12 Differences Between EPUB and MOBI Ebook Formats

1. The full name of EPUB is Electronic Publication while the full name of MOBI is Mobipocket.
2. EPUB is an open standard format developed by International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) which is a global trade and standards organization while MOBI was developed originally by Mobipocket SA which is a French company incorporated in March 2000 for MobiPocket Reader which was later purchased by Amazon in 2005.
3. EPUB supports inline raster and vector images, metadata, and CSS styling.
4. EPUB can adjusts its size to suit different screens while MOBI is suitable for smaller screens because of an image file limit of 64K.
5. EPUB has a small file size while a MOBI is twice the size of an EPUB file.
6. EPUB has a file extension of .epub while a MOBI either has a .prc or .mobi file extensions.
7. MOBI and EPUB can display reflowable file content and fixed width layout.
8. MOBI has digital rights management (DRM) protection embedded on its file preventing it to be shared easily due to plagiarism issues while EPUB does not have digital rights management (DRM) so that it can be easily shared.
9. MOBI is a proprietary Ebook software of Amazon limiting its usage for Kindle books while EPUB is an open source software created by the International Digital Publishing Forum which can be read on almost all devices.
10. MOBI is created by taking an EPUB file, renaming, zipping, and extracting and using kindlegen.exe which is a proprietary Amazon program while an EPUB is created by placing all these files in a directory, namely a package .xml file, an OPF file, and XHTML content files, and then zipping all of it and using the .epub. filename extension.
11. You can use this link http://mobi2epub.com/ if you want to convert your MOBI ebooks to EPUB ebook format.
12. You can use this link http://ebook.online-convert.com/convert-to-epub to convert you files to EPUB format as well as several other ebook format.

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDf9XM1B0L8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tliqZYGPUik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEcKYo32uM0
https://www.epubor.com/epub-vs-mobi-which-is-the-best-ebook-format-for-ereader.html
http://www.guidingtech.com/9661/difference-between-epub-mobi-azw-pdf-ebook-formats/
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-MOBI-and-ePub-Which-one-is-considered-best
https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-ePub-and-Mobi-eBooks
https://www.cisdem.com/resource/convert-pdf-to-mobi-mac.html#EPUB vs MOBI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobipocket
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPUB

12 Things About Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr's 101st Birthday on 9 November 2015.

1. Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler on 9 November 1914 to Jewish parents in Vienna, Austria, Hedy had married a wealthy arms manufacturer named Fritz Mendl.
2. Lemarr got her first leading role aged just 17, in a German film called Geld Auf Der Strase. A subsequent German film, Exstase, brought her to the attention of Hollywood producers, controversial for its time, Lamarr is also credited as acting the first female orgasm to be shown in a non-pornographic film. and she soon signed a contract with MGM.
3. Austrian-born actress  Hollywood once dubbed “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
4. Lamarr changed her name after fleeing her husband Friedrich Mandl – a rich military magnate, and moved to America. Reportedly Mandl was particularly controlling; the New York Times report he purchased a vast amount of the copies of Ecstasy in a bid that nobody would see “the look on her [Lamarr’s] face during the sex scenes.”
5. She had some background in military munitions and together with a composer friend, George Antheil, she used the principles of how pianos worked to identify a way to prevent German submarines from jamming Ally radio signals.
6. "She set aside one room in her home, had a drafting table installed with the proper lighting, and the proper tools - had a whole wall in the room of engineering reference books."  and that, Biographer Richard Rhodes said, was where she "invented." It was a hobby that remained obscured in the shadow of her celebrity - one she rarely revealed, even to her own son, Anthony Loder: "She was such a creative person, I mean, nonstop solution-finding. If you talked about a problem, she had a solution.
7. The patent for “frequency hopping” Lamarr co-authored laid the groundwork for widely-used technologies like Bluetooth, GPS and wifi that we rely upon daily. 
8. Lamarr and Anthiel received a patent in 1941, but the enormous significance of their invention was not realized until decades later. It was first implemented on naval ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis and subsequently emerged in numerous military applications. The US navy began using the device in the 1960s.
9. Most of Hedy's inventions - including a better Kleenex box and a new traffic signal - never really went anywhere. But her idea for that radio-controlled torpedo got a patent.
10. In 1997, she and George Anthiel were honored with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Pioneer Award. And later in the same year, Lamarr became the first female recipient of the BULBIE™ Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award, a prestigious lifetime accomplishment prize for inventors that is dubbed "The Oscar™ of Inventing."
11. Most importantly, the "spread spectrum" technology that Lamarr helped to invent would galvanize the digital communications boom, forming the technical backbone that makes cellular phones, fax machines and other wireless operations possible.
12. She died in 2000, aged 85.

