Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Apple iPad & Online Education
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
The Apple iPad is seen as being an extremely effective platform to integrate with online education technology platforms and Apple eve offers student pricing. The iPad itself is a lightweight, easily transportable and mobile computing platform with integrated 3G and Wi-Fi. This feature alone meshes well with the flexibility and 24 hour access to online educational platforms that online universities and colleges tout as a major advantage over more traditional educational options. Additionally, the iPad also doubles as an effective e-reader which means that electronic college textbooks and electronic university documents from online research databases can all be downloaded and viewed in a convenient and easy-on-the-eye format. Furthermore, the extensive apps (applications) that are available for both the iPad and the iPhone ensure that the iPad has the ability to extend its functionality far beyond a simple e-reader or learning platform. There are numerous educational apps available that ensures students or online learners are able to research, learn and increase their comprehension of the learning material in their courses such as dictionary apps, language apps, grammar apps, as well as mathematical apps with formulas and much, much more. The Apple iPad allows online learners to access all of their learning material anywhere, anytime and in a comfortable easy to read format. All the while being able to listen to music, stay connected on their social networking sites such as Facebook and Flipboard and a host of other rapidly developing solutions and applications.
Tags: apple ipad, eve, facebook, online, online research databases, platform, social networking sites, technology, technology platforms, Wi
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University of Phoenix Sucks Fraudulent
Monday, August 16th, 2010
The University of Phoenix has now taken to suing its former students for tuition it says is outstanding. Lest there are some that say these may be legitimate debts let me assure you they are not:
Fact 1: I enrolled in an online doctorate that had once a year residencies–I travel often. The enrollment counselor (salesman) assured me that I could reschedule these residencies if necessary as they were on fixed dates
Fact 2: After completing two courses I had to change the date of my 1st residency–oops–the academic counselor and the financial aid counselor said this was extremely difficult
Fact 3: They said I had to actually WITHDRAW from the program & then apply for reinstatement to the program & to financial aid since by doing so I would fall below the minimum credit hour requirements
Fact 4: Clearly, changing the residency in this program was not as easy as the University of Phoenix staff implied & I quit attending the course I was in (online) and the University of Phoenix withdrew me automatically.
Fact 5: Although the course had already been paid for & returning student loan money is not technically required by the Department of Education, the University of Phoenix returned the tuition money for a course that had already been paid for & has proceeded to sue me through its collections division for the $2000 in tuition it says I owe
Thanks University of Phoenix. Let me tell you, the University of Phoenix will tell you anything you want to hear to get you enrolled and to get your financial aid money. However, once you are in and if there is an issue or a complaint you are screwed. Virtually all the staff that you work with including staff such as Robert Infante and others, are rude, threatening, impolite (see the email from Robert Infante below) and generally only concerned about increasing the University’s revenues–this is, after all, a for profit institution meaning that its first concern is not the education it offers or the students but rather the shareholders.
So if you are considering the University of Phoenix please reconsider. There are numerous other reputable institutions that offer online courses and flexible on-ground programs that are both less expensive AND non-profit in character. The University of Phoenix has numerous complaints, lawsuits and legal issues that are currently underway and that it has settled in the past which are indicative of its business practices. In other words, if you go to the University of Phoenix you are essentially buying your degree. If you are ok with that that’s fine but if there is an issue or problem you will be sued that is certain.
Firstly, the University agrees to review your complaints through its Dispute Resolutions Board or Department which is hilarious in that the University of Phoenix actually investigates itself–no wonder it is prone to find in favor of itself then. Additionally, what major University operates its own in-house collections agency? Right, the University of Phoenix maintains its own in-house collections agency because this generates yet another revenue stream that widen its operating margins. It is a corporate entity rather than an academic one after all.
