Cultural Democracy

Social popular government †Summary This is the outline of the gathering or discussion between the two speakers Mr. Jerry Sambuaga and Mr. Lee Nathanael Santoso, talking about the subject of Cultural Democracy. The main theme that is talked about was on the perfect type of popular government. Mr. Jerry said that the perfect type of majority rule government is the one that organize opportunity, to have radicalism executed, which will in the long run lead to independence. As he would see it progressivism ought to be actualized in all perspectives, for example, in governmental issues and economy.The instances of radicalism in legislative issues are presidential political decision or gatherings, while the case of progressivism in economy is human rights. The ability to speak freely, opportunity to communicate assessments, since 1998, is the way to radicalism (direct majority rule government). Then again, while talking about the theme on the perfect type of majority rules system, Mr. Nathanael brings up the issue â€Å"Whether majority rule government is general or locally? † as his rebound. Individuals presently have human rights, the option to pick what they think popular government is. He said that in Singapore the administration assumes a bigger job analyzed than the job of the right to speak freely of discourse (agent democracy).Mr. jerry said that majority rules system is designed in the west, and the popular government in Indonesia is still delicate, there are perspectives that have not yet been contacted, for example, common society, law requirement, and so forth. There is an explanation that Mr. Jerry gave that Mr. Nathanael additionally concedes to, and that is â€Å"Democracy isn't a goal yet a goal†. Mr. Nathanael included that popular government without a doubt is a mean or an objective, and the objective isn't majority rules system however to ensure that each individuals have fundamental necessities (security, and so on). Mr.Nathanael posed an expository inquiry, † which political framework that can ensure their nation to be adaptable enough to achieve political lattice lock? † From his perspective, Singapore is the nearest one that has had the option to accomplish this. The second subject that the arbitrator examined was, â€Å"Should a nation this enormous (Indonesia) utilize a government framework or a unitary framework? † Mr. Nathanael said that our nation ought to receive a blend of the two frameworks. From Mr. jerry's perspective, Indonesia should utilize a government framework, since Indonesia is extremely various, in the event that we power something it can cause harms. Mr. Nathanael discussed Mr.Jerry's announcement by saying that Singapore additionally has decent variety, yet they know how to fit the diverse purpose of perspectives, sentiments, and so forth. He stated, â€Å"Minorities and other ethnicity get the option to participate, to give a voice. † Mr. Jerry discussed Mr . Nathanael’s articulation by saying that Singapore has an abusive or a dictator framework, rather than having a right to speak freely. â€Å"Singapore has a decent framework however would it be able to last with that framework? Indonesia may not yet be effective now, yet with the presence of freedom, and opportunity given for individuals to have the option to administer, may lead Indonesia to turn into a created nation. Mr. Nathanael discussed Mr. Jerry’s proclamation saying, â€Å"The dictator framework in Singapore is distinctive contrasted with China, in Singapore the law is clear, you can have a state on scrutinizing the administration, however you should have realities to help it. Mr. Jerry’s feeling is that our nation is most appropriate with hosting a little number gatherings, in light of the fact that an enormous number of gatherings hinders dynamic, and nuts suit the presidential framework. While Mr. Nathanael said that majority rule government isn't about ideological groups, some portion of government,â it is tied in with accomplishing national interests.He said that, â€Å"only the gatherings with cash that can win (in indo), yet in Singapore in the event that you have a decent vision you will be heard†. â€Å"Should vote based system control opportunity? † Mr. Jerry said that one’s opportunity of articulation could abuse another's opportunity of articulation. Opportunity ought to be controlled yet not constrained. Majority rule government may not be the best framework, yet it is still better to teach the individuals to take an interest. He included, â€Å"Freedom of privileges of Singapore must be created. † Mr. Nathanael remarked, â€Å"Singapore are persuaded this is the framework for them, the issue is Singapore’s framework ought to be increasingly applicable. Singapore’s human rights can’t be contrasted and Indonesia’s need of financial flourishing. Social Democra cy Critical Analysis Cultural Democracy is the term for a way of thinking or strategy underscoring pluralism, cooperation, and value inside and between societies. Which comprises of a lot of related responsibilities, for example, securing and