What is the origin of 4/20, 420 or 4:20?

One explanation of the origin of the term stems from a story about a group of six teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California, United States in 1971. The teens would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana at the Louis Pasteur statue. The exact time was chosen because that was the time that afternoon detention was dismissed. From there it spread through the Grateful Dead underground until it was published in High Times magazine where it received worldwide exposure making it an internationally recognized “holiday” where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis.

Other notable events occurring on 4/20 include the anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy and the birthday of Adolf Hitler. Those two events were connected, but there is no known connection to the 4/20 marijuana celebration.

Studies, Bias and Facts

There have been a lot of studies over the years on the effect of marijuana use. Some studies are biased either pro or con depending on who did the study. Do you think a marijuana advocate group is going to produce a negative study?

Unlike the undeniable facts of alcohol on college grades (read the article “Buzzed – Alcohol and Academics Don’t Mix Well”), the facts surrounding the use of marijuana are clouded but unbiased research does give us some facts.

• Fact: Marijuana is the 2nd most used drug among college students behind alcohol.
• Fact: A misdemeanor marijuana conviction, which could come for possessing one joint, may cost someone college loans, the ability to join the military or get a job and driver’s license.
• Fact: students who use marijuana frequently may function at a limited intellectual level at all times—that is, even when not under the influence of the drug—contributing to lower grades and an increased risk for dropping out of college.
• Fact: A Harvard study associates factors of marijuana use include spending larger amounts of time at parties and socializing, spending less time studying. Often this lifestyle is the key factor in poor academic performance.
• Fact: Long-term use may lead to “amotivational syndrome”. This is where users are extremely unmotivated in their lives and their achievement of academic, career, and personal goals.

• Fact: The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that Approximately 47.5% of college students and 56.7% of young adults (ages 19–28) surveyed in 2007 reported use of marijuana in their lifetime.
• Fact: Regular heavy marijuana use compromises the ability to learn and remember information primarily by impairing the ability to focus, sustain, and shift attention.
• Fact: The money you spend on marijuana is money you don’t have to spend for other things. College students are on a tight budget and that money could go for things you need or improving your lifestyle.
• Fact: Research has revealed some people have an “addiction gene”. While there is no solid proof that marijuana use leads to stronger drugs, those with the addiction gene are more likely to become addicted to any drug.
• Fact: Marijuana works by stimulating neurotransmitters and receptors in the brain. Activation of these “pleasure centers” is why people smoke it. Long term use can damage these parts of the brain and can also inhibit the brains ability to produce the natural “feel good” reward chemical dopamine that is associated with joy and happiness. For some this effect is permanent, even if they quit using marijuana.

How Marijuana Works

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The membranes of certain nerve cells in the brain contain protein receptors that bind to THC. Once securely in place, THC kicks off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that users experience. When someone smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream. This carries the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain.

Once it enters the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence memory, pleasure, concentration, thought, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. THC alters the way information is processed by the hippocampus, a brain area responsible for memory formation. This leads to the damage to short-term memory that users often experience.

Effect on Health

• Marijuana abuse is associated with many detrimental health effects. These effects can include respiratory illnesses, problems with learning and memory, increased heart rate, and impaired coordination. A number of studies have also shown an association between chronic marijuana use and increased rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and schizophrenia.
• Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract because marijuana smoke contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke.
• A study of college students found that among heavy users of marijuana critical skills related to attention, memory, and learning were significantly impaired, even after they had not used the drug for at least 24 hours.
• While studies show a low probability of physical addition, they do show a high probability of psychological dependence. The perception that one does not feel “normal” unless they are high.

Other Health Factors

• Altered sense of time
• Decreased reaction time (NOT good while driving)
• Decreased sperm production in men
• Disrupted menstrual cycle and inhibition of the discharge of eggs in women
• Paranoia or increased anxiety

Cognitive Impairment

Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that college students who used marijuana regularly had impaired skills related to attention, memory, and learning 24 hours after they last used the drug.

Short term effects of marijuana use include memory loss, distorted perception, trouble with thinking and problem solving, and anxiety. Students who use marijuana may find it hard to learn, thus jeopardizing their ability to achieve their full potential.

Another study, conducted at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, found that people who used marijuana frequently (7 or more times weekly for an extended period) showed deficits in mathematical skills and verbal expression, as well as selective impairments in memory retrieval processes. These findings clearly have significant implications for young people, since reductions in cognitive function can lead to poor performance in school.

Other impairments observed in frequent marijuana users involve sensory and time perception and coordinated movement, suggesting use of the drug can adversely affect driving and sports performance.

Amotivational Syndrome

A major problem with marijuana is called amotivational syndrome. Amotivational syndrome depends, in part, on an individual’s genetics, the frequency that they use marijuana, and the amount of THC in the marijuana. In addition, alcohol or other drug use, as well as disturbed, irregular sleep patterns, can also be contributing factors.

In amotivational syndrome an individual basically decreases the frequency of doing things that need to be done, that they don’t particularly like to do. High on the list are early classes, subjects or teachers that are unappealing, and tasks that may be non-academically related that the individual simply does not enjoy doing. Activities that a person finds more enjoyable generally tend to persist.

The difficulty, of course, is that there are many things in a college experience that one has to do that are not particularly pleasant. It’s part of achieving an academic degree. Amotivational syndrome not only can create problems in grades and time to degree, but also can create difficulty with financial aid money because of rules and regulations regarding GPA and credits earned.