I have included all the emails of University of Phoenix staff that received my complaints although none of them have been helpful. However, if enough people contact these staff with their issues then maybe the University of Phoenix will decide to help its students and former students instead of suing and fraudulently luring them into a huge amount of financial aid debt:
To: “Robert Infante” <Robert.Infante@phoenix.edu>, “manny revera” <manny.revera@apollogrp.edu>
Cc: “bill pepicello” <bill.pepicello@apollogrp.edu>, “b pepicello” <b.pepicello@apollogrp.edu>, “bill pepicello”
<bill.pepicello@phoenix.edu>, “b pepicello” <b.pepicello@phoenix.edu>,michellec@aacrao.org, “goldie blumenstyk”
<goldie.blumenstyk@chronicle.com>, “alexander hapka” <alexander.hapka@phoenix.edu>,alumni@phoenix.edu, “robin fields”
<robin.fields@propublica.org>, “sara jones” <sara.jones@phoenix.edu>, “sara jones” <sara.jones@apollogrp.edu>, “s jones”
<s.jones@apollogrp.edu>, “robert moya” <robert.moya@phoenix.edu>, “robert moya” <robert.moya@apollogrp.edu>, “r moya”
<r.moya@phoenix.edu>, “r moya” <r.moya@apollogrp.edu>, “oig hotline” <oig.hotline@ed.gov>, balokolaro@hlcommission.org,
mgreen@hlcommission.org, fraudnet@gao.gov, editor@chronicle.com,sspangehl@hlcommission.org,
managing-editor@nytimes.com, “raquel sosa” <raquel.sosa@phoenix.edu>, “fred garcia” <fred.garcia@phoenix.edu>
Copy of threatening email sent to me by Robert Infante:
“It is my understanding that you are contacting University of Phoenix
staff and stating your continued disagreement with the university’s
findings about your grievance filed earlier this year and the balance
you accrued (I accrued nothing-it was paid for in advance by financial aid & I remained in the course long enough for the aid to not be returned) while in attendance.
You must immediately cease and desist with these communications or you
will be charged with violating the Student Code of Conduct (I’m not even a student anymore–what an idiot) for harassing
staff and failing to follow the directive that has been issued. If
necessary, we will also involve local law enforcement to address the
continued harassment (I emailed them copies of the complaints I filed with the Department of Education).
Sincerely,
Robert Infante
Robert Infante , Operational Development Manager
University of Phoenix | Office of Dispute Management
4615 East Elwood Street | AA-S401 | Phoenix , AZ 85040
phone: 602-557-3776 | fax: 623-444-1384 | email:
robert.infante@phoenix.edu
Tags: academic counselor, aid, apollogrp, bill, enrollment counselor, Fact, financial aid counselor, financial aid money, org, phoenix staff
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Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Friday, August 6th, 2010
Essays and term papers on sexual harassment in the workplace are often assigned during business related courses as a means to instruct students in areas such as human resources management or HRM, workplace policies and personnel management, among others. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a serious issue and has cost numerous executives and run of the mill employees their positions over the years. Additionally, sexual harassment has also cost many promising employees (mostly women but also some men) their opportunity to advance within a company and to put their talents and capabilities on display. The most recent example of the negative repercussions of sexual harassment in the workplace is a bombshell indeed. Mark Hurd, the savior of HP after Carleton Fiorina was fired as CEO of HP several years ago recently announced that he was resigning as CEO of HP. This just goes to show how irresponsible even the highest level executive can be and Hurd has now ruined a reputation and all the industry respect that he had garnered after stepping into HP’s leadership position and restoring that company’s core values which centered on its engineering, operations and technical innovation. Clearly, business schools and business education needs to do a better job of educating young professionals on just how destructive sexual harassment can be to an organization.
