by the Sanlu Group.

Two have died and more than 50 are in a serious condition from kidney stones caused by a banned chemical, melamine, added to milk before processing in an apparent bid to fool inspectors.

"Their number could rise as the search for more infants fed Sanlu milk food spreads across the country's rural areas," the China Daily reported. "The number could rise sharply in coming days as more parents take their children for medical check-ups," the report added, citing Health Minister Chen Zhu.


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Melamine is rich in nitrogen, an element often used to measure protein, and can be used to disguise diluted milk.

Twelve months ago, Sanlu was lauded by Chinese state television as a model of reliable quality. But now it and the government's efforts to ensure product safety face searing public anger and questions about the effectiveness of reforms.

New Zealand action

Sanlu, 43 per cent owned by New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, last week halted production after investigators announced they had found the problem.

Local Chinese officials acted last week only after the New Zealand government contacted Beijing, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Monday.

Monday, September 1, 2008

How to Access a Class in Blackboard

After you enroll in a course that uses Blackboard you will be provided with a login name and password. Your Blackboard account will allow you access to each of your classes that use the online tool to distribute class information, assignments and grades.



Step1
Log in to your Blackboard account.


Step2
View your class list under the "My Courses" heading on the Blackboard "Welcome" page. Click on the "Courses" tab at the top of the "Welcome" webpage to access classes that are using Blackboard.


Step3
Use the links provided in the class list to enter your class' Blackboard website. Click anywhere on the class name to activate the link.


Step4
Navigate the course menu at the left of the course's welcome page. The course's welcome page typically displays important announcements for the class. Review these announcements for information on locating materials within the Blackboard class website. You can view the announcements page by clicking on the "Announcement" button on the course menu if it does not display by default.


Step5
Access a different online class by clicking on the institution tab to return to the main Blackboard welcome page. The institution tab remains at the top of all Blackboard webpages and will be identified with your school's name.


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Monday, August 25, 2008

How to Abbreviate Properly

Abbreviations should be used sparingly in formal writing, but they do have their place. Here are some tips to use them properly.



Step1
Use abbreviations that your audience will know and understand. Do not make up your own version of abbreviations or abbreviate whenever you feel like it. Also, do not abbreviate a word simply because you think it is too long.


Step2
Refer to a standard writing style book for specific rules or questions. Any bookstore will carry a writing style guide that offers abbreviating help in MLA, APA, CMS, CE and other styles. Many online guides are also available. For example, if you need to abbreviate in AP style, an Internet search will produce several good sources.


Step3
Abbreviate titles. If you use a person's full name in writing, you are permitted to abbreviate their title. Mr. Edward Smith. Mrs. Regina Worthington. Samantha Jones, M.D. If you do not use their full name, you cannot abbreviate the title! For example, you must either say Professor Smith or Prof. John Smith. Another example: Representative Jones or Rep. Matthew Jones.


Step4
Utilize abbreviation when referring to people, organizations, countries and corporations. A good general rule is to think of FSS. If something is Familiar, Simple or Standard, you are safe to abbreviate it and not cause confusion with your audience. Some examples of safe abbreviations when writing: MLB (Major League Baseball), GOP (Grand Old Party, US Republican Party), NPO (Non-Profit Organization), NBC (National Broadcasting Company), USA (United States of America), JFK (John F. Kennedy) and GE (General Electric). Do not abbreviate an organization that only a small audience would recognize, like THCWFF (Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival).


Step5
Shorten your text by abbreviating dates and numbers. There are many accepted abbreviations for dates (B.C. meaning "Before Christ" or A.M. meaning "morning") and numbers (No. meaning "number" or $ for dollar amount). However, it is not acceptable to use an abbreviation as a substitution! For example, this sentence is not correct. "We went fishing in the A.M." The correct sentence would be, "We went fishing in the morning." Or, also correct: "We went fishing at 8 a.m."


Step6
Clarify, don't confuse. The purpose of abbreviation is to make writing more efficient and clear, not harder to read. Read your writing aloud. If your abbreviation makes the sentence foggier, don't use it.


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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

How to "Ace" every class

Do you ever wonder how some people seem to do next to nothing and get A's while others cram all night and fail? Your intelligence has less to do with being an "A" student than your study technique. This article will teach you how to be an "A" student.

Articles resource

Step1
Never study at home.

Plan a time to leave and come home each day. You will relax and sleep better if you know that when you are home, you can not study. Do not come home until your designated time.


Step2
Get Sleep

A fast way to fail is to be too tired to think. You can not study anyway, so you might as well sleep and

save your fun for the weekend.


Step3
Avoid studying on the weekend.

Unless there was a project given on Friday that has to be turned in on Monday, do not study on weekends. Weekends should be your time to have fun and forget about school.


Step4
Only study during the day.

You have to be out of your house anyway so you might as well study and if you do, then you will never have to pull an all nighter. If you find yourself cramming all night, you failed to follow the steps on how to be an "A" student.


Step5
Find a place to study.