If an individual finds himself or herself doing less of what they don’t like to do but need to do, it may be time to see either a counselor/psychologist or a physician on campus. Of course, the best thing you can do is to stop using marijuana. This is sometimes difficult because of the rituals and friendships that are involved in marijuana use. In these situations it is important to be honest with yourself and your friends and let them know the difficulty you are having.

Important parts of your future may ride on your willingness to confront the problem and change a behavior pattern. For most individuals with amotivational syndrome discontinued use of marijuana and basic behaviors, such as eating, sleeping, and exercising in appropriate fashions seems to make a real significant difference.

Conclusion Is It Worth The Risk?

Which Way Will You Go?

The clutter of messages about marijuana in popular culture creates an atmosphere of confusion and sends mixed signals about the drug. On students’ academic success, frequent marijuana use can affect students’ concentration and ability to retain information. These factors are the basis for learning and is this not what college is about?

A conviction for possession of marijuana could lead to the loss of college loans which for most college students would mean the end of their college career. A felony conviction for marijuana will follow you for the rest of your life since employers do background checks, possibly limiting your chances of ever obtaining a career building job.

Significant medical research proves a direct link between marijuana use and impaired attention, impaired memory, motivation, lower intellectual levels, all key factors in education.

Conviction for DWI with marijuana carries the same penalties as DWI with alcohol.

You may say to yourself “That won’t happen to me” or “My grades are good”. What you have to ask yourself is it worth the risk? Consider the thousands of dollars invested in your college education that could go up in smoke. Consider the long term consequences in your life of the lack of a college education. Your hopes and dreams gone.

You can find hundreds of posts and articles on the Internet disputing these facts. Usually they are written by people who support marijuana use so they have a bias. Some claim they smoke marijuana and do just fine in college.

But what if they are busted and loose their financial aid? Right now physically they may be fine, but by the time they begin to experience the long term effects, it may be too late to reverse them.

One of the claims of proponents of marijuana use is that it is harmless. Just consider these facts and determine if marijuana use is worth the risk it brings versus the “reward” it offers. If you want a good college education and a good career, marijuana use has the potential to do a great deal of harm. Is it worth the risk to the rest of your life?

Related posts:

1. Buzzed – Alcohol and Academics Don’t Mix Well
2. Study Shows Less Than 55% of College Students Graduate in 6 Years
3. President Obama Gives College Students Hope and a Challenge

Even if you are not graduating now, it is a good idea to start thinking about it. Good planning now can save you headaches when you do graduate.

Below are resources for career, money, student loans and adjusting to life after college.

Career and Job Resources for College Graduates

• Monster College – Monster College is part of the online job site Monster.com. It is aimed specifically at college graduates to help them find their first career. They offer resources, interview tips and tricks, resume templates and skill-building quizzes.
• CareerBuilder – CareerBuilder.com is one of the largest online job sites. Post your resume.
• After College – AfterCollege is an online professional platform that connects college students, alumni and employers through customized career networks at colleges and professional organizations across the country.
• College Grad – CollegeGrad.com is an Internet job search service for college students and recent grads. They exclusively target college students and college graduates. They offer entry-level job searches, tips and more.
• Government Jobs – Interested in a job with the federal government? USAJOBS is the United States Office of Personnel Management web site. USAJOBS is the Federal Government’s official one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information.
• Linked In – Linkedin.com is the Facebook (sort of) for professionals. It is may not be the best place to find a job, but it is defiantly a good place to network. They still have their “’09 Grad Guide” up, but by graduation time the ‘10 Grad Guide should be up.
• Interview Cheat Sheet – HRWorld has an Interviewing Cheat Sheet: 100 Resources for Interviewers and Candidates that offers great advice on preparing for and what to expect at a job interview.
• Best Places to Launch a Career – An interactive table from Business Week tells you what cities are best for starting your career.
• Fortune – Fortune magazines 100 best companies to work for.
• Stimulus Jobs for New College Grads – For college seniors and recent graduates with technical and liberal arts degrees, the stimulus plan will provide tremendous entry-level job opportunities.
• Best Internships – Business Week offers a list of where the best internships are.
• Top Cities to Start a Career – This is a list of the top 25 cities to start a career after college. It is based on job growth rate, cost of living and average salary. Interesting that Charlotte is # 15.
• Post-Grad Internships – Here is an article from The Wall Street Journal about trying internships after graduation.
• MS Office Resume Templates – Microsoft Office resume templates and more for college graduates. If this link does not work go to office.microsoft.com and search for “college graduate resume”.
• Writing The Perfect Resume – If you have not started it, you should. Your resumé is your first introduction and it must be good.
• 50 Best Career Books for College Students – a current list of 50 books for college students for college graduates. Sections include “Finding a Job”. “Career Advice”, “Preparing to Enter the Real World”, “Using Your Degree”, “Networking”, “Internships” and “Grad School”.
• Cleaning Up Your Online Profile – Don’t think potential employers will not look. Better take those pictures down now. Don’t think they can not get around privacy settings. There are companies whose business is reporting back on the social profiles of job candidates.