Sources:

http://www.hedylamarr.com/
https://www.google.com/doodles/hedy-lamarrs-101st-birthday

http://www.women-inventors.com/Hedy-Lammar.asp
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hedy-lamarr-movie-star-inventor-of-wifi/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/11982699/Hedy-Lamarr-Google-Doodle.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/hedy-lamarr-five-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-actress-and-inventor-in-todays-google-doodle-a6726866.html

12 Things Which Constitute Real Richness

I am currently (8:20 PM 17 December 2014) listening to an audiobook of Napoleon Hill, "Think and Grow Rich" and from the beginning, these 12 things already caught my attention.

1. A positive mental attitude
2. Sound, physical health
3. Harmony in human relations
4. Freedom from fear
5. The hope of future achievement
6. The capacity for applied faith
7. Willingness to share one's blessings with others
8. To be engage in the labor of love
9. An open mind on all subjects towards all people
10. Complete self-discipline
11. Wisdom on which to understand people
12. Financial security

IDEVAW 2014 - Engr Fidela Salvador

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women or IDEVAW.

1. In Baguio City today, 24 November 2014, the Alliance of indigenous women's organization in the Cordillera commemorates the quest for justice for Engr. Fidela "Delle" Salvador who was brutally killed by the 41st IB in Lacub, Abra on 5 September 2014.
2. On 17 December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated November 25 as the annual date of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in commemoration of the death of the three Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic.
3. This day also marked the beginning of a 16-day period of Activism against Gender Violence. The end of the 16 days, on 10 December, is noted as International Human Rights Day. 
4. The Mirabal Sisters who are also known as Las Mariposas or The Butterflies are the four Dominican sisters who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, three of whom were assassinated on 25 November 1960. Their assassination turned them into "symbols of both popular and feminist resistance". After their assasination, they were then known as the "Unforgettable Butterflies".
5. Patricia Mercedes Mirabal (born on 27 February 1924) was famous for saying "We cannot allow our children to grow up in this corrupt and tyrannical regime, we have to fight against it, and I am willing to give up everything, including my life if necessary".
6. Minerva Argentina Mirabal (born on 12 March 1926) was famous for saying "....it is a source of happiness to do whatever can be done for our country that suffers so many anguishes, it is sad to stay with one's arms crossed..."
7. Maria Teresa Mirabal (born on 15 October 1935) Maria was famous for saying ".....perhaps what we have most near is death, but that idea does not frighten me, we shall continue to fight for that which is just.."
8. Like the Mirabal sisters, Engr. Fidela "Delle" Salvador is also an Unforgettable Butterfly who was a courageous woman who worked selflessly in the area of Lacub, Abra for project monitoring activity being the independent consultant of the Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services and who was killed during the pursuit operation of the state armed forces against the New People's Army.
9. Engr. Salvador, 50 years old, and a mother of three children is a consultant of the Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services Inc. (CorDisRDS) and the Center for Development Programs in the Cordillera (CDPC). She was on a monitoring visit for various socio-economic projects implemented by CorDiSRDS and CDPC in Lacub, Abra when she was killed by the AFP in their operations. Engr. Fidela B. Salvador is a committed development worker, a Project Consultant, a civilian and a non combatant; and not a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) as claimed by the AFP.
10. On 6 September 2014, Engr. Salvador’s body along with the dead body of another civilian, Lacub resident Noel Viste, was airlifted by the AFP from their Bantugo military camp in Lacub to the Barbarit, Lagangilang, military camp. Attendants of the Pineda Funeral Homes fetched and brought them to the Pineda Funeral Homes in Bangued where her body was identified by the staff of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) on the evening of 6 September 2014.
11. The killing of Engr. Delle is the latest extra-judicial killing perpetrated against an environmental advocate, specifically a disaster responder. A total of 77 environmental advocates have been killed since 2001, of which 39 killings occurred under the administration of Pres. Noynoy Aquino.
12. With Engr. Delle’s death, there are now seven (7) disaster responders that have been killed under the Aquino government, including humanitarian workers, disaster survivors, and grassroots disaster responders.

