Trailer - "H*Commerce: The Business of Hacking You"

The world wide web has become the wild wild west: ruthless, lawless, every man for himself. Each day billions of online scams are targeted at anyone and everyone in cyberspace, and if only a tiny fraction are successful, it's still incredibly lucrative. "H*COMMERCE: The Business of Hacking You" explores the inner workings of this dark trade and exposes how opening just one malicious email can disrupt a life or tear a family apart.

The Young and the Jobless

Katie and Kristy Barry, 24-year-old twins and recent Rutgers graduates, spent a week recording their endless job search.

Historical Forces in Faith and Globalization

Prof. Douglas Rae, Richard S. Ely Professor of Management and Professor of Political Science introduces students in the Yale University Faith and Globalization seminar to historical forces influencing globalization and major world religions.

Does College Really Matter? Pt 1 - The History

Andrew Delbanco, Professor of American Studies, Columbia University

Yale Class of 2009 Baccalaureate Ceremony

In his Address to the graduating Yale College Class of 2009, Richard Levin, President of Yale University, reflects on the past four years at Yale: both the plentiful times and the more recent times of recession. President Levin offers his perspective on the world economy and what it means for university graduates today.

Talking Avatars in Education - The Virtual Teacher Comes Of Age! by Andre J Jay

Avatars, Talking Web Characters and Virtual representatives are growing in popularity for one critical reason ... "they work" ... AlterEgos.com hits the web running with its new release which is proving perfect for the delivery of training and education to all level of students using Virtual Teachers!

With Broadband becoming the standard access to the Internet in all four corners of the world, the benefits and possibilities of utilizing rich media and interactivity in marketing are starting to become a reality if not the norm. One of the most active areas is in the so-called Animated Avatars know by many names such as: Talking Web Characters, Virtual Representatives, Virtual Characters and Web Compares. Their popularity growing every day, it's not by accident, one critical reason is... "they work" , but when it comes to using them to deliver training, presentations or integrated into CBT and education the Virtual Teacher rises eminently to the challenge. AlterEgos hits the web running with its new release!

Assisted Education Delivery using the ubiquitous Virtual Tutor comes of age.

Virtual Teachers, educational presenters and tutor can have a new face, available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, with the same happy disposition, virtual, animated, automated lip-syncing and compelling content combined with contextual delivery. We know that retention is improved, we know that "lean back" education can be effortlessly absorbed and we know that there is nothing more powerful when it comes to delivering complex ideas or facts than the spoken word. Virtual Teachers can be available in different forms, ages, sexes and even fantasy. The flexibility is endless. Education creators can concentrate on the subject matter and choose the ideal Virtual Tutor to assist in the process. Literature assignment can be delivered in context and even brain teasing science and math education can become more precise when you have the help of a virtual tutor that has the power of "voice". Un-attended education across the web or operated locally makes virtual education delivery highly effective and manageable. CBT has a new face, interactive courses can have virtual assistants and guides. Many training and formal educational environment incorporate media within their presentations and educational content, and it's not by accident, why? because it works! The ability to concentrate on content and its compelling and memorable delivery is the reason that Virtual Teachers and Tutors are common place in establishment high in the corporate stratosphere and junior schools alike, they both have something in common, the recognition that compelling animated virtual teachers can give results in a planned and precise manner, where achievements can be accelerated at all learning levels. This is no accident, its technology at its best, with a face and a purpose. Take a PowerPoint presentation, graphs, facts, figures and images, nice enough, add a virtual full animated teacher into the mix and you now have a new breed of educational delivery.

In an educational setting it's a proven fact that information retention and concentration is enhanced when faced with compelling content. So what should you look for in your animated talking character.

1: The Avatar Look

Is your talking animated character "attractive", or does it look as though it has fallen out of the ugly tree, is it well crafted and generally compelling, or amateurish and poorly animated. Does it suit your image and delivery requirements... is the quality something you are comfortable associating with.

2: Automated Lip-Syncing

Is the avatar lip-sync accurate? there is nothing worse than watching a virtual representative that resembles a badly dubbed movie, it is critical, our brains react in micro-seconds when faced with something that doesn't look right! It seems bizarre but most animated talking character offerings have less than convincing lip-syncing to say the least. Simple tests include; Does the virtual tutors lips stop moving when silent? Does it shape the phonemes correctly or is it just a random selection of gibberish?