Tags: carleton fiorina, harassment in the workplace, HRM, human resources management, issue, mark hurd, means, Sexual, sexual harassment in the workplace, workplace
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Liquor Store Business Plan
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
Tags: business plan, liquor, liquor store, Store, store business
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Why B-Schools Study Microsoft
Monday, July 5th, 2010
Microsoft’s Failure (s)-essays on Microsoft
Many product development, marketing, and project management programs in the world’s leading universities love to use Microsoft as an example of how not to develop a new product or service and then, subsequently, how not to bring that new product or service to market. While some of Microsoft’s most popular programs such as the Windows operating system and its Microsoft Office suite of business productivity software are extremely successful and extremely profitable, they are increasingly the only areas of the company’s business that are although the Xbox 360 product is somewhat of a success anomaly but only partially so. The fact remains that Microsoft is such a good pinata to use in business schools because it completely fails to understand just how integral a company’s organizational culture is to its creative DNA. For example, product managers and marketing professors love to point out just how much Apple’s success relates to its inherent ability to create and innovate in areas that are increasingly far afield from its original computing platform.
In contrast, Microsoft, which has all the money and capital necessary to create and innovate without equal in the industry continually, fails to do so. The company’s efforts to introduce new products such as the Kin One and Kin Two mobile phones and mobile phone platform which have been recently discontinued after just a few weeks on the market and some 10,000 sold are illustrative of just how much the firm’s executives do not “get it.” This is just a long line of products and services that the firm has thought that it would revolutionize the consumer markets with. For instance, did you know that Microsoft once touted a Smart Watch service it coined SPOT and which would transmit data over FM radio waves to subscribers? Right, I didn’t think so but this product was available on all major online retailing sites such as Amazon.com, among others. Of course you are familiar with Zune, Microsoft’s digital music player, the perennial also-ran in the industry? What about Microsoft Bob which was a program developed in 1995 that was designed to make the Windows platform easier to use for computing novices? Right, customers that wanted a computing platform that was easier to use just bought a Mac and the company’s executives, once again, did get that rather than develop yet another program to interface with a GUI designed to interface with the computer’s underlying OS maybe it should just redesign its GUI—whatever.
Microsoft is the stuff of legend for all the wrong reasons and business school programs love to discuss its market failures like the Playforsure technology that, as it turned out, could not play with anybody’s digital music platform because of the company’s ridiculous digital management software and, in fact, once it was cancelled none of the files could even be played on the company’s new digital music platform which was the Zune. In short, Microsoft seems be mired in endless layers of organizational bureaucracy, be controlled by a top-down mentality, have a product/service development process designed to attempt to manipulate the consumer rather than design based on consumer demand, and to be inordinately focused on maintaining its dominance through proprietary business models.
Tags: business productivity software, computing, marketing, microsoft, microsoft microsoft, microsoft office suite, music, platform, project management programs, radio waves
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iPhone Apps for Students
Friday, June 25th, 2010
The iPhone and now with the iPhone 4 release, is a ubiquitous device on most college and university campuses. While many might casually assume that college and university students are using their iPhones just for texting, talking and social networking, a quick analysis indicates that college and university students are able to utilize their iPhones in new and unique ways because of the host of iPhone apps that are available and useful to the college student. Below is a list of some of the more popular and effective student oriented iPhone apps:
1) BigWords: this app provides college students the ability to comparison shop college
and university textbooks
2) CliffsNotes: this is a popular application that builds on the utility of the well-known study guides that students have been using for years
3) History: Maps of the World: this really neat application allows users to download and view maps of the world as they would have appeared in different historical eras
4) Pandora Radio: of course college students must have time to relax and increasingly they can accomplish this by listening to their favorite music genres on web-based radio streams through their iPhones
5) Mathematical Formulas: this app preserves the most common algebraic, trigonometry and related mathematical formulas for easy reference
In addition to these popular and useful apps there are a host of others. College and university students can considerably ease their academic and scholarly burdens by making full use of their iPhones in addition to enjoying the everyday utility that the iPhone provides.