Below is just an excerpt from http://pinoyweekly.org/new/?p=31841 

The autopsy report was released on 18 September 2014. Prior to this, a case conference with Dr. Ronald Bandonill was held on September 15. Here he discussed salient points of his examination of Engr. Fidela’s body.

The report states that, Engr. Salvador’s cause of death is described as:

+HYPOVOLEMIC SHOCK secondary to GUNSHOT WOUNDS, POSTERIOR TRUNK AREA+
+BLUNT TRAUMATIC INJURY, BACK OF THE HEAD, Contributory+.

Nine bullets entered the body of Engr. Fidela. The damage they brought to her vital organs (heart and lungs) might have killed her instantaneously. But the finding that the blunt traumatic injury (comminuted fracture–meaning skull broken into particles) at back of her head as contributory cause of death, and the contusions, massive lacerations, massive hematoma, among the significant findings of the autopsy painted a scenario that directly questioned the validity of the AFP claim that she was killed in an encounter.

It pointed to the possibility of torture.

An officer of the legal department of PNP-Abra also stated that the 41st IB did not submit a report on Engr. Delle to the SOCO (Scene of the Crime Officer). Yet they had in their possession her ID – a photo of which is posted in their social media page.
- See more at: http://pinoyweekly.org/new/2014/10/letter-quest-for-justice-for-engr-delle-bugarin-salvador/#sthash.1wFPMhfp.dpuf

Front of pamphlet given during the IDEVAW 2014 celebration

Back of pamphlet given during the IDEVAW 2014 celebration

References:

fidela salvador
CDPC-DEFEND! Statement: Justice for Engr. Fidela Salvador
NGO worker Delle Salvador is killed in Lacub, Cordillera
LETTER | Quest for Justice for Engr. Delle Bugarin Salvador
Justice for Engr. Delle Salvador and all Disaster Responders at Risk!
September 24, 2014 URGENT CALL TO STOP THE AFP OPERATIONS IN LACUB, ABRA
Last Surviving Mirabal Sister, Doña Dede, Dead at 88
Mirabal Sisters of The Dominican Republic
The Murder of the Mirabal Sisters: Flashback 1960
Mirabal sisters

Goodreads Alternatives

1. LibraryThing -
2. Shelfari -
3. weRead
4. The Reading Room - 
5. Libib -
6. Booklamp -
7. Reader2 -
8. Anobii -
9. Riffle Books -
10. BookLikes - 
11. Thirdscribe -
12. Slice Bookshelf -

References:

12 Alternatives to Goodreads

National Book Lovers Day FOR AUGUST 9

Knowledge is Power!!!

1. Celebrated each year on August 9 (and sometimes on the first Saturday in November).
2. The very first books used parchment or vellum (calf skin) for the book pages.
3. The book covers were made of wood and often covered with leather.
4. The books were fitted with clasps or straps.
5. Public libraries appeared in the Middle Ages.
6. Books in public libraries were often chained to a bookshelf or a desk to prevent theft.
7. Book manufacturing’s recent development include the development of digital printing and book pages are printed using toner rather than ink.
8. The development of digital printing has also opened up the possibility of print-on-demand,  where no books are printed until after an order is received from a customer.
9. E-books are rapidly increasing in popularity.  E-book (electronic book) refers to a book-length publication in digital form.  They are normally available through the internet however,  can also be found on CD-ROM and other forms.  E-books are read either by computer or via a portable book display device known as an e-book reader, such as a Reader, Nook or Kindle.
10. Book interventions benefit depression, disabled Children , found a BMJ study. Similarly, a small study from the University of Cincinatti found bibliotherapy, or the idea of using books as an intervention, benefitted children who struggled socially struggled with as a result of a disability, including autism and Downs Syndrome.
11. Literary fiction improves Theory of Mind in which a person has a strong ability to infer someone else’s thoughts and feelings. The more a person reads (authors argue that it doesn’t necessarily have to be literary fiction), the stronger their theory of mind.
12. Readers are more intelligent, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley, published in the Journal of Direct Instruction, reading promotes literacy. The increased exposure to a variety of vocabulary helps to boost both memory and cognitive skills.