advancing social decent variety, and the option to culture for everybody in our general public and around the globe;? empowering dynamic investment in network social life;? empowering individuals to partake in strategy choices that influence the nature of our social lives; and ? ssuring reasonable and evenhanded access to social assets and backing. There are three essential kinds of vote based system: Direct vote based system is a political framework where the residents take an interest in the dynamic actually, Representative majority rule government includes the choice of government authorities by the individuals being spoken to, and Parliamentary vote based system is an agent vote based system where government is designated by delegates rathe r than a ‘presidential rule' wherein the President is both head of state and the head of government and is chosen by the voters.In my feeling, I figure the perfect type of popular government ought to be where radicalism is exceptionally thought of, however where there is likewise an equalization in government contribution. Since, as the individuals, we recognize what our nation needs most, however with the decent variety that our nation have, and with the various conclusions that individuals have, there should be a delegate majority rules system that can speak to the individuals and picks the best choices for the individuals and the nation. Should vote based system control freedom?I feel that opportunity is both a positive and a negative think, if not controlled appropriately. Individuals have various suppositions, and on the off chance that every one of them have the ability to speak freely, at that point there will be where their opportunity of articulation will conflict wit h others’ opportunity of articulation. That is the reason that opportunity ought to likewise be controlled to a state of degree where individuals would in any case have the right to speak freely. The fundamental motivation behind why Indonesia has not had the option to arrive at its maximum capacity is on the grounds that we have powerless foundations, consequently frail democracy.Indonesia ought to become familiar with the multifaceted nature that is majority rules system, the numerous perspectives that is comprises of such asâ legal conviction, straightforwardness, opportunity, and so forth. The one thing that Indonesia ought to have the option to do to improve as a nation is by realizing how to organize. Obviously, in vote based system alone there are numerous viewpoints that it comprises of, and to deal with this by realizing which to organize first, to the degree where all the perspectives will be secured individually. Indonesia ought to be steady in following or runnin g a liberal system.Of course, there are forms that should be done; we have to battle for the opportunity of the economy. The best arrangement is to have a change dependent on the yearning of the individuals. We ought to have the option to learn, and receive all the great components that every nation has, blend them up and actualize them as our popularity based framework. By: Pamela Lemmuela (04320120057) FISIP/HI/2012 RESEARCH : ? Vote based system? From Wikipedia, the free reference book A lady makes her choice in the second round of the French presidential appointment of 2007 Part of the Politics series|Democracy| Historyâ â · Outline| Basic forms| * Direct * Representative| Variants| * Anticipatory * Consensus * Deliberative * Demarchy * Economic * Electronic * Grassroots * Illiberal * Inclusive * Liberal * Non-fanatic * Ochlocracy * Participatory * Radical * Religious * Representative direct * Sociocracy * Soviet * Totalitarian * Other| Politics portal| * v t e| Part of the Po litics series| Basic structures ofgovernment| Power structure| * Confederal * Federal * Hegemony * Imperial * Unitary| Power source| Democracy * Direct * Representative * Other * Monarchy * Absolute * Constitutional * Oligarchy * Aristocracy * Meritocracy * Military junta * Plutocracy * Stratocracy * Technocracy * Timocracy * Other * Anarchy * Authoritarianism * Autocracy * Anocracy * Despotism * Dictatorship * Kritarchy * Republic * Theocracy * Totalitarianism| List of types of government| Politics portal| * v t e|Democracy is a type of government wherein every single qualified resident have an equivalent state in the choices that influence their lives. Majority rule government permits individuals to partake equallyâ€either legitimately or through chosen representativesâ€in the proposition, improvement, and making of laws. It envelops social, monetary and social conditions that empower the free and equivalent act of political self-assurance. The term begins from the Greek (de mokratia) â€Å"rule of the people†,[1] which was instituted from demos) â€Å"people† and (kratos) â€Å"power† in the fifth century BCE to signify the political frameworks at that point existing in Greek city-states, strikingly Athens; the term is an antonym to â€Å"rule of an elite†. The English word dates to the sixteenth century, from the more seasoned Middle French and Middle Latin reciprocals. A just government differences to types of government where force is either held by one, as in a government, or where force is held by few people, as in a theocracy or aristocracy.Nevertheless, these restrictions, acquired from Greek way of thinking, are currently equivocal on the grounds that contemporary governments have blended vote based, oligarchic, and monarchic components. Karl Popper characterized majority rule government rather than autocracy or oppression, in this way concentrating on open doors for the individuals to control their pioneers and to e xpel them without the requirement for an unrest. [2] Several variations of vote based system exist, yet there are two fundamental structures, both of wh