Money Resource for College Graduates

• Salary Calculator – Salary.com has a salary calculator where you can enter a job title and a zip code and they will show you the salary ranges for that type of job in that zip code.
• How to Blitz Your College Debts – How to deal with student loans and credit card debt.
• Credit Card Calculator – Bankrate.com has a credit calculator that lets you explore different options for paying off a credit card.
• When Will I Be Out of Debt? – Another handy calculator you can play with to help you budget and get out of debt.
• How to Build Your First Budget – Just out of college you will need to build a budget!
• Mint.com – Popular FREE online money management and budgeting software. You can set up alerts to send you an email or text messages for any number of budget or money related items. A good place to set up a budget, track your expenses and much more. Did I say it was free?
• Top 10 Shocks for College Grads – Money issues you probably have not thought about.
• Your Guide to Money in Your 20’s – On MSN Money they offer many tools and articles to help you manage your money.
• Money 101 – The CNN Money web site has a good list of articles on a variety of money related topics. For college graduates there are a few good articles like buying a car, making a budget, and other topics.
• Twentity – Twentity.com has a good collection of articles in their Life After College section on a variety of subjects.
• Money Tips – Money Tips for New College Graduates – Spending, Saving, & Budgeting Advice.
• How to Budget and Still Have a Life – College Grads: Sticking to a Personal Budget Doesn’t Mean Sticking to Ramen.
• Finding Health Insurance – It is the last thing you think you will need, but a major medical expense can bankrupt you before you get started. A quick check with BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina shows someone of college graduate age in the Charlotte can get a comprehensive plan with a $2500 deductible for $168 per month. The least expensive plan is a $5000 deductible (ouch) for $102 per year. The cheapest plan is a HSA plan where you pay all the cost until you meet your deductible of $5000 and the premium is only $68 per month.
• Check the health insurance plans for any location at eHealthInsurance.com. Check around though as they do not work with all insurers. The site offers a lot of different ways to sort and search for health insurance plan.

Student Loan Resources for College Graduates

• Income Base Repayment (IBR) – Income-Based Repayment (IBR) is a new way to make your federal student loan payments more manageable.  And if you’re a teacher or work in government or at a nonprofit (501(c)(3)) organization, you might qualify for a new type of public service loan forgiveness after 10 years of eligible payments and employment.
• Student Loans Repayment Calculator – SallieMae has a nice worksheet calculator to help you estimate your monthly payments and total interest paid on your student loans. (depressing)
• Consolidating Student Loans – Federal Direct Consolidation Loans web site shows you how you can consolidate you existing Federal education loans into one loan.
• The Project on Student Debt – this is a web site run by the Institute for College Access & Success. A really good article to start with is The Top 10 Student Loan Tips for Recent Graduates.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness – The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 established a new public service loan forgiveness program. This program discharges any remaining debt after 10 years of full-time employment in public service
• Good Behavior – Good advice on paying back your student loans.

Life After College Resources for College Graduates

• Life After College – LifeAfterCollege.org is a personal development/personal blog. The tag line “Life after college, no one said it was easy” sums it up. There are sections on Life, Work, Money, Career and more. One of the best sections are the templates like Four-Step Budget, Simple Appointment Tracking, Professional Development Strategy, Job Interview Sheet, and more.
• Lifehacker – Lifehacker.com is a great site for tips that help you save money, do things cheaply, technology tips and daily tips on ways to make many aspects of your life easier. One of my favorites that will help you long after college.
• 10 Tips For First Time Apartment Renters – You need a place to live!
• Online Degrees Hub – Their web site has nice list of 100 Inspirational Blogs for Life After College on a variety of subjects.
• 100 Life Hacks for College Graduates – 100 links to Life Hacks specifically for college graduates.
• College Afermath – CollegeAfermath.com has a great tag line. “When the best four years of your life are over”. There are a number of good articles on topics such as money, jobs, relationships. life and more.
• 21 Incredibly Practical Tips to Survive the “Real World” – a must read for any new college grad.
• GradSpot – GradSpot.com has a number of “survival guides” for college graduates.
• How to Adapt to Life after College – a well-rounded blog post.
• 30 Happiness Tips – Trust me, you will need them.
• Loneliness is a Bitch – How not to deal with it.
• Wardrobe Essentials For College Grads – This one is for men.
• Twentysomething: Be responsible, go back home after college – According to Monster.com 60% of college graduates move back home after college graduation and for good reasons.

Related posts:

1. The Top Five Money Mistakes College Students Make
2. College Internships Help College Graduates Land Jobs
3. College Class of 2009 Graduates Finding Fewer Jobs

There is a method you can use to stick to your New Year’s resolutions regardless of the time, energy or difficulty. With a busy life the key to reaching your goals is to take small steps. By taking small steps you can reach any goal or accomplish any task regardless of the constraints you may have.

Small Steps

Using the small steps method of improvement is simple. Let’s say you want to start walking one mile each day. You start out, maybe do it a few times and then give up because it is too difficult. The reason you fail is you mind and your body have not been conditioned to do the task.

Now take this same task and break it down into smaller, more achievable goals. Start off by walking a quarter mile each day for a week. The following week add another quarter of a mile. In four weeks you will have conditioned your mind and body and be walking one mile each day. If time is an issue use the amount of time you can devote to it as the goal.

The small steps method can be applied to anything you need to get done in your life and any improvement you want to make. If you have tried something in the past and failed try it again using the small steps method.

The Keys

The keys to success using the small steps method:

• Breaking down a task or goal into achievable steps
• If time is an issue break the task or goal into smaller steps that fit your schedule. Some tasks can be done in as little as 5-10 minutes per day. (like cleaning your room)
• Since your steps are small and achievable you overcome the mental blocks that a task is too large or too difficult. With each small step you achieve you get a sense of accomplishment that will boost your confidence.
• Since we are by nature resistant to change to make it stick we must make it a habit. By using smaller steps we are less resistant to change and more likely to be successful.

Some Suggestions

Here are some suggestions for New Year’s resolutions for college students.

Stop Procrastinating – College students are major procrastinators either by choice or by lack of time. You have heard the saying “Why put off for tomorrow what you can do today”. When you have a paper that is due in one week don’t wait until the last day to start it. Use the small steps method and set aside short periods of time to work on it. Procrastination leads to cramming and cramming usually leads to a poor academic outcome.