References:

Today (Sat 9th Aug, 2014) is ...
10 Ways To Celebrate National Book Lovers Day
Chicago's Best Indie Bookstores: Where To Grab A Read For Book Lover's Day (Photos)
AUGUST 9, 2013 – NATIONAL BOOK LOVERS DAY – NATIONAL RICE PUDDING DAY 
Thursday, August 9, 2012 Happy National Book Lover's Day!

12 Frat Hazing Victims

Another hazing-related death incident last 30 June 2014 made it to the news headline. In light of this issue, this post is a list of neophytes that did not survive the cataclysm of "brotherhood" initiation rites.

These are just a few of the many neophytes who did not made it alive to be called "brod" or "brother" of the fraternity members.

• 12. Guillo Cesar Servando - De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Sophomore Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Management (HRIM) student, Tau Gamma Phi, 30 June 2014

• 11. Marc Andre Marcos - San Beda College (SBC), Freshman Law student, Lex Leonum, 30 July 2012

• 10. Marvin Reglos - San Beda College (SBC), Freshman Law student, Lambda Rho Beta, 19 February 2012 (The Lambda Rho Beta fraternity is the counterpart of San Beda Law's Lambda Rho Sigma sorority that De Lima co-founded)

• 9. EJ Karl Intia - University of Makati (UMak), Building and Wiring Management, College of Technology Management Freshman student, Alpha Phi Omega, 15 August 2010 (Vice President Jejomar Binay, a member of the APO fraternity, was aware of the incident and also wants justice for the victim and his family.)

• 8. Cris Anthony Mendez - University of the Philippines (UP), National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) student, Sigma Rho, 27 August 2007

• 7. Jan Angelo Dollete - Capiz State University (Capsu) Roxas City Main Campus, Fifth (5th) year Engineering student, Alpha Phi Omega, 6 May 2006

• 6. Marlon Villanueva - University of the Philippines, Los Baños campus (UPLB), Agriculture Economics student, Alpha Phi Omega, 14 January 2006 (Marlon is a College of Commerce student from 2002 to 2004 who transferred to UPLB)

• 5. Alexander "Alex" Miguel Icasiano - University of the Philippines, Diliman campus, Junior BA Public Administration student running for cum laude, Alpha Phi Beta, 16 August 1998 (Alex is a former Chairperson of the NCPAG Student Government and a former Chairperson of Sanlakas Youth UP Diliman)

• 4. Joselito Hernandez - University of the Philippines, Baguio campus, Scintilla Juris, 1992

• 3. Mark Roland A. Martin - University of the Philippines, Diliman campus, Graduating Geodetic Engineering student, Epsilon Chi, 6 August 1995 (Epsilon Chi is a lesser known frat concentrated in the UP College of Engineering in UP Diliman)

• 2. Raul Camaligan - San Beda College, Lex Talionis, 8 September 1991

• 1. Leonardo "Lenny" Villa - Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU), Freshman Law student, Aquila Legis, 10 February 1991 (His death eventually led to the passage of Republic Act No. 8049, or the Anti-Hazing law.)       