Tags: app, application, host, iphone 4, iphone apps, iphones, maps of the world, networking, pandora radio, University
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Mortgage Fraud & Foreclosure Essays
Saturday, June 19th, 2010
Mortgage fraud, foreclosures and home lending have been extremely popular topics for essays, thesis topics and dissertations over the past several years. For example, the FBI has noted that there has been more than $1.5 billion in financial losses due to mortgage fraud during 2009 with this year likely to equal or surpass 2009. Many academic programs in finance, accounting and criminal justice find mortgage fraud and home lending issues, such as consumer credit counseling, to be quite useful topics to study and to assign for research papers. This is because consumer credit counseling that purports to guide consumers through improving their credit, easing consumer debt such as credit card debt and in negotiating better mortgage repayment terms, have been yet another source of financially oriented criminal activity because many of the firms in this industry are themselves fraudulent. Finally, finance, accounting and criminal justice programs as well as economics classes like to monitor the foreclosure crisis in the United States because it is a key metric in determining the fundamental health of the national economy but is also indicative of how long the economy will continue to suffer. In fact, recent data indicates that in April of this year, the number of homes that were actually taken over by banks rose by 35% over the previous year which itself had increased substantially. Nationally, the estimates indicate that almost 1 million homes are involved in some stage of delinquency or foreclosure and this number is rising. Producing academic research and essays on these topics is a useful way to train and educate future economists, financial advisors and criminal investigators alike.
Tags: consumer credit counseling, criminal investigators, criminal justice programs, debt, Fraud, home, justice, lending, mortgage fraud, thesis topics
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iPad Apps for College & University
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
The amount of and variety of technology available today is incredible. Certainly the iPod, iPhone, and now the iPad have changed the way college students and university students communicate and work in order to be successful in school. Of course everyone is aware of Apple’s applications or “apps” as they have come to be referred to but not everyone is aware that there are a few apps that are great tools for college and university students. We have identified the 10 best apps for college and university students available from the iTunes store below:
1) Numbers—this app costs $9.99 and it is a spreadsheet program useful because its data is compatible with Numbers for the Mac, Microsoft’s Excel and even converts into PDF format for Adobe’s products
2) Pages—this app costs $9.99 and it is a word processing program that contains templates, tools, and a host of touch commands. Pages is simple to utilize for students and is compatible with Pages for the Mac, Microsoft Word as well as PDF reliant programs
3) Things for iPad—this app is expensive at $19.99 and it is a great time management program that allows improved scheduling with a nice user interface and is designed for the iPad’s larger screen
4) Articles for iPad—this app is $0.99 which makes it a nice and easy addition to a college student’s set of software tools. This app has a nice interface and provides direct access to Wikipedia which may not be accepted by college professors as a credible source but which is largely viewed by all others as a constantly accessible easy and reliable quick reference database
5) Dictionary.com—this is a free and includes access to the site’s database of more than 1,000,000 unique words and also includes access to the site’s thesaurus functionality as well
6) IM+–this app is $9.99 and is an effective way to gather all your IM channels into a single app. This app integrates Twitter, Skype Chat, Google Talk, Facebook, Yahoo, MSN/Live, AIM/iChat, ICQ as well as several others
7) Scrabble for iPad—this app is $9.99 and provides a nice, useful game to break up the monotony of your classes or unforeseen downtime and, even better, it also integrates with Facebook to enable game sharing as well as wireless interactivity with other iPad or iPod users
Instapaper Pro—this app is $4.99 is essentially collects articles and web pages that you like while you have wifi access for later viewing and reading when wifi may not be available
9) Netflix—this app is free but requires that you already have an online Netflix account. This app allows you to view all your Netflix movies from the iPad or iPhone/iPod and we all know that Netflix now has a host of movies available for immediate viewing with a simple membership plan
10) The Elements: A Visual Exploration—this app is $13.99 and if you are a science major or interested in science then it is a must have. This app provides background information and graphics on each element listed in the periodic table of the elements
These top ten iPad apps for students in school can make your life a lot easier and if you need help with school like writing a term paper then place us on your favorites in your web browser. Sorry, we don’t have an app for that but for custom writing services you won’t find a service any better or responsive than ours and we can free up your time for the other important aspects of your college or university life.