Don’t Be A “Class Tourist” – Being a tourist is great when you are on a trip, but not for college. You can not just show up for class when you feel like it. When you do show up for class avoid zoning out, not taking notes or any of the other dozen things you can do other than paying attention and learning. The goal of college is not just to graduate, but to graduate with good grades. If you miss 20% of your classes it will be hard to do.

Party! – Partying and college seem to go together. It is a natural rite of passage. However for some people their week starts on Thursday and ends late Sunday night. Those other days they perform the dull, boring tasks such as going to class (maybe), studying (unless there is something else to do) or doing homework (see studying). You are spending thousands of dollars on a college education that will play a large part of the rest of your life. There is nothing wrong with partying, but it should not be your first priority.

Super College Student – Maybe you are the opposite of the partier. You are the super college student who devotes all of their time and energy to their education. For you a social life is talking to the librarian. Lighten up some and enjoy life outside of academics. Your college life is a once in a lifetime experience. You can still get great grades and have fun along the way.

Related posts:

1. The Top Five Money Mistakes College Students Make
2. Study Shows Less Than 55% of College Students Graduate in 6 Years
3. IBM and Marist Survey Shows U.S. College Students Want Technology Skills to Compete for Jobs

In the survey nearly three-quarters of the employers said they prefer job candidates who have the work experience that can be gained through an internship. By comparison only sixteen percent were looking for college graduates with any work experience.

How much of an inside track can an internship give you? General Electric reports that over 80 percent of their full-time new hires came from their interns and co-ops. Most companies prefer to hire from within and interns are candidates who they already know about.

Since most interns perform nearly or the same job as their full-time employees they usually can make an immediate impact for the company once they are hired. Internships can also pay off financially. Not only do many pay while you are an intern, but companies report giving a higher starting salary to their interns.

While taking part in an internship will not guarantee you a job after college, it will make you a more marketable candidate. If you start early enough in your college career you can take several internships, maybe in different areas of a field you are interested in. Even if you are not hired by the company the work experience looks great on your resume.

Another major benefit to internships is being able to network with those who share an interest in your field and people who already are working in the field. This type of inside scoop can give you valuable insight into a career and what you need to do to prepare for it.

Here is a list reported by CollegeGrad.com of the top 15 intern employers for 2009 and the number of interns their projected intern new hires.

1. Walgreens General Merchandisers 5,650
2. New York Life Insurance Company Insurance: Life, Health (mutual) 3,500
3. Southwestern Publishing, Printing 2,800
4. General Electric Energy 2,400
5. Deloitte & Touche USA LLP Other 2,300
6. PricewaterhouseCoopers Other 2,279
7. KPMG LLP Other 2,000
8. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Diversified Financials 2,000
9. Lockheed Martin Aerospace and Defense 1,932
10. Ernst & Young Other 1,869
11. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Automotive Rental, Leasing 1,800
12. Intel Electronics, Electrical Equipment 1,600
13. Target Corporation General Merchandisers 1,100
14. Microsoft Computer Software 1,000
15. Sandia National Laboratories Aerospace and Defense 900

For more information about these and other internships visit the CollegeGrad.com web site.

Related posts:

1. Employers Desire Soft Skills From College Graduates
2. College Class of 2009 Graduates Finding Fewer Jobs
3. 50 Resources For College Graduates – Life After College

You Might Be a Drunk If…

1. You wake up in the morning and can not remember how you got home. Then you realize you are not at home.
2. Every night your roommate’s cat gets more and more attractive.
3. People did not know you drank until you sobered up once.
4. You have to grab on to the ground to keep from falling off the world.
5. Mosquitoes catch a buzz after attacking you.
6. You can focus better with one eye closed.
7. You spent more time on the floor than you do standing up.
8. If you carry ping-pong balls in your car.
9. If walking suddenly becomes the most difficult thing you’ve ever had to do in your entire life.
10. If you find that your entire vocabulary is replaced by the word “fuck,”.

The Less Funny Truth

1. If you only drink to get wasted.
2. If you get wasted three or more nights in a row.
3. If you show up at a party and discover there is no alcohol and leave.
4. If you play shot-for-shot because you’re bored.
5. If you drink by yourself.
6. If you keep enough alcohol on hand to get wasted at any times.
7. If your three best friends at a party are all people you’ve met in the last ten minutes.
8. If you smuggle beer into the dining hall in order to drink with your meal.
9. If your BAC is higher than your GPA.
10. If you are having trouble reading this, you might be a drunk. Or illiterate. Or possibly high. But most likely you are a drunk.

Related posts:

1. How to Avoid the College Party Foul
2. Buzzed – Alcohol and Academics Don’t Mix Well
3. Academic and Career Choices – Skills May Not Equal Passions

The Bureau of Labor Statistics current “Occupations Outlook Handbook” gives us a glimpse of job market may look like by 2016. It will be interesting to see if the next handbook changes due to the current economic climate, but there are some sectors that will remain the same.

Below is a listing of some of the information from the BLS outlook. Assuming you want a good job when you graduate college it may be worth your time to do some research of the projected job market.

Education and Health Services

This industry super sector is projected to grow by 18.8 percent, and add more jobs, nearly 5.5 million, than any other industry super sector. More than 3 out of every 10 new jobs created in the U.S. economy will be in either the healthcare and social assistance or public and private educational services sectors.

Healthcare and social assistance

Including public and private hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and individual and family services—will grow by 25.4 percent and add 4 million new jobs. Employment growth will be driven by increasing demand for healthcare and social assistance because of an aging population and longer life expectancies. Also, as more women enter the labor force, demand for childcare services is expected to grow.