Spanking Paddle. Image from Wikipedia

References:
Paddle (spanking)
Fraternity
On HAZING - G.R. No. 151258
CSB hazing victim wanted to back out
Casualties of frat-related violence in UP
On being a barbarian and the hazing death of Andrei Marcos
Suspects in Benilde student’s alleged hazing to surface soon –VP Binay
SC punishes 5 frat members for Lenny Villa's death
Leader of fraternity linked to hazing death shows up at NBI
Senators condemn frat violence after CSB student's death 
Justice remains elusive for UP hazing victim’s family
For what reason do fraternities exist and should they continue to exist?
In the Matter of Petitions for Admission to the Bar and Oath Taking of Successful Bar Applicant; ARGOSINO
initiation rites 
Lex Talionis Fraternitas
G.R. No. 99327 May 27, 1993
Hazing at University of Makati
Student dies in violent hazing in Philippines+
4 APO hazing suspects walk free
EJ Karl Intia
UPLB student dies in suspected hazing 
Town councilor in Capiz hazing case missing
A former fratman gives a glimpse of “The Brotherhood”
best FRATERNITY in UP? 
Rise In Hazing Cases Blamed On Government
De Lima orders probe of alleged hazing victim
Hazing Deaths & Abuse in Philippines
Hazing victim’s dad seeks NBI probe on death of son 
Hazing death troubles Capiz family 
Dad of slain hazing victim seeks help 
11 Sued For Neophyte’s Death Due to Hazing
SC affirms guilty verdict in Lenny Villa hazing
Death of Lenny Villa
G.R. No. 151258
UP Sigma Rho Fraternity
Brod is thicker than water
37 suspects charged in Marc Andre Marcos 'hazing' case
Hazing victim’s body recovered in Laguna 
In Memory of Alex Icasiano 
Dead: Dennis, Alex, Niño, Cris
Podcast transcript: Why do students join fraternities? 
Ex-Commerce student slain in UPLB hazing
Fraternity Violence
Incomplete List Of Fraternity Hazing Deaths
Brotherhood-lums 
Death Of .A Student .By Ike Arevalo . - Google News
Brothers Up in Arms
Lex Talionis Fraternitas
ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 69
Fraternities: Violently Traditional in the Name of Brotherhood
Ama ng unang hazing victim sa San Beda, nagsalita

Network Connection Configuration

Today was supposed to be the last day of waiting before my Computer Hardware Servicing NC II examination. Then, I received a text message informing me that the said exam was rescheduled to 4 July 2014. It was half-relief for me because I will still have enough time to review for another week. It was half-eagerness for me too because I already want to finish it and relax but maybe it was my destiny to review more. I also have to file for another leave because it was scheduled on a Friday which is still a working day.

Anyway, this is part of my review on how to configure network connection in Windows XP.

1. Click on the Start menu. 
2. Click on Control Panel. 
3. When the Control Panel window opens, you will see items in either Category View (continue with step #3) or Classic View (skip to item #4).
4. Find and double-click on the Network and Internet connection icon. 
5. Next, find and double-click on the Network Connections icon, a window will open with all network connections available on the computer (wired and wireless). 
6. Find the network connection you want to manually configure, right-click on it and select Properties from the pop-up menu. 
7. In the Connection Properties window, under the section labeled This connection uses the following items: find the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item and double-click it. 
8. A new window will open, select the second radio button which is labeled Use the following IP address.
9. Enter the appropriate IP address (192.168.0.1); subnet mask (usually 255.255.255.0); and gateway (the router or proxy server address).
10. The next part of the windows will now have a radio button selected which is labeled Use the following DNS server addresses. 
11. If you need to access the Internet, enter the DNS addresses provided by your ISP; if you do not have that information you can use the OpenDNS server. Their DNS addresses are: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 
12. After entering the required information, click the OK button twice and close the Control Panel window.

12 Basic Mobo Parts

Two days before my TESDA Computer Hardware Servicing (National Certificate) NC II examination. This is part of my review for the said assessment.