3: Virtual Teachers Ambient animation, Less is more.

Animations during the narration should be kept to a minimum and be subtle, almost invisible. When watching a news broadcast you would feel uncomfortable is the compares eyes rolled from side to side and they exhibited strange and seemingly un controllable head movements. It is the content being delivered by the speaking avatar that is important, and all animations should be kept to a minimum to avoid distraction. Less is definitely more.

4: Virtual Tutor - The Voice

Text to speech may seem convenient but it has a tendency to sound really bad. Remember! this is a virtual representative, your own animated web or media compare it is an extension of your image, unless you sound like a robot steer clear of synthesized voices. Use your own voice, or a friends, or shell out for a professional voice over artist, they are not as expensive as you think! In the future TTS will probably improve but at the present it should only be used if you have no other option.

5: Tailoring your Virtual Character

Some offerings give you loads of tailoring options, they even allow the visitor to play with the character during its narration. Generally you should try and restrict tailoring to clothing and backgrounds for the best effect. You want your visitors and users to build a rapport with your virtual teacher, so changing its looks continually does not offer continuity to the visitor or student. Having a Virtual tutor that the visitor can mess with only detracts from their message.

6: Integration and Hosting your Virtual Teacher

Consider that many education delivery requirements may be remotely across the internet. Give a great deal of thought to this area as its rife with potential additional charges and risks. If you are on a Pay-for-view contract, a contract that charges you a monthly fee for so many streams, the risk is your growth in visitation, you end up with one of two potential problems; you have to pay more because you had a higher visitation as your site grows in popularity, or, you can't afford to pay more, so your talking avatar disappears and leaves a block with the suppliers logo in place. The same goes for supplier hosting, you have no control over their hosting facility, if you rely on your web compare and your service suppliers servers go down you have lost your "voice". If you own internet service goes down at least the whole site is no longer visible. Always try and use a solution that will give you total control, create your composition in your time, generate industry standard output (Flash, Flash Video or conventional Video ) and have total flexibility when it comes to integration.

7: Flexibility gives your choice.

Is flexibility important, would it be nice to have access to the native output of your efforts in an industry standard format such as Flash, Flash Video, AVI etc so you could integrate your work into other environments such as Powerpoint, Camtasia, youTube etc. Are there any other services that can assist you from the supplier such as Voice-Overs, integration and bespoke services. Can your composition work off-line, can you create them off-line. Flexibility adds to the return on your investment.

Summary

Doing any job badly is not a good idea, many people grab hold of a new technology and throw it at their audience with little thought.

Implementing a bad Animated Virtual Representative is detrimental and could reflect on your business and/or educational requirements, take your time in the creation and don't settle for second best.

After 5 years of trial marketing with a free solution and talking to over 40,000 users AlterEgos.com was created and released in April of this year. Within 2 weeks following its launch it had been adopted in over 98 countries. At the end of the day Alteregos.com listened to their user community, it was just a little harder than first thought, but worth it in the end.

Download the AlterEgos free edition and give it a spin. You can get a copy at www.alteregos.com


About The Author
Andre J Jay has specialized in information delivery and management for over 30 years, his speciality is in enhancing the delivery of information utilising media technology. He has been responsible for the integration of media in education for over 15 years. With an in-depth knowledge of avatar development and use he has been the technical and aesthetic inspiration behind a new breed of Virtual Tutoring delivery methods.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.alteregos.com

More College Students Use Non-traditional Methods, Such As CLEP Exams, To Complete College Degrees by SpeedyPrep, LLC

The face of today’s college student is quickly changing. Fewer and fewer college students are “traditional” college students, those who are between the ages of 18-22 and complete their degree at a brick and mortar university in about four years. More students are taking advantage of non-traditional ways of completing college degrees, such as distance learning programs, independent studies, online degree programs, credits earned through prior learning assessment, PLA, (also known as Recognition of Prior Learning, RPL), and credits earned through CLEP exams. Although many students are eager to learn about the multiple options they have for earning credits toward their college degree, they can be unsure of how to go about earning credits through non-traditional ways or intimidated by the multiple options for earning college credits. Often, college students hear about non-traditional ways to earn credits through their peers. Hearing of others’ positive experiences using non-traditional means of obtaining college credits can be both enlightening and encouraging to students.