Public and private educational services will grow by 10.7 percent and add 1.4 million new jobs through 2016. Rising student enrollments at all levels of education will create demand for educational services.

Professional and Business Services

This industry super sector, which includes some of the fastest growing industries in the U.S. economy, will grow by 23.3 percent and add 4.1 million new jobs.

Administrative, Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services

This sector will grow by 20.3 percent and add 1.7 million new jobs to the economy by 2016. The largest industry growth in this sector will be enjoyed by employment services, which will be responsible for 692,000 new jobs, or over 40 percent of all new jobs in administrative and support and waste management and remediation services.

Employment services ranks second among industries with the most new employment opportunities in the Nation and is expected to have a growth rate that is faster than the average for all industries. This will be due to the need for seasonal and temporary workers and for highly specialized human resources services.

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

These sectors will grow by 28.8 percent and add 2.1 million new jobs by 2016. Employment in computer systems design and related services will grow by 38.3 percent and add nearly one-fourth of all new jobs in professional, scientific, and technical services. Employment growth will be driven by the increasing reliance of businesses on information technology and the continuing importance of maintaining system and network security.

Management, scientific, and technical consulting services also will grow at a staggering 78 percent and account for another third of growth in this super sector. Demand for these services will be spurred by the increased use of new technology and computer software and the growing complexity of business.

Management of companies and enterprises will grow by 14.9 percent and add 270,000 new jobs.

Information Technology

Employment in the information super sector is expected to increase by 6.9 percent, adding 212,000 jobs by 2016. Information contains some of the fast-growing computer-related industries such as software publishing, Internet publishing and broadcasting, and wireless telecommunication carriers.

Employment in these industries is expected to grow by 32 percent, 44.1 percent, and 40.9 percent, respectively. The information super sector also includes motion picture production; broadcasting; and newspaper, periodical, book, and directory publishing. Increased demand for telecommunications services, cable service, high-speed Internet connections, and software will fuel job growth among these industries.

Leisure and Hospitality

Overall employment will grow by 14.3 percent. Arts, entertainment, and recreation will grow by 30.9 percent and add 595,000 new jobs by 2016. Most of these new job openings, 79 percent, will be in the amusement, gambling, and recreation sector. Job growth will stem from public participation in arts, entertainment, and recreation activities—reflecting increasing incomes, leisure time, and awareness of the health benefits of physical fitness.

Accommodation and food services

This sector is expected to grow by 11.4 percent and add 1.3 million new jobs through 2016. Job growth will be concentrated in food services and drinking places, reflecting increases in population, dual-income families, and the convenience of many new food establishments.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

Overall employment in this industry super sector will grow by 6 percent between 2006 and 2016. Transportation and warehousing is expected to increase by 496,000 jobs, or by 11.1 percent through 2016. Truck transportation will grow by 11 percent, adding 158,000 new jobs, while rail transportation is projected to decline.

Warehousing and Storage

This sector is projected to grow rapidly at 23.5 percent, adding 150,000 jobs. Demand for truck transportation and warehousing services will expand as many manufacturers concentrate on their core competencies and contract out their product transportation and storage functions.

Retail Trade

Employment is expected to increase by 4.5 percent. Despite slower than average growth, this industry will add almost 700,000 new jobs over the 2006-2016 period, growing from 15.3 million employees to 16 million. While consumers will continue to demand more goods, consolidation among grocery stores and department stores will temper growth. Wholesale trade is expected to increase by 7.3 percent, growing from 5.9 million to 6.3 million jobs.

Utilities

Employment is projected to decrease by 5.7 percent through 2016. Despite increased output, employment in electric power generation, transmission, and distribution and natural gas distribution is expected to decline through 2016 due to improved technology that increases worker productivity. However, employment in water, sewage, and other systems is expected to increase 18.7 percent by 2016. Jobs are not easily eliminated by technological gains in this industry because water treatment and waste disposal are very labor-intensive activities.

Financial Activities

Employment is projected to grow 14.4 percent over the 2006-2016 period. Real estate and rental and leasing is expected to grow by 18 percent and add 392,000 jobs by 2016. Growth will be due, in part, to increased demand for housing as the population grows.

The fastest growing industry in the real estate and rental and leasing services sector will be activities related to real estate, such as property management and real estate appraisal, which will grow by 29 percent—remnants of the housing boom that pervaded much of the first half of the decade.

Finance and Insurance

This sector is expected to add 815,000 jobs, an increase of 13.2 percent, by 2016.

Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments

This sector is expected to grow 46 percent by 2016, reflecting the increased number of baby boomers in their peak savings years, the growth of tax-favorable retirement plans, and the globalization of the securities markets.

Credit Intermediation and Related Services, Including Banks

This sector will grow by 8.2 percent and add almost one-third of all new jobs within finance and insurance. Insurance carriers and related activities are expected to grow by 7.4 percent and add 172,000 new jobs by 2016. The number of jobs within agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities is expected to grow about 15.4 percent. Growth will stem from the needs of an increasing population and new insurance products on the market.

Government

Between 2006 and 2016, government employment, not including employment in public education and hospitals, is expected to increase by 4.8 percent, from 10.8 million to 11.3 million jobs. Growth in government employment will be fueled by an increased demand for public safety, but dampened by budgetary constraints and outsourcing of government jobs to the private sector.

State and local governments, excluding education and hospitals, are expected to grow by 7.7 percent as a result of the continued shift of responsibilities from the Federal Government to State and local governments. Federal Government employment, including the Postal Service, is expected to decrease by 3.8 percent.