12 Basic Parts of a Mobo (slang for Motherboard):

1. I/O ports - this is located in the rear panel of the CPU. This is use to connect the outside hardware or peripherals of the computer.
2. ATX Power Connectors:
1. ATX Power connector (4 pin) - this is use to connect the 4 pin of the power supply unit (PSU) .This is separate of the 20 or 24 pin of ATX power supply to provide DC voltage of computer processor.
2. ATX Power connector (24 or 28 pin)- a group of connector of the MOBO, This is separate of the 4 pin power assignments. Its provide a DC power output to the system board(SB)from the output of the Power Supply Unit.
3. Processor’s ZIF Socket - part of MOBO which is use to hold the processor or CPU chip (Zero Insertion Force). The compatibility of the socket depends on the computer processor type such as the AM2 socket of the AMD and the socket 775 of the Intel company.
4. Memory slot (DIMM) - this is called Dual Inline Memory Module which is the computer's memory slot or what we call RAM. The memory slot depends on the type of the memory such as the PC 133 SDRAM and PC 400 SDRAM-DDR 1.
5. CMOS/BIOS jumper - this is use to disable the BIOS default setup such as disabling the supervisor password of the BIOS.
6. IDE connector (Integrated Drive Electronics) - this is use to connect the IDE cable of the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or CD/DVD ROM to the motherboard IDE.
7. SATA connector - this is Serial Advance Technology Attachment. The new standard of the IDE connection array of the computer HDD (SATA HDD) to the motherboard system.
8. FDD connector - the connector of the FDD cable through the system board. Normally there are 34 pins out of it to connect the 3.5” 1.44mb Floppy Disk Drive.
9. Front panel connectors (F-Panel) - this is use to connect the Power LED, HDD LED, Power Switch and Reset switch of the computer system unit(CPU).
10. PCI slots - part of the computer motherboard that is use to connect the I/O cards of the computer such as LAN card, WIFI card, USB expansion card and sound card.
11. PCI express slot - part of the computer that holds the computer video card (VGA), the PCIe card. The latest card used which is most compatible with 3D and 4G gaming of the computer. (The old video card type is the AGP or Accelerated Graphic Ports.
12. Controller Hubs:
1. North Bridge IC - another name of the north bridge is Memory Controller Hub (MCH) which is assigned to manage and control the computer memory before the processing of the CPU chip.
2. South Bridge IC - another name of the south bridge is I/O Controller Hub (ICH) which is a microchip tasked to control all the input and output devices of the computer such as the keyboard and mouse, the monitor screen of the computer, that is commonly found at the back of the CPU or system unit.

12 OHS Procedures for Computer Hardware Servicing NC II

Three days before my examination in Computer Hardware Servicing NC II at Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on Saturday, 28 June 2014. This post is part of my review for the said assessment.

OHS or Occupational Health and Safety refers to the legislation, policies, procedures and activities that aim to protect the health, safety and welfare of all people at the workplace.

1. Do not work alone so that there's someone who can take care of you in case of emergency.
2. Always power off the computer and unplug the computer before working on it.
3. Take away any liquid near your working area to avoid getting electrocuted or accidentally damaging computer parts.
4. Be careful with tools that may cause short circuit.
5. Always ground or discharge yourself before touching any part of the computer.
6. Do not use excessive force if things don't quite slip into place.
7. Clean the area before and after using it to maintain sanitation and prevent accidents.
8. Hold the components on the edges and do not touch the Integrated Circuit (IC) parts.
9. Always wear personal protective equipments (PPE) in accordance with the organization's OHS procedures and practices.
10. Make sure that the pins are properly aligned when connecting a cable connector.
11. Contingency measures during workplace accidents, fire and other emergencies are recognized.
12. Use brush, compressed air or blower in cleaning the computer system.

Rachel Louise Carson

1. Carson was born on 27 May 1907 to Maria Frazier (McLean) and Robert Warden Carson, an insurance salesman at Springdale, Pennsylvania, just up the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh.

   

   Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring. Official photo as FWS employee. c. 1940. (wikipedia)