Protective Equipment Is to Reduce Employee Exposure to Hazards Essay

Fire is the fast oxidation of a material in the exothermic synthetic procedure of ignition, discharging warmth, light, and different response products.[1] Slower oxidative procedures like rustingor assimilation are excluded by this definition. The fire is the obvious part of the fire. In the event that hot enough, the gases may get ionized to deliver plasma.[2] Depending on the substances land, and any polluting influences outside, the colorof the fire and the fire’s force will be extraordinary. Fire in its most normal structure can bring about fire, which can possibly cause physical harm through consuming. Fire is a significant procedure that influences natural frameworks over the globe. The constructive outcomes of fire incorporate animating development and keeping up different environmental frameworks. Fire has been utilized by people for cooking, producing warmth, flagging, and impetus purposes. The negative impacts of fire incorporate water tainting, soil disintegration, air contamination and danger to human and creature life.[3] | Fire Technology is a friend surveyed scholastic diary distributing logical research managing the full scope of real, conceivable, and potential fire risks confronting people and the environment.[1] It distributes unique commitments, both hypothetical and observational, that add to the arrangement of issues in fire wellbeing and related fields. It is distributed bySpringer related to the National Fire Protection Association.[2] Arson[1] is the wrongdoing of deliberately and malevolently burning down structures, wildlandareas,[2] cars[3][4] or other property with the goal to cause harm. It might be recognized from different causes, for example, sudden ignition and normal out of control fires. Illegal conflagration regularly includes fires purposely set to the property of another or to one’s own property as to gather protection compensation.[5] Warmth In material science and science, heat is vitality moved starting with one body then onto the next by warm interactions.[1][2] The exchange of vitality can happen in an assortment of ways, among them conduction,[3] radiation,[4] and convection. Warmth isn't a property of a framework or body, however rather is constantly connected with a procedure or some likeness thereof, and is interchangeable with heat stream and warmth move. Warmth stream from more sultry to colder frameworks happens suddenly, and is constantly joined by an expansion in entropy. In a warmth motor, interior vitality of bodies is bridled to give helpful work. The second law of thermodynamicsprohibits heat stream straightforwardly from cold to hot frameworks, however with the guide of a warmth siphon outer work can be utilized to move inside vitality in a roundabout way from a cold to a hot body. Moves of vitality as warmth are perceptible procedures. The cause and properties of warmth can be comprehended through the measurable mechanics of minuscule constituents, for example, atoms and photons. For example, heat stream can happen when the quickly vibrating atoms in a high temperature body move a portion of their vitality (by direct contact, radiation trade, or different instruments) to the more gradually vibrating particles in a lower temperature body. Oxygen is a synthetic component with image O and nuclear number 8. Its name gets from the Greek roots á ½â‚¬Ã® ¾Ã¯ Ã¯â€š (oxys) (â€Å"acid†, actually â€Å"sharp†, alluding to the harsh taste ofacids) and - ÃŽ ³Ã¯Å"î ½Ã® ¿Ã¯â€š (- gî ¿nos) (â€Å"producer†, truly â€Å"begetter†), on the grounds that at the hour of naming, it was erroneously felt that all acids required oxygen in their sythesis. Atstandard temperature and weight, two iotas of the component tie to frame dioxygen, a vapid, scentless, boring diatomic gas with the recipe O2. This substance is a significant piece of the climate, and is important to continue most earthly life. A fire douser, fire quencher, or essentially a douser, is a functioning fire security gadget used to smother or control little flames, frequently in crisis circumstances. It isn't expected for use on a crazy fire, for example, one which has arrived at the roof, imperils the client (i.e., no way out course, smoke, blast danger, and so on.), or in any case requires the aptitude of a local group of