Tags: app, college professors, iPad, Pages, PDF, spreadsheet program, thesaurus functionality, time management program, way, word processing program
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Tony Hayward is a Bitch
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, is a whiny little bitch. Certainly I’d like to be more sophisticated than that but there’s just no other way to explain it. Tony’s company is responsible for what is likely going to turn out to be the worst oil spill in history and all he can do publicly is infer what an inconvenience the entire ordeal has been on his life. Certainly his life seems to be more important to him than the 11 people that were killed on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig that blew up because BP’s engineers were cutting safety corners in the interest of profit, ROI and scheduling. But his life of luxury is definitely more important to him than the countless millions of people along the gulf coast in the US whose lives are almost certainly wrecked. So I encourage the boycott BP campaigns but I do so because I too want Tony to get his life back. This BP oil spill is a national catastrophe of global proportions and the idiots still can’t seem to come up with a clear solution or strategy to address the problem. Currently, there are solutions being thrown around outside of BP to lower high explosives to collapse the wellhead and even a nuclear device which would, because of the extremely high heat it generates, seal the wellhead completely. Feasible or not this is the type of creative solution that this type of singular problem requires. Rather than persisting in following protocols for sealing wellheads on the surface, BP and the government must begin to examine innovative, creative and singular strategies that have not been tried previously because these are the types of solutions that will solve this type of unfamiliar problem. Furthermore, BP continues to attempt to downplay and minimize the breadth and scale of the catastrophe and won’t even admit to the existence of the underwater oil plumes which three independent scientific teams have verified—instead Tony personally and BP officially continue to argue that these do not exist. Right, Tony says, “trust us.” Okay, Tony, the American public trusts what you say because you have our interests at heart because we all know you want your life back. BP and the government absolutely cannot let that wellhead leak until August when the relief well will be completed. Do something-anything but start by coming up with original solutions for what amounts to a never before seen problem so that whiney little bitch can get his life back!
Tags: Bitch, bp oil spill, catastrophe, global proportions, high explosives, horizon oil, national catastrophe, spill, way, wellhead
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University of Phoenix or McPhoenix University
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
The University of Phoenix is one of the most unethical companies in corporate America, and that is saying something considering that ethics and business seem to be mutually incompatible these days. The University of Phoenix is an online university whose programs have been the subject of much ridicule over the past several years as the university has focused almost purely on enrollment numbers rather than educational delivery. This has led to the University of Phoenix being referred to as the McDonald’s of higher education and an internationally horrible reputation. Because the University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution, it is clear that the ultimate mandate is in generating profits rather than delivering quality education with lasting impact. That the university adheres to this mandate is evident by the number and type of lawsuits that have been filed by the university’s parent corporation, The Apollo Group, such as its recent settlement in which it paid 10s of millions of dollars in order to settle financial aid fraud issues with the Department of Education and the Justice Department. While the settlement allows the University of Phoenix to state that the settlement in no way implies that the company defrauded students and the government by compensating enrollment counselors on a performance basis, among other nefarious practices, no company pays millions of dollars just to placate a few disgruntled students and a government investigation. Simply put, while the University of Phoenix does allow students to obtain degrees, the quality of these degrees conferred by online universities that are purely for-profit enterprises begs the question, just where do students fit into the institutions’ profit equation? The Apollo Group derives the vast majority of its revenues from the U.S. Department of Education’s various financial aid programs and thus this is a company that depends on generating as much student churn as it can in order to constantly renew its revenue stream as students apply for and obtain financial aid and, conveniently enough, the majority of which is retained by the University of Phoenix as revenue. Even from an investment perspective, The Apollo Group is suspect because of the way it books these revenues and its ongoing business practices. The best advise if you have not yet succumbed to the University of Phoenix’ marketing efforts is to pursue your education with a local community college or university that offers a mix of online and on-ground classes. If you are a University of Phoenix student, the best advice is to withdraw and ensure that it does not attempt to bill you for unpaid tuition which it will most likely attempt to do.
Tags: aid, apollo group, delivering quality education, enrollment counselors, fraud issues, mandate, Phoenix, settlement, university of phoenix, way
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