2. Carson attended Springdale's small school through tenth grade, graduated in 1925 at the top of her class of forty-five high school students in nearby Parnassus, Pennsylvania, originally studied English but switched her major to biology in January 1928 and due to financial reasons was forced to remain at the Pennsylvania College for Women (today known as Chatyham University) and later on graduated magna cum laude in 1929.
3. Carson took a summer course at the Marine Biological Laboratory and continued her studies in zoology and genetics at Johns Hopkins in the fall of 1929 and became a part-time student assistant in Raymond Pearl's laboratory working with rats and Drosophila for her tuition, completed a dissertation project on the embryonic development of the pronephros in fish and earned a master's degree in zoology in June 1932.
4. Carson intended to continue for a doctorate but was forced to leave Johns Hopkins in 1934 for a full-time teaching position due to family reasons and in 1935, her father died suddenly making financial situations more difficult while she took care of her aging mother.
5. Carson got a temporary position at the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries at the urging of her undergraduate biology mentor Mary Scott Skinker and her temporary task was to managed fifty-two seven-minute programs series entitled "Romance Under the Waters" that focused on aquatic life and was intended to generate public interest in fish biology which was never done by several writers before her.
6. Carson outscored all other civil service exam applicants when she took it and became the second woman to be hired by the Bureau of Fisheries for a full-time, professional position, as a junior aquatic biologist in 1936.
7. Carson wrote five books with the last one posthumously published. The titles of these books are as follows: 1) Under the Sea-wind - first edition was in 1941, Carson’s first book and her personal favorite; 2) The Sea Around Us - first edition was in 1951, based on post World War II geographical and oceanographic studies of the sea, which also won the National Book Award in 1952; 3) The Edge of the Sea - first edition was in 1955, is a practical guide to identifying sea inhabitants; 4) Silent Spring - first edition was in 1962,demonstrated pesticides could cause cancer and that their agricultural use was a threat to wildlife, particularly to birds; and 5) The Sense of Wonder - published posthumously, Carson's philosophy about adults and their child's inborn sense of wonder about the natural world.
8. The book "Silent Spring" led to a worldwide ban of DDT, a colourless and crystalline organochloride with insecticidal properties, and pesticides which was formalized under the Stockholm Convention, but its limited use in disease vector control continues to this day and remains controversial.
9. Carson was also credited with being an inspiration for the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency which is a US government agency focused on protecting human health and the environment.
10. Carson died on 14 April 1964 at the age of 56 due to heart attack having battled breast cancer for many years.
11. Carson's birth centennial was on 2007 and on Earth Day last 22 April 2007, the "Courage for the Earth: Writers, Scientists, and Activists Celebrate the Life and Writing of Rachel Carson" was released as "a centennial appreciation of Rachel Carson's brave life and transformative writing" which was a collection of thirteen essays by prominent environmental writers and scientists.
12. Carson was posthumously awarded on 9 June 1980 the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Screenshot of Google's doodle for the Rachel Louise Carson's 107th birthday depicting her surrounded by a variety of sea creatures and birds which highlights her love for nature.

References:

Rachel Carson
The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson
Rachel Louise Carson birthday: Environmentalist author of 'Silent Spring' whose work led to pesticides ban
Google celebrates American marine biologist Rachel Louise Carson's 107th birthday with a doodle
Wild thing! Google Doodle celebrates nature author Rachel Louise Carson's birthday

12 New Words Added To Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Latest Edition

1. catfish n (1612): (second definition) a person who sets up a false personal profile on a social networking site for fraudulent or deceptive purposes
2. crowdfunding n (2006): the practice of soliciting financial contributions from a large number of people, especially from the online community 
3. dubstep n (2002): a type of electronic dance music having prominent bass lines and syncopated drum patterns 
4. fangirl n (1934): a girl or woman who is an extremely or overly enthusiastic fan of someone or something
5. freegan n (2006): an activist who scavenges for free food (as in waste receptacles at stores and restaurants) as a means of reducing consumption of resources
6. gamification n (2010): the process of adding games or gameline elements to something (as a task) so as to encourage participation
7. hashtag n (2008): a word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text, such as a tweet
8. selfie n (2002): an image of oneself taken by oneself using a digital camera, especially for posting on social network
9. social networking n (1998): the creation and maintenance of personal and business relationships, especially online
10. steampunk n (1987): science fiction dealing with 19th-century societies dominated by historical or imagined steam-powered technology
11. turducken n (1982): a boneless chicken stuffed into a boneless duck stuffed into a boneless turkey
12. tweep n (2008): a person who uses the Twitter online message service to send and receive tweets

References:

Merriam-Webster
'Selfie' among top 15 words added to Merriam-Webster dictionary

12 Tips For Work From Home To Work For You

Work From Home

Not every one is capable of doing work from home. Anyone can start work from home but only a few succeed and are able to maintain and sustain this alternative source of income. In light of this, here are some recommendations which you can apply if you work from home or if you have plans to work from home.

• Schedule.