fire-fighters. Normally, a fire douser comprises of a hand-held tube shaped weight vessel containing a specialist which can be released to stifle aflame. Fire anticipation is an element of many local groups of fire-fighters. The objective of fire counteraction is to instruct people in general to avoid potential risk to forestall conceivably unsafe flames, and be taught about enduring them. It is a proactive technique for decreasing crises and thedamage brought about by them. Many local groups of fire-fighters have a Fire Prevention Officer.In the general feeling of forestalling destructive fl ames, numerous viewpoints are talked about in the articles Fire assurance and Fire security. Out of control fire concealment alludes to the firefighting strategies used to smother fierce blazes. Firefighting endeavors inwildland territories requires various procedures, gear, and preparing from the more recognizable structure firefighting found in populated zones. Working related to exceptionally planned firefighting airplane, these rapidly spreading fire prepared teams smother flares, build firelines, and quench blazes and territories of warmth to secure assets and regular wild. Out of control fire concealment additionally addresses the issues of the wildland-urban interface, where populated territories outskirt with wildland regions. Firewall may allude to: * Firewall (development), a boundary inside a structure or vehicle, intended to confine the spread of fire, heat and basic breakdown * Firewall (car), the piece of the vehicle that isolates the motor from the driver and travelers * Firewall (registering), a mechanical obstruction intended to forestall unapproved or undesirable interchanges between PC systems or hosts * Firewall (Physics), an impact of Hawking Radiation seen by an unreservedly falling spectator after intersection the skyline of a dark gap. Firetrap firetrap is a British attire organization, established in 1991,[1] spend significant time in premium menswear and adornments. It is the primary brand inside the WDT organization (World Design and Trade), which additionally possesses its sister image Fullcircle alongside past brands SC51 and Sonnetti. Firetrap is immovably settled globally and is sold in more than 30 countries[2] and 1,500 stores around the world. There are eight independent stores in the UK: a Covent Garden store in London and others in Belfast, Liverpool, Leeds, EdinburghWestfield[disambiguation needed], Sheffield and Nottingham (2010).[3] The brand is a key player worldwide with another store in Dubai and concessions all through Europe including Italy, Germany and France. Blaze A fire or a blast is an uncontrolled consuming that undermines human life, creature life, wellbeing, or property. A fire can be inadvertently started, normally caused (rapidly spreading fire), or deliberately made (pyro-crime). Torching can be practiced with the end goal of treachery or redirection, and furthermore can be the result of arsonist tendencies. During blaze the property is harmed or crushed by fire. Now and again the fire delivers a firestorm, wherein the focal segment of rising warmed air instigates solid internal breezes, which gracefully oxygen to the fire. Blazes can bring about losses, passings, or wounds from smoke inward breath orburns. Ignition Ignition (pron.:/ké™mëˆbêÅ"s.têÆ'é™n/) or consuming is the succession of exothermic substance responses between a fuel and an oxidant joined by the creation of warmth and change of synthetic species. The arrival of warmth can deliver light as either shining or ablaze. Fills of intrigue regularly incorporate natural mixes (particularly hydrocarbons) in the gas,liquid or strong stage. In a total ignition response, a compound responds with an oxidizing component, such asoxygen or fluorine, and the items are mixes of every component in the fuel with the oxidizing component. For instance: CH4 + 2 O2 â†' CO2 + 2 H2O + vitality A basic model can be found in the burning of hydrogen and oxygen, which is a normally utilized response in rocket motors: 2 H2 + O2 â†' 2 H2O(g) + heat The outcome is water fume. Complete burning is practically difficult to accomplish. In all actuality, as genuine ignition responses come to balance, a wide assortment of major and minor species will be available, for example, carbon monoxide and unadulterated carbon (sediment or debris). Moreover, any burning in climatic air, which is 79 percent nitrogen, will likewise make a few types of nitrogen oxides. Fire point The fire purpose of a fuel is the temperature at which it will keep on consuming for at any rate 5 seconds after start by an open fire. At theflash point, a lower temperature, a substance will light quickly, yet fume probably won't be created at a rate to continue the fire. Most tables of material properties will just rundown material glimmer focuses, however by and large the fire focuses can be thought to be around 10  °C higher than the blaze focuses. Notwithstanding, this is not a viable alternative for testing if the fire point is security basic. Degree Celsius Celsius, otherwise called