One college graduate who obtained over half of his degree requirements using non-traditional methods is Dave from San Jose, California. Dave summarized his approach toward college when he stated, “Because I chose a career where seniority is everything, I decided to complete job training I needed to enter my desired career and then work on completing my college degree after I began my career. Because my rigorous work schedule did not give me time to attend a traditional brick and mortar university, I opted to obtain my degree through a reputable university that allowed me to earn credits using PLA, CLEP, and online classes.” Taking advantage of skills and proficiencies earned through job training and career experience, Dave earned some credits through PLA. Online classes lent flexibility to Dave’s busy schedule. In addition, after finding out about CLEP (College Level Examination Program), Dave was able to achieve almost half of his degree requirements through CLEP exams.

CLEP is a program that allows students to earn college credits by demonstrating college-level proficiency on a standardized test. These exams cover material that is usually taught in lower-level college courses. There are 34 different tests for students to take in subjects such science, history, and business. CLEP tests, which cost $70 to take, generally contain approximately 80-140 multiple choice questions, and are 90 minutes long, are administered at over 1,400 CLEP testing centers located throughout the U.S. and abroad. Dave found a testing center about 30 minutes away from his home and was able to prepare for and take CLEP tests as his schedule allowed.

When describing the methods he used to prepare for CLEP tests, Dave stated, “In order to learn what I needed to know to pass, I had to thoroughly study and learn the material. Unlike some students, I was unfamiliar with most of the material that would be covered on the CLEP tests. For me, the CLEP test prep process involved going through study questions multiple times each day until I could answer each question correctly.” Dave recommends online programs that students can use to quickly and affordably prepare for CLEP exams, such as www.SpeedyPrep.com. Dave encourages other students to use www.SpeedyPrep.com to prepare for their CLEP exams because this affordable, online CLEP test prep system uses a question-based approach to learning that eliminates the need to read and memorize thick and expensive study guides and textbooks. Dave also recommends www.SpeedyPrep.com because the system features tracking software that gives a visual indication of studying progress on a progress bar and notifies students when they have reached a level of learning required to pass their test. Dave noted that, in order for him to quickly master a large amount of unfamiliar material, he had to study diligently and not let too much time pass between study sessions. Although he often prepared for each CLEP test over several weeks, Dave was able to prepare for one exam in two days by studying 12 hours each day.

CLEP exams not only helped Dave to save time and money, but they also helped him to graduate on time. When Dave’s college informed him prior to his graduation audit that he would be unable to transfer in a class taken at a prior school, he was able to meet one of his final degree requirements testing out. Having earned numerous college credits using CLEP exams, Dave now tells other students about how they, too, can benefit. Students are advised to talk to their academic advisor in order to find out their college’s CLEP test policies prior to taking CLEP exams. CLEP exams are one of the many ways that students can earn college credits! With college tuition on the rise, and time an increasingly valuable asset, more and more students like Dave are taking advantage of affordable, flexible, and often creative ways of working toward a valuable college degree.

How to Maintain Your Income Stream If You Are Laid Off? by Nicole Reebi

How to Maintain Your Income Stream If You Are Laid Off?

The world has entered into a recession, many corporations and companies had announced their job cutting news. If you are an employee for any of the companies that have plan to reduce their company's headcounts; then, your job will not be guaranteed. The question is how you are going to maintain your income stream just in case you are being laid off and unable to find a new job due to the job opportunities have been cutting down tremendously by most companies. It's time for you to think of setting up a second income source.

If you are thinking of getting a part-time job from other company, and go to work after your day job, then you probably will have a hard time find one in today's recession situation. Then, what other ways to source for income if you can't find a part-time job?

What if you create one for yourself? There are a few ways to make your own business without the need to investment a lot of money. By using the advantages of internet and online business features that allow you to work from home, here are the 2 common ways of earning money online:

1. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a business model that enables you to make money online without the need to have your own product. There are many online merchants looking for marketing outsourcing. They make their products available for online freelance agents, called affiliates who will be given commission based on their sales. You can set up a website to sell a few selected affiliate products. Your role as an affiliate is to drive web traffic to your website or directly to merchant's website through a unique link that will identify you as the affiliate who makes the sale.