Other Services

Employment will grow by 14.9 percent. About 2 out of every 5 new jobs in this super sector will be in religious organizations, which are expected to grow by 18.9 percent. Other automotive repair and maintenance will be the fastest growing industry at 40.7 percent, reflecting demand for quick maintenance services for the increasing number of automobiles on the Nation’s roads.

Also included among other services are business, professional, labor, political, and similar organizations, which are expected to increase by 13.6 percent and add 68,000 new jobs. This industry includes homeowner, tenant, and property owner associations.

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The most cited study is the “Mozart effect” a set of research results that indicate that listening to Mozart’s music may induce a short-term improvement on the performance of certain kinds of mental tasks known as “spatial-temporal reasoning” which is the ability to think out long-term, more abstract solutions to logical problems that arise.

What Kind of Music Helps You Study?

There are many types of music that have been shown to put your mind in study mode. Here are a few of the most mentioned.

• Baroque classical music is said to have mind-boosting effects. Productivity writer David Allen of “Getting Things Done” fame has said he prefers music like Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #3, and other Baroque tunes.
• Others say that music at 60 beats-per-minute is required to put the brain in a “bright and breezy” frame of mind. In this state your thinking and creativity are said to be easier. Concertos for Recorder – Telemann & Vivaldi is recommended.
• Since classical music may not be your thing there are other types of music that have been shown to increase your concentration levels. Ambient music or sound is designed to keep your brain engaged at a lower, subconscious level. Waterfalls, rain, seashore, whatever your taste.
• More modern electronic “Chill out” music genres such as Trip-hop, Nu jazz, Ambient House, Ambient Trance, New Age and other sub-genres of Down tempo are designed to relax the mind and allow it to roam.
• Eno’s “Music for Airports” has been noted as being useful for serious studying and deep concentration. This music was designed to relax stressed out travelers at the airport and put them at ease.

Okay, so most of these listed you may have never heard of or even care for. Just give them a try and see. It really does not matter what kind of music you listen to as long as it puts your mind in study mode.

Where To Find Music To Help You Study

SOMAFM.COM offers free streaming music and a iPhone app as well as apps for other types of phones. Suggested playlists are Drone Zone(Served best chilled, safe with most medications. Atmospheric textures with minimal beats.) and Secret Agent (The soundtrack for your stylish, mysterious, dangerous life. For Spies and PIs too!). Most music players are supported. I know it works with iTunes.

WWW.DI.FM – Digitally Imported offers free streaming electronic and dance music.

If you are a fan of Pandora (who isn’t) try out a playlist created by a Pandora employee Michael Zapruder called Ovals.

MUSOPEN.COM is a site that offers free MP3 downloads by many of the composers mentioned above.

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Below is a collection of tips to help you save gas and money. I follow many of these and was very pleased with my 28 mpg of city driving on my last fill-up. When it comes to saving gas it is important to remember a lot of little things can add up to real savings.

Keep a log book in your car to record your gas mileage. Challenge yourself to beat your highest miles per gallon. Write down the odometer reading and number of gallons purchased each time you fill up. Divide the number of miles traveled between fill-ups by the number of gallons purchased. That is your miles per gallon. A log will help you notice a drop off in gas mileage which is an indication your car needs maintenance.

Driving Tips to Save Gas

• Don’t do jack-rabbit starts. Instead accelerate slowly allowing your car to gradually increase speed. Work at it and you will find the “sweet spot” for your gas pedal where you are not accelerating too fast or too slow. The goal is not to reach the speed limit or beyond as fast as possible.
• Don’t idle for more than one minute. If you pull into a store while you friend runs in to get something turn the engine off. Letting your car run for more than one minute uses as much gas as it would require to start it.
• Drive-through is a convenience that waste gas. Rather than sit in a 5 minute drive-through line, park and go inside.
• Use your air conditioning wisely. At highway speeds roll up your windows to reduce drag and use your air conditioner. In stop and go traffic if it is cool enough, turn off the air conditioner and roll down your windows. Using your air conditioner in stop and go traffic can reduce your fuel efficiency by as much as 20%. Another trick you can use is to turn off your air conditioning before you reach your destination. Time it right and your will remain comfortable and increase fuel efficiency.
• When you see you are approaching a red light let up or off of the gas pedal. You can develop this to an art form of coasting to a stop while using as little brake as possible. You will save gas, possibly time the light better so you do not come to a complete stop (thus saving more gas) and reduce wear on your brakes. Racing from light to light and slamming on the brakes just in time to stop is dangerous and waste gas.
• Reduce your speed on the highway. Speed limits on highways and interstates used to be 55 mph for a reason, to save fuel. Now speed limits have risen to 65 mph and higher. While the American driver mentality seems to be to get there as quickly as you can, decreasing your speed to 55 mph will on average save you 2 mpg. For every 5 mph you reduce your speed you consume 7% less fuel. So if you can’t drive 55 dropping from 70 mph to 65 mph will yield a 7% fuel savings without costing you much time.
• If you are driving on the highway use your cruise control. A smooth and steady speed will increase your fuel efficiency. Watch for hills though and don’t let your cruise control accelerate you too much to maintain speed going up the hill.
• When you are approaching a hill accelerate a little before you get to it and keep the gas pedal in the same position up the hill. Accelerating up a hill will burn extra gas and the extra seconds it gains you in your trip is not worth it.
• In most major cities stop lights are timed to maintain the flow of traffic at the speed limit. As long as you maintain the speed limit you are more likely to hit more green lights than if you speed. Speeding waste gas and so does sitting at traffic lights.
• Get in a lane and stick to it. How many times do you see cars swerving in and out around traffic only to see them one or two cars ahead at the next light? All of this gas pedal, brake and turning action uses up gas, is dangerous and does not get you there more than a few minutes faster at best.

Price, Time and How Much

• Find the lowest gas prices. This is a no brainer since you will save money and get more gas for your dollar. You can check for the lowest gas prices in the University City are right here by click on the Gas Prices link on the navigation bar. The map expands so you can check other areas of Charlotte or click on the link to check gas prices anywhere. Gas prices keep changing so check back to find the lowest when you need gas.
• Time your gas purchases. Did you know that some gas stations raise prices for the weekend? They also raise them before rush hour. Surveys indicate the cheapest time to buy gas is Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. We all know gas prices tend to rise right before and during a holiday period. Be aware of this and fill-up before prices rise.
• If gas prices are stable don’t fill your tank up. Every gallon of gas you pump into your tank adds weight which means you car will burn more fuel to carry around that extra fuel. Wait until your tank is just below a quarter of a tank or even one-eighth. Then fill it to half or three-quarters of a tank depending on your driving needs. Don’t let your tank get too low! Deposits in the bottom of your fuel tank will be sucked into your fuel system, reducing efficiency and over time can cost you repairs.
• Buy your gas during the coolest time of the day. Gas pumps measure by volume and when it is cool gas is more dense, thus you get more fuel for your money.
• Don’t fill your tank to the top. When the pump clicks, stop. Any gas you put in beyond that will either evaporate, slosh out or pour down the side of your car (not good for your car finish!).

Maintain Your Car

• Check your tire pressures every week or two. Inflate your tires to the recommended maximum air pressure. Under inflated tires can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 15%, cause tires to wear out faster. Don’t depend on the air pressure gauge at your service station. Buy a decent digital air pressure gauge.
• Check your wheel  alignment. A car that is out of alignment makes your engine work harder and wears out your tires quicker.
• Get regular tune-ups. A misfiring spark plug will lower your engines performance and reduce your gas mileage.
• Replace your air filter every 3,000 miles or as recommended by your car owners manual. A dirty air filter will reduce the effectiveness of your fuel system and waste 10% of your gas.
• Wash and wax your car. What? Yes it has been shown that a clean and waxed car gets better gas mileage by reducing drag. You car looks good and you save money.
• Make sure your gas cap is tight each time you fill your car. If your gas cap is loose or damaged you should replace it. Gas will evaporate right out of your tank.
• Use the right grade of motor oil and get regular oil changes. It keeps your engine healthy longer and helps keep your engine cooler, which in turns helps you save gas. Synthetic oil may cost a little more, but it is better for your engine and improves gas mileage.

Other Gas Saving Tips

• Got junk in your trunk? Remove everything from your car that you do not need. All of that extra weight reduces your gas mileage.
• Wherever you go the shortest route may not be the most fuel-efficient if it includes traffic and stop lights. Look for alternative routes that have less traffic and require less stopping.
• Reduce your drag by removing ski racks or bike racks when you do not need them.
• Combine all of your errands into one trip. Plan out where you have to go so you save yourself time and gas.
• In the winter avoid warming your car up for more that 30 to 45 seconds.

Relax and Take it Easy to Save Gas, Money and Your Wits

The biggest factor in saving gas and money is your mentality about how you drive. With some people as soon as their butt hits the seat their goal is to get to where they are going as quickly as possible.

For these people I offer this challenge. On your next trip where you know how long it takes you to get there, slow down, relax and follow these tips. Time yourself and see how much more time it takes you to reach your destination. In most trips around the city it will be 5 minutes or less.

So ask yourself if 5 minutes of your time is worth wasting gas and wasting money? Is 5 minutes worth the cost of a speeding ticket or an accident? Just relax and take it easy. You will save gas, save money and arrive at your destination far more relaxed.

Do you have any gas saving tips you would like to share?

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Less than 55 percent of first-time students at the average four-year college graduate within six years, and at many institutions, students have less than a one in three chance of earning a degree–even as they spend thousands of dollars on tuition and accumulate thousands of dollars of debt. The authors find that completion rates vary dramatically across institutions with similar admissions standards.

“Such differences suggest that while student motivation, finances, and ability matter greatly when it comes to college completion, the practices of higher education institutions matter, too,” Frederick M. Hess, lead author of Diplomas and Dropouts, said.

The study’s coauthors use data from the U.S. Department of Education to examine graduation rates across schools with similar levels of admissions selectivity, as defined by the popular Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, which rates schools in six categories from “noncompetitive” to “most competitive.” Among their findings:

• Schools with the least selective admissions criteria have the lowest average graduation rates. “Noncompetitive” institutions graduate, on average, 35 percent of their students within six years, while the “most competitive” institutions graduate 88 percent.
• There is wide variation in graduation rates across institutions within the same selectivity categories. Within the same group of “competitive” schools, the top ten have an average graduation rate of more than 75 percent, while the bottom ten graduate just 20 percent in six years.
• For instance, the University of Louisville in Kentucky and James Madison University in Virginia are both “very competitive” state schools that charge about $7,000 in tuition. While Louisville only graduates 44 percent of its students in six years, James Madison graduates 81 percent.
• Hundreds of institutions fail to graduate a majority of their students in six years, yet these colleges and universities still receive tens of billions of dollars from taxpayers every year. At a time of fiscal constraints and tight budgets, voters and public officials should be aware of institutions that are not accomplishing their most basic task of graduating students.

Parents, students, and guidance counselors too often lack information on graduation rates when selecting schools or deciding where to spend thousands of dollars in savings–or take on thousands of dollars of debt.

“At a time when growing unemployment disproportionately affects workers without a degree, it is critical that this information is available and accessible so that consumers can make informed decisions,” Kevin Carey, coauthor of Diplomas and Dropouts, said.

The authors note that graduation rates are an important measure of school performance, but they do not suggest that high graduation rates are always an indicator of quality or that low graduation rates are necessarily bad. After all, graduation rates would rise if standards were lowered and universities awarded diplomas to all students regardless of academic performance. Rather, this report presents a call for a broader exploration of postsecondary outcomes.

“We believe that the graduation rate measure included here should be just the beginning of a richer inquiry into college success,” Mark Schneider, coauthor of the study, said. “One driven by more accurate measures broadly defined in future earnings, in acquiring knowledge, in workplace success, and ultimately in becoming the kind of citizens who can contribute to the stability and prosperity of our society.”

Where Does UNC Charlotte Rank?

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• Graduation Rate: 51%
• Tuition and Fees: $4,153
• Enrollment: 18,686
• Carnegie Classification: Research
• Institution Type: Public

Download the report in PDF format here “Diplomas and Dropouts – Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don’t)” You can see the rankings of over 1400 colleges nationwide. In North Carolina Duke University ranked the highest with a 94% graduation rate, North Carolina Wesleyan College ranked the lowest with a 28% graduation rate. Overall the graduation rate for the state of North Carolina was 50.5% so UNC Charlotte ranks with the state average.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Kevin Carey is the policy director at Education Sector. He writes a monthly column on higher education policy for the Chronicle of Higher Education and has published articles and op-eds in publications including Washington Monthly, Phi Delta Kappan, Education Week, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Daily News. He has authored Education Sector reports on topics including college rankings and improving minority college graduation rates.

Frederick M. Hess is a resident scholar and AEI’s director of education policy studies. A former high school teacher and university professor, Hess is an executive editor of Education Next and a research associate at Harvard University’s Program on Education Policy and Governance. His work has appeared in numerous academic and popular publications, and his many books include Tough Love for Schools, Common Sense School Reform, and Spinning Wheels.

Andrew Kelly is a research fellow at AEI and a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Mark Schneider is vice president for new education initiatives at the American Institutes for Research and a visiting scholar at AEI. Formerly the commissioner of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, Schneider is the author and coauthor of numerous scholarly books and articles, including the award-winning Choosing Schools: Consumer Choice and the Quality of American Schools.

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In January the UNC Charlotte trustees approved a plan calling for no tuition increase for resident undergraduate students, but it was said student fees were likely to increase. (See “No Tuition Increase Likely for UNC Charlotte Students in 2009-10”).  All of this was pending the approval of the UNC Board of Governors and the NC General Assembly.

The UNC Board of Governors proposed a 2.8 percent tuition increase for UNC System schools in February. From there it moved to the NC General Assembly where a number of proposals were made. With the state of economy in North Carolina and budget shortfalls it seemed like this 2.8 percent increase in tuition was the most likely outcome.

On Tuesday the NC House subcommittee that is writing the bill agreed to an alternative plan that would raise tuition by 8 percent or $200, whichever is less. This replaced another proposal to raise annual tuition by $258 for every student in the UNC System.

Under that proposal schools with low tuition rates would have seen double-digit increases in tuition. Still the proposal is far higher than the 2.8 percent tuition increase submitted by the UNC Board of Governors.

Once the full House approves a budget proposal, the Senate and House would work out a final compromise and send it to Gov. Beverly Perdue for her signature. Alternative proposals could come with more changes, but one thing seems certain, tuition hikes will be coming to UNC System schools.

The Burden on College Students is Unfair

Is the General Assembly increasing the burden on students because they are unable to make the cuts needed or raise taxes? College students are struggling just as much as everyone else in this national recession but it appears the General Assembly is prepared to place their lack of fiscal discipline squarely on the back of students in the UNC system.

While it is true the state is facing a $4-5 billion dollar deficit (thanks @shrop), it seems unfair to place such a burden on those who can afford it the least. This also goes against UNC System President Erskine Bowles’ 6.5 percent cap on increases. While Bowles states he understands the problems the General Assembly faces it is clear the recommendation of the UNC Board of Governors and his cap hold no sway with the General Assembly in these tough economic times.

This comes at a time when all schools within the UNC System are preparing to deal with upcoming budget cuts from the state. Final details of the cuts will not be known until the budget is passed, but it could mean 400-500 layoffs system-wide, delays in construction projects and larger class sizes.

The tuition increase combined with the increase in fees already announced by most UNC System schools is placing a burden on students. The recession is hitting college students hard. Decent paying jobs are harder to find, the cost of food and gas continue to creep up, credit card rates have already risen and will likely rise more and private loans to pay for college are more difficult to obtain. In fact credit of any kind for college students is and will likely become harder to obtain.

Hope or Dashed Dreams?

In his speech before congress (see “President Obama Gives College Students Hope and a Challenge”) President Obama called for everyone to seek higher education and challenged college students to finish college. The President stated “In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.”

His speech gave present and prospective college students hope that it would become easier to attend and pay for college. Now it seems that lawmakers and the economy are making it tougher than ever to do it. I still believe the Presidents’ speech DID inspire hope among college students, but right now hope does not pay the bills.

Did college students cause the recession? Has the real cost of college risen by this much? No, so why is the NC General Assembly placing such a burden on college students?

The federal government can bail out banks, insurance companies, auto makers and nearly everyone else deemed “vital to the economy”. But what about college students, the very future of economic growth in this country? If a college education is so important where is the college bailout? Are you pissed yet?

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