centigrade,[1] is a scale and unit of estimation for temperature. It is named after the Swedish space expert Anders Celsius (1701â€1744), who built up a comparative temperature scale. The degree Celsius ( °C) can allude to a particular temperature on the Celsius scale just as a unit to show a temperature interim, a contrast between two temperatures or anuncertainty. The unit was referred to until 1948 as â€Å"centigrade† from the Latin centum deciphered as 100 and gradus interpreted as â€Å"steps† From 1743 until 1954, 0  °C was characterized as the point of solidification of water and 100  °C was characterized as the breaking point of water, both at a weight of one standard air with mercury being the working material. In spite of the fact that these characterizing relationships are ordinarily instructed in schools today, by global understanding the unit â€Å"d

Summertime

Summertime Hey folks. Ive been busy, which still isnt a good excuse for not having posted anything substantial in something like seven months. I kept procrastinating about blogging throughout the majority of the second semester, coming up with some ideas but telling myself there would more time during the summer to sit down and write them out. Two semesters in, and the information on the banner above is already outdated. I declared Course 9, Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Having lost interest in economics, I figured Id like to major in a life science. Biology is boring in my humblest of opinions, but the mind has always been fascinating to me. This is one of the greatest draws of MITI came here kind-of-but-not-really-sure I wanted one major, but with so many fantastic departments its hard to go wrong. Still, I feel fairly confident in my declaration of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. The departmental requirements are full of classes I would like to take as electives no matter what my major turns out to be. I figured this was a fair benchmark for which course to declare, so Brain and Cog it is. A month or so before the end of the semester I sent an employment application to Cataldo EMS, a private ambulance service for which many MIT-EMS EMTs work. They tend to hire us, they pay, and most of all, they are an urban 9-1-1 contractor. Translated, this means lots of good experience. Possessing all of three months and 60 hours of experience, I was doubtful that theyd hire me. They asked me to come in for pre-employment testing, consisting of a multiple choice exam, mapbook reading assessment, and a practical skills portion. Excited to have gotten that far in the process, I was quite disheartened to receive their decision. Basically, they said that though I passed all the requirements, they didnt have enough open shifts available to justify hiring new EMTs. All other MIT EMTs got the same messagevictims of the economic downturn? Before summer began, I realized I should probably have a backup plan if this EMS business didnt work out. So that I wouldnt have a completely useless summer, I sent emails to see about UROP openings. I had two interviews, one for a UROP in course 14 (Economics) and another in course 9. I didnt get the economics position, but I was offered a spot with the Brain and Cog project. Im glad I was, too. Otherwise Id have nothing to do this summer. The research deals with developmental psychology. Through a couple of different experiments, were trying to shed some light on how infants become social. In one test, we show babies (age 1-2 years) videos of Mr. Rogers and Alton Brown on an eyetracking monitor. The videos are exploratory, in which someone is talking about and describing an object. We want to see at what age babies learn to look at social interactions the way we do: when they start looking at faces when people address them, and objects when people are describing them. Another test also involves the eyetracking monitor, this time in a language acquisition study. In this experiment, we show the children a series slides, each with two images. As these images are shown, two made-up words are stated. The video cycles through different combinations of images and words such that you can figure out which word corresponds to which image. At the end, two images are displayed again, but this time only one word (corresponding to one of the images on the screen) is repeated. We want to see if infants this young can determine which words mean which picture. The hope is that in the testing portion at the end they will look preferentially at the correct image. The last study Im working on is a bit different. For this experiment, Ive built two boxes. Each has two big buttons, and when both are pressed, the box lights up and makes noise. With the child (3-5 years old this time) on the other end of the table, Ill say something like Check out my cool toy! Look what happens when I do this! [press buttons]. Then Ill ask the kid what he thinks will happen if I only press one button. Then with the other box, Ill accidentally drop a pencil and accidentally trigger the effect on my way down to pick it up. Then