Affiliate marketing has been a good income source for many people either as the part-time job or a full-time income. You may consider to set up a second income source through affiliate marketing while you still with your day job. Invest some time and efforts to make it successful; it can become your main income source just in case you are being laid off.

2. Set up an online store

Unlike traditional business, you don't need to invest a lot of money to have your own business on internet. You can choose to become your own boss by opening an online store to sell physical or downloadable products. In addition, you don't need to own a product for an online business. There is a business called dropshipping where you can easily find the products you are interested in selling at your online store; buy it at wholesale price and sell it at retail price at your online store. Under the dropshipping business model, dropshippers will sell you their product at wholesale price for individual item and they will deliver the ordered items to your customers on your behalf.

You don't need to quit your day job to start an online business. In fact, you can do it in parallel and work it out for a success. The income from online store can replace your main income just in case you have lost your job due to being laid off.

Summary

Under the bad economy situation where companies are looking for potential cost cutting and headcounts reduction, no job is guaranteed. As a working individual, you need to start to think of how to maintain your income stream if you are hit by the recession wave. Internet can be the best source to set up an income online and be the back up income stream while you are still with your day job.

Congressman Meek: The Economic Stimulus Package and Students

Congressman Kendrick B. Meek (FL-17) discusses how students will benefit from the Economic Stimulus Package.

Arts: The Passing of a Pop Icon - NYTimes.com/Video

Michael Jackson, the legendary singer, songwriter and dancer, died in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Michael jackson live superbowl 1

The greatest performer ever

Interview with Michael Cheney from Adsense Videos

Interview
with Michael Cheney from AdSense Videos

Q. So what made
you get started with AdSense?

A. I
was looking for a way to monetize some of my websites. AdSense
is such an easy thing to get started with the eye for it would
be a great way to start earning more money without actually putting
into much more effort. I think as soon as you see the first earnings
coming into your account you get addicted to AdSense. I know is
what happened to me and since then I've just spent time working
out how to earn more and more each day.

Q. How much do
you make with AdSense?

A. Some days I can earn
close to $1000 and others it's less than that. But it all comes
down to how much time and effort you devote to creating a quality
site that people like visiting. AdSense is not what my business
is based on by any means - but it is a great way to earn revenue
almost on autopilot.

Q. What is the
biggest mistake people making with AdSense?

A. Probably
the biggest mistake people make is thinking the AdSense earnings
are easy to achieve. It is very easy to get started but as I learned
it takes a lot of effort to increase your earnings. I got really
downhearted whenever I would log in to my account to see that
I had only made a few dollars. And that's when I decided to spend
months and months of my time learning everything I could about
AdSense.

I basically buried myself
away and devoured every single piece of AdSense information I
could find. I ran thousands of AdSense tests and started to see
a dramatic effect on my click through ratio and therefore on my
earnings.

This is why I'd decided
to record the videos - because I knew that it would help people
who were in my position to also increase their earnings. I've
read an absolute ton of AdSense e-book's but they take so long
to go through and always seem to keep information back.

With AdSense Videos I
knew that I had to tell the story exactly as it is and actually
show people and lead them by the hand through the exact techniques
that I use to generate large earnings from AdSense.

Q. In your videos
you show people how to increase their AdSense earnings - can you
give us a taster of this advice?

A. I
don't want to give away my biggest secrets as you can understand!
But some of the more basic things that you can do to increase
your revenues include using ads that blend in rather than stand
out from your content. Flat out the worst thing you can do with
an AdSense ad is make it look like the standard Google ad. What
you need to realise is that you will get more clicks if your ad
actually appears part of your site rather than something that's
just been dropped into the page.

Q. What would
you recommend that someone do right now to increase their AdSense
earnings?

A. I've
created a totally free AdSense minicourse that people can go through
to learn some of my techniques. It takes you through the four
cornerstone principles that I've used to build up my AdSense empire.
You can check it out, as well as all the AdSense Videos, here:


CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEOS

Michael Jackson - Thriller

Michael Jackson Thriller
© 1982 MJJ Productions Inc.

Michael Jackson Dead At 50: "R.I.P."

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Harvard student takes on Barney Frank

University of Tennessee faculty, staff and students rally in support of economic stimulus package.