Being an "A" student is all about setting up a routine. Study in the same place every time. The library is usually the best place. Do not leave your study area during your study time to go do other things, even if you are finished with your assignment for that day, work ahead. It is very important to set in your mind that the block of time is for study only and nothing else. So, no point in hurrying it up so you can leave.


Step6
Never miss a class.

Attending every class is the single best thing you can do! Many instructors base tests on lecture material. If all you do is show up to class every day, you will score higher than someone who skips and crams.


Step7
Write down a schedule.

Now that you have a location and time frame to study in, make a schedule.

Example:

suppose you can study 4 hours a day and have 4 classes and a chapter a week to read in each class.

Schedule time for each class:
At first you may not know how much time each class will take, so give each class the same time, an hour each class a day.

Count the pages:
Count how many pages are in the chapter for a class and divide it by 5. This is how many pages each day you have to study. You may be surprised at how little there is to read each day.

Remember your due dates:
Find out when your assignments are due and the time frame you have to work on it. Make a note on the day that falls in the time frame to work on your assignment. Many times you will be finished reading before your time is up and will have plenty of time to work on your assignments.

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Friday, August 15, 2008

How to Apply for a Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowship

The Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellowship provides two years of funding for women graduate students in the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, meteorology, engineering, computer science and mathematics.


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Step1
Make sure you meet the criteria: that you are a woman, an American citizen, and a doctoral candidate in physics, chemistry, biology, meteorology, engineering, computer science or mathematics.


Step2
Keep in mind that financial need doesn't matter. Neither does race, age, religion or ethnic background.


Step3
Check to see if your university is either a "designated institution" or an "invited institution" that receives funds for the fellowship. If not, then you aren't eligible to apply.


Step4
Contact your university's fellowships office for specific information about application procedures, as the fellowships are administered on a campus-by-campus basis. Deadlines and supporting materials also vary by campus.


Step5
Notify professors and teaching assistants well ahead of time about any letters of recommendation you need from them.


Step6
Apply well before the application deadline to avoid the risk of missing it.



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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

How to Apply for a Beinecke Brothers Memorial Scholarship

Established in 1971, the Beinecke Brothers Memorial Scholarships provide college students who have limited means the opportunity to attend graduate school. If you are a college junior studying the arts, humanities or social sciences, this scholarship could provide you with $2,000 after graduation and an additional $15,000 for each of your first two years of graduate study.

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Step1
Find out whether you qualify: You must have demonstrated exceptional intellectual abilities and academic achievements; be a college junior pursuing a bachelor's degree; have a documented history of financial aid and be a U.S. citizen or national.


Step2
Go to your school's scholarship office for an application as soon as it becomes available in mid-August. Your school's scholarship office will handle all forms for you and will eventually submit your application.


Step3
Make sure that you can secure the nomination of your college or university. You cannot apply directly; you must be nominated by your academic institution.


Step4
Start on your application well in advance of the February deadline. Check with your scholarship office about the exact deadline dates; because you must be nominated by your school, scholarship offices often require you to submit your application for review in advance of the actual competition deadline.


Step5
Talk to past and present professors about recommendation letters. The letters will need to assess your academic abilities as well as your character and potential for graduate study.


Step6
Get all the additional materials together to complete your application: a letter from your dean or a college official stating the reasons for your nomination; a completed application form; a 1,000-word personal statement; past and current college transcripts; three recommendation letters from professors; a financial data sheet that demonstrates financial need; and any additional relevant material.


Step7
Submit your application through your scholarship office and sit back and wait for the announcement of awards sometime on or before May 1.


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Monday, August 11, 2008

How to Apply for a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

Convinced you are going to go broke paying for your college education? If you're a college sophomore or junior working toward a degree in science or mathematics, a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship could provide you with up to $7,500 annually for tuition, fees, books, room and board, if you qualify.


Step1
Make certain you qualify. You must be either a full-time sophomore or junior pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited college or university; have a GPA of at least a "B"; be in the upper 25% of your class; and be either a U.S. citizen, a resident alien or a U.S. national.


Step2
Find out who the Goldwater Scholarship Faculty representative is on your campus and express your interest in being nominated for the scholarship. You can usually find this out from your institution's scholarship office or by contacting the Goldwater Foundation through their Web site (act.org/goldwater) or by calling them at (703) 756-6012.


Step3
Start on your application early. Faculty representatives typically receive nomination forms and related materials in late August and the completed application and materials must be received by the Goldwater Foundation by February 1 of the following year.


Step4
Talk with present and former teachers, teaching assistants and even employers about letters of recommendation, which must be completed according to the Foundation's standards and must be presented on official forms to be considered as part of your application.


Step5
Consider your essay of approximately 600 words. The essay should relate to current and future plans regarding your studies and prospective career.


Step6
Get together all peripheral materials that must be sent with the application. Nominees must provide official copies of all high school and college transcripts, including the most current semester, if available.


Step7
Consult your faculty representative about students who have previously received a Goldwater Scholarship. Talk with these previous award winners about their insight into the application process and see if they have any helpful tips.


Step8
Keep in mind that research experience, and demonstrating your interest in pursuing an advanced degree in mathematics, the natural sciences and some engineering fields, will help to make you a stronger candidate.


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