Ill ask the same question again. The aim here is to see if there is a difference in the childrens responses in the goal-oriented and accidental conditions. Our hypothesis is that the kids will pick up on social cues and be more likely to say that both buttons are required in the goal condition, and that only one is required for the second. This is the project that I have the most ownership overIve built the boxes myself, demonstrated the exper iment for the leaders at the Museum of Science where we will be testing, and in the next week or so, I will start collecting data. So far, to be honest, the job has been a bit tedious. Im glad to get my feet wet with research, though. And in a way, it was a mixed blessing to not be hired by the EMS. My summer is productive, but not too taxing. I can still relax and recharge after the first year at MIT. Im doing the research for academic credit, so pocket change is a bit hard to come by. But otherwise my Cataldo pre-employment testing results stand for a year, so I dont have to take the exam again if I want to apply for work next summer. To keep my options open for next summer, Ive gained certification with the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians by passing a written exam. This doesnt mean too much in and of itself, but it makes getting EMT certification in Texas only a matter of paperwork (no more tests!). Also, I get a cool patch for my uniform. Perhaps next summer Ill work for an ambulance company back home in Houston to get experience, get paid, and get by without a summer housing bill. So what are you guys up to this summer? I havent been keeping up with the discussions in the Class of 2013 Facebook group, but if you have any questions about the move to college, feel free to ask below and Ill give you my two cents. Summertime School is out and many times high school students struggle to find things to do with their time. I know that after such a long school year with tough academic classes, sports, extracurricular activities, and whole bunch of other responsibilities, its tempting to just veg out on the couch and watch Gossip Girl, Degreassi, and OchoCinco: The Ultimate Catch reruns for 14 hours a day. You could easily become a Facebook addict and surf your friends profile pages for 14 hours each day. (I know, I feel like this sometimes too.) But dont fall victim to the TV or FB this summer! You can resist. You have many more options of things to do with your time than you realize! One of the things that I have learned about MIT students is that (generally speaking) they are good stewards of their time. Students here work hard and play hard. During the year, they certainly get their fare share of study time, but they also do everything from taking cool photos to attempting to break the world record for mattress dominoes. The same philosophy holds true during the summertime as well. Over the summer, MIT students do a whole host of interesting things with their time. (You dont need links to find out what types of cool things students are doing, just go back and check out some of the recent blog posts.) But they didnt start making good use of their summer months when they came to MIT, it started way back in high school. So here are a few suggestions of things that you could do with your time this summer. From me to you. Why? Because I care. ________________________________________ 1. A Summer Program â€" Summer Programs are a great way to make good use of your time. You can investigate an interest, develop a new skill, or learn about different careers. Students always have a really great time meeting new people and doing exciting projects with other motivated kids. Here are a few that I know about; RSI , WTP , MITES , Duke TIP , The Bridge Program, Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth , and many, many more.. And don’t underestimate the importance of being away from home and on your own for a few weeks. It’s a good thing to know that you can take care of yourself in a new environment without Mom and Dad around to solve every challenge that may come up. You can do it! Go ahead and fly little birdie! 2. Travel (Locally or not so locally) â€" In today’s world of work, you will probably not have just one job in the same location for 35 or 40 years. It is more likely that you will have a bunch of different types of jobs in a variety of places. You will certainly have the choice of working in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, or San Francisco. But if you have the skills to pay the bills, you will also be able to have international options like London, Mumbai, or Shanghai. Getting a chance to see what different places have to offer can open your mind to new opportunities (and it plants the seed for study abroad)! 3. College Road Trip! Summertime is a great time to visit colleges. You can go to information sessions, tour the campus, and even though most students will not be on campus, you can still get a general feel for what the place might be like when it is fully occupied. Start with campuses that are close to you and then venture further out. Visiting colleges over the summer is a smart move. 4. Get a Summer Job Camp counselor, grocery bagger, retail, restaurants, lifeguard.It really doesnt matter the nature of the job, as long as you get a chance to begin learning what it means to have the responsibility of having people depend on you in a professional setting. Its also nice to learn what it means to earn your own money. 5. Get an internship! You aren’t going to be a high school student forever! One day you too will have the joy of paying bills, taxes, and have a mortgage (this is sarcasm). In order to do these things you will have a job. With luck, it will be a job that you enjoy. Start now and get a sneak peak into what an engineer (or any other profession of interest for you) does on a daily basis. If there is an official internship program where you get paid, GREAT!!!! If not, don’t be afraid to do an internship for free. The experience that you get is well worth the investment of your time even if you aren’t getting paid. 6. Take a class I know, I know…. Just hear me out. Just because the school year has ended, doesn’t mean that learning has to stop! Summertime is a great time for you to take a class in something that you have been interested, but may not have had the actual time during the school year. It’s also a time to take a class to get ahead for the upcoming school year. Your local community college is a great place to find fun classes. But if cash is a little short or you don’t have transportation to the community college, there is always OCW! 7. Join your library’s book club â€" Over the summer, your local librarian should be your new BFF. Reading is a great way to learn about the world, while learning about yourself. AND you can read one of my favorite books of all time, The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao, by MITs own Junot Diaz. 8. Write a letter (and mail it!!!) â€" In this day and age of instant messaging, texts, e-mails, and cell phones, the art of writing a letter has been virtually abandoned. Go ahead and test your penmanship out. If you’re lucky, you may even receive a response back. When you’re in college it’s always nice to get a letter from home reminding you that people are thinking about you. Sometimes the letters even have pizza money enclosed ;-) So what are YOU doing with your time this year? (Aside from reading the MIT blogs.) Let me know in the comments. Summertime I am often asked what we admissions officers do during the summer. Frequently, people assume that we get a several month long summer vacation like students do. But thats not the case; admissions is a year-round job, and while were not doing any admitting over the summer, there is still a lot of work to be done. So, you may ask, what are we up to right now? Preparing for the influx of summer visitors. Beginning in a few weeks, crowds for our twice-daily information sessions and tours should start getting quite large (I, for one, really like the larger crowds!). As a result, well move the information sessions out of the admissions reception area and into a larger space in the MIT Student Center. Also, during the summer we can highlight a dorm room on the campus tour, so were working on that. Ill do a series of entries quite soon about how to visit MIT this summer. Preparing for our nationwide meetings this fall. The admissions staff will be visiting 70 US cities this September and October, from Cambridge to Honolulu. Now, were arranging our itineraries, finding rooms in which to hold our meetings, networking with the Educational Counselors (ECs) in these cities, and more. Getting to travel the country, to come to you, is one of my favorite parts of the year. Developing new publications and websites. During the Admissions season, it is difficult to focus on large-scale initiatives such as publications, so development is largely done during the off season. As Ben has noted, we are currently working on a redesign of our viewbook, as well as Admissions Blogs v2.0 and some snazzy new stuff on MyMIT. Wrapping up the Class of 2009 and preparing for the Class of 2010. Now is the time when we can take a step back from the intensity of admitting the freshman class to get the big picture view, to evaluate and understand the past year. Then, we begin laying the groundwork for the Class of 2010, so that when the applications begin coming in, were more than ready. This big picture thinking also includes attending conferences to hear ideas from our admissions and college counseling colleagues. Youve already read that Ben, Marilee and I attended a regional conference for New England, and well be attending some other conferences in the months to come. For example, next month Ill be attending a conference about international student admissions. And, yes taking a little vacation. Because the summer has less in the way of hard deadlines, we can afford to take some time off. As for me, Ill be spending about three weeks in Southeast Asia at the end of July/beginning of August. What are you up to this summer? Anything interesting?