• Creating a schedule is a good way for developing time management skills, and helps improves yourself to be well-organized and become a self-starter. The fact is that work from home release us from the traditional 9-to-5 or 8-to-5 schedule but working without any structure can seriously hurt your productivity according to entrepreneurs Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson in their book "Remote: Office Not Required." The recommendation is to divide your workday into three sessions, if possible, arranged to your liking: a "catch up" time to go through emails and read the news, a "collaboration" period when you work with coworkers on projects or talk about planning with your manager, and a "serious work" time when you get through the most difficult assignments of the day. Setting up a schedule makes it easier to maintain a distinction between your professional and personal lives. 

•  Savings.

• Even though you are working from home, you must consider saving part of your earnings to have a buffer in case of emergencies. Learn to have a savings goal by having a target amount of savings so that you will be motivated to save.

• Skills.

• Improve your technical skills because technical help is not always around when you encounter technical problems. You are left to your own devices if you encounter a technical glitch and you may be left alone wondering what to do. There are also some free and some paid softwares you can use for giving presentations and are really useful for you to become conversant such as Web-based meeting programs like GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx, Join.me, TeamViewer or Google+ Hangouts.

• Paperwork.

• Get the proper business paperwork, with emphasis on "proper", especially for those who have small home business operations, proper tax registrations, business and occupational licenses and permits from different agencies are needed to operate legally. Also, you need to pay taxes in order to avoid future problems with tax agencies.

• Insurance.

• Do not forget about insurance. Try to find out the regulations regarding home business insurance because you also need to protect your valuable equipment against theft or injury to yourself. 

• Dress.

• Get dressed. Although business attire is not necessary, you still need to work using a decent dress and not pajamas. Choose something that makes you feel good. Wear colors such as yellow, orange, and purple which reflect creative auras and has psychological benefits. This is another way for you to have boundaries between work and relaxation.

• Workspace.

• Find a workspace. Designate a room exclusively for your office or workspace. If this is not feasible, then find a  corner or other empty space that will serve as a workspace for you. Whatever you do, never bring work to bed. The best work-at-home jobs are often ones that demand a quiet space where there are few distractions. Try to make the "area" for purposes of work only.

• Out.

• Go out and work outside.
  
  Try to change the aura of work occasionally by going to the nearest coffee shop, bookstore, library, or park which is especially effective for boosting your creativity level. 

• Socialize.

• In person, if you have extra time, get off the computer, put your phone away, and socialize. Participate in conferences, retreats, seminars, workshops or meet up with friends for coffee or lunch. 

• Network.

• Network electronically by getting active in Social Media groups like LinkedIn groups that relate to your work, employer, alma mater, past employers, or other interests that suits you. You can comment on posts and add your own two cents which shows a part of your expertise and gives you a virtual feeling of being connected to a community. But be careful of photos that you posts because it might be use unknowingly by others and might lead to you being scrutinize by others. 

• Creativity.

• Routine is a slow process of creative suicide and in order to avoid boring yourself to death, try to develop a new technique for your routine by downloading a new software, decorating your workspace, calling instead of e-mailing, discovering a potential partnership, reading books, attending workshops or taking on an intimidating challenge which can get your creative juices overflowing again.

• Break.

• Take a break. A break is one of the biggest advantage you have if you work from home. Sitting for long periods of time without a pause is personally and profesionally unhealthy. Try to go for a walk, have lunch at the table, reserve an hour for reading magazines or newspapers or prepare your dinner. Never take a break that consist of more screen time. It's not good for your eyes. It's bad for your health. Try to relax. Get some fresh air. Walking rejuvenates us and stretching helps boost our energy. If you are tempted to do a mid-afternoon nap, if you have a budget, consider working at a local coffee shop or library. According to the book "Remote: Office Not Required" by the entrepreneurs Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, "It sounds counterintuitive, but the presence of other people, even if you don't know them, can fool your mind into thinking that being productive is the only proper thing to do."

The Book "Remote: Office Not Required" available at Amazon

References:

9 Tips For Staying Motivated When You Work From Home

How To Make Working From Home More Productive
10 Tips For Working From Home

Working from home: 6 tips to ensure productivity

Remote: Office Not Required

Remote: Office Not Required Hardcover 

My Biggest Takeaway on 37Signals’s New Book on Remote Work (Hint: It’s Not Technology)

A Book in 5 Minutes: “Remote: Office Not Required” by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson