By know, you know that too many inquiries can hurt your credit score.
If you are trying to get a credit card with a really good rate, you may
have been shopping around for a while so that you can get the best
possible deal. Chances are, you may have found a few different cards that
you like, but there were a couple of things that you did not like about
each one. Sometimes, you will find one that you like but you have to
pay an annual fee. Other times, you will find one with no annual fee but
there will be really high late charges or other miscellaneous fees.
However, you should not be applying for all of these cards. Looking
through all of the terms for each one of them is one thing, but applying
for all of them is another. Were you aware that making a number of
inquiries could actually hurt your credit score? Well, it can and could
actually end up doing quite a bit more damage than you would think.
The truth of the matter is, every single time that you apply for a
credit card or inquire about any type of a loan or store credit, the
information will show up on your credit report. This is called a "hard
inquiry". A hard inquiry can actually drop your credit score by several
points. Many times, people will apply for different kinds of credit while
they are completely unaware that the inquiries are going against their
credit score. It is actually too bad that this information is not given
to these individuals up front so that better choices may be made.
Another common misunderstanding is that requesting a copy of your
credit report can actually hurt you. However, this type of an inquiry is
called a "soft inquiry" and should never count against your credit
score. If this kind of error ever shows up on your credit report and it is
showing against you, it is very important that you go through the steps
to resolve the error immediately.
Mortgage Inquiries
The credit reporting agencies have made one exception knowing that
today there are so many mortgage companies you can go to for a home
loan. They have made it that multiple mortgage inquiries made within 14
days are treated as one inquiry. You should try to do all your "rate
shopping" within a 30 day period. These inquires are generally not counted
against your score.
Many creditors will look to see the exact amounts of credit inquiries
that you do have on your credit report. Depending on the guidelines of
each creditor, four or more inquiries within a certain time frame of six
to nine months can be considered to be quite an excessive amount. If
they do deem this amount of credit inquiries as excessive, they could end
up denying your credit request. This request and denial will then show
up on your credit report along with any others that you may have. All
of these inquiries will hurt your credit score. So choose what you apply
for carefully and really think about whether or not this new credit
card or loan is worth dropping your credit score by a few points.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Integrated Circuits and How They Affect You
Putting entire circuits on a chip have caused dramatic progress in technology. Do you know that this IC thingy is all about? How does it apply to you? How has their development changed your life? To answer these questions, we must first work to understand them as a whole.
Chips (i.e. Integrated Circuits) are simply that, circuits. Their makeup should not be too far from your grasp, as they are constructed from basic electronic parts. The technology that makes your computer able to run everything from Word to Half-Life is just run by connected transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. The transistors act as amplifiers for all of our household electronics, while the resistors focus on tuning back the effect.
Capacitors allow electricity to be stored and released in varying amounts for special effects, and the diode works to cut off electricity. Through these simply changes to electric current, we are able to send information throughout the device to make everything just work.
Let me take you on a journey from large clunky circuits to the modern day circuitry marvels. The 1950s saw a very important change in the field of electronic parts.
Transistors were invented to replace the bulky and ineffective vacuum tubes that were once necessary for circuits. This let smaller electronics be practical and possible, since you finally didn't need your own power plant to run advancing technologies.
Circuitry became the stumbling block. Computers require the electric signals to flow quickly between the different parts. Old methods of production meant that the chips were just too large to actually be fast enough for practical computing. A new method for building a faster and smaller chip had to be found.
The a smart guy called Jack Kilby came up with a solution. He was just a new researcher left alone in the Texas Instruments laboratory while several of his colleagues were on vacation. While alone, he came up with a radical new way to actually craft chips. The different parts could just be made out of one block of a semi-conductive material.
These parts were put together by metal connections. Gone were the days of unwieldy and ineffective wires for transmitting information from point A to point B. This technique allowed for smaller integrated circuits to be made later on, which ultimately led to the development of the microprocessor.
This might seem simple now. But it took years of innovation to reach where we are today. One integrated circuit led to another until it ended with the mind shatteringly fast chips of today. Hundreds of millions of basic electronic parts are now able to fit on one chip that is no larger than an average fingernail.
Chips (i.e. Integrated Circuits) are simply that, circuits. Their makeup should not be too far from your grasp, as they are constructed from basic electronic parts. The technology that makes your computer able to run everything from Word to Half-Life is just run by connected transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. The transistors act as amplifiers for all of our household electronics, while the resistors focus on tuning back the effect.
Capacitors allow electricity to be stored and released in varying amounts for special effects, and the diode works to cut off electricity. Through these simply changes to electric current, we are able to send information throughout the device to make everything just work.
Let me take you on a journey from large clunky circuits to the modern day circuitry marvels. The 1950s saw a very important change in the field of electronic parts.
Transistors were invented to replace the bulky and ineffective vacuum tubes that were once necessary for circuits. This let smaller electronics be practical and possible, since you finally didn't need your own power plant to run advancing technologies.
Circuitry became the stumbling block. Computers require the electric signals to flow quickly between the different parts. Old methods of production meant that the chips were just too large to actually be fast enough for practical computing. A new method for building a faster and smaller chip had to be found.
The a smart guy called Jack Kilby came up with a solution. He was just a new researcher left alone in the Texas Instruments laboratory while several of his colleagues were on vacation. While alone, he came up with a radical new way to actually craft chips. The different parts could just be made out of one block of a semi-conductive material.
These parts were put together by metal connections. Gone were the days of unwieldy and ineffective wires for transmitting information from point A to point B. This technique allowed for smaller integrated circuits to be made later on, which ultimately led to the development of the microprocessor.
This might seem simple now. But it took years of innovation to reach where we are today. One integrated circuit led to another until it ended with the mind shatteringly fast chips of today. Hundreds of millions of basic electronic parts are now able to fit on one chip that is no larger than an average fingernail.
What is Scientific Inquiry?
Scientific inquiry requires students to use higher order thinking skills as they learn science using a hands-on minds-on approach. Inquiry's foundation has its roots in John Dewey's book Democracy in Education (1916). In this book he describes how true learning begins with the curiosity of learners.
Defining Scientific Inquiry
His research found that student curiosity and involvement real science investigations moves students from passive learners to active learners. This is evidenced when students:
• ask questions during an investigation
• design their own investigations
• conduct investigations using their design
• formulate explanations of findings
• present their findings
• reflect upon their findings
Scientific inquiry causes a fundamental change in science education, moving it away from traditional teaching practices of lecture and demonstration to a collaborative relationship between teacher and student. In these collaborative environments, students take risks without fear of ridicule and begin to think about science. Teachers become facilitators of their student's inquiry by:
• modeling and immersing their students in scientific inquiry
• ask guiding questions which provoke thought and reflection
• allow student creativity in experimental design
• allow students to discover experiments can be successful, yet fail to answer the original question being investigated
Initial confusion by students analyzing experimental findings is not necessary bad, because they are using critical thinking processes. Confusion is good in this setting, because it demonstrates students are trying to determine why they did not find the typical canned answer. Also, a hypothesis can actually result in a non-support statement as a result of the experiment.
Too often students investigate canned labs which result in a guided hypothesis which can only result in supported finding. This leads them to feel when their experiment does not support their hypothesis they failed. They have not failed, however they do not know this in traditional science teaching.
Scientific Inquiry Involves Asking Questions
Student success designing experiments is based on asking the right questions. They need to develop questions which do not lead to yes/no or true/false answers, because the best questions are open-ended and inquiry-based. As students analyze evidence to explain findings, open-ended questions provide the answers they need to formulate meaningful explanations.
Answering questions in a student's own words is important for higher level of thinking and knowledge. A student's own words disclose level of understanding and reveal misconceptions based on prior knowledge and experiences.
Impact of Using Scientific Inquiry
When students make personal connections when using scientific inquiry, internalization of the new knowledge takes place. The key attributes of scientific inquiry-based
teaching and learning result in students:
• learning how to design research
• learning how to ask questions
• internalizing new knowledge
• realizing findings depend on experimental design
• increasing their level of understanding of science
• learning to investigate like scientists
Defining Scientific Inquiry
His research found that student curiosity and involvement real science investigations moves students from passive learners to active learners. This is evidenced when students:
• ask questions during an investigation
• design their own investigations
• conduct investigations using their design
• formulate explanations of findings
• present their findings
• reflect upon their findings
Scientific inquiry causes a fundamental change in science education, moving it away from traditional teaching practices of lecture and demonstration to a collaborative relationship between teacher and student. In these collaborative environments, students take risks without fear of ridicule and begin to think about science. Teachers become facilitators of their student's inquiry by:
• modeling and immersing their students in scientific inquiry
• ask guiding questions which provoke thought and reflection
• allow student creativity in experimental design
• allow students to discover experiments can be successful, yet fail to answer the original question being investigated
Initial confusion by students analyzing experimental findings is not necessary bad, because they are using critical thinking processes. Confusion is good in this setting, because it demonstrates students are trying to determine why they did not find the typical canned answer. Also, a hypothesis can actually result in a non-support statement as a result of the experiment.
Too often students investigate canned labs which result in a guided hypothesis which can only result in supported finding. This leads them to feel when their experiment does not support their hypothesis they failed. They have not failed, however they do not know this in traditional science teaching.
Scientific Inquiry Involves Asking Questions
Student success designing experiments is based on asking the right questions. They need to develop questions which do not lead to yes/no or true/false answers, because the best questions are open-ended and inquiry-based. As students analyze evidence to explain findings, open-ended questions provide the answers they need to formulate meaningful explanations.
Answering questions in a student's own words is important for higher level of thinking and knowledge. A student's own words disclose level of understanding and reveal misconceptions based on prior knowledge and experiences.
Impact of Using Scientific Inquiry
When students make personal connections when using scientific inquiry, internalization of the new knowledge takes place. The key attributes of scientific inquiry-based
teaching and learning result in students:
• learning how to design research
• learning how to ask questions
• internalizing new knowledge
• realizing findings depend on experimental design
• increasing their level of understanding of science
• learning to investigate like scientists
Science Project Ideas
Science Project Ideas are sometimes hard to come by. When your child comes home from school usually in January or February and says, hey Mom and Dad my teacher sent home this note that we have a science project due in three weeks. Here are the details of what we need to do and here is a project board.
You suddenly feel overwhelmed. You were just getting back on track from the Holidays and are dealing with beginning of the year issues like tax preparation and finalizing out end of year work issues. Now you have to help your child find a science project that is interesting enough, creative and unusual, but yet unique enough so that it will not be like the other students science projects at school.
Also children have a tendency to rely on their parents to help prepare much of the project. No matter how much we try we have to help in some capacity.
Here is a science project idea that is simple and easy and that you child can do himself or herself. Depending on the age of your child you will need to supervise them because it uses matches which will need to be lit and batteries.
This science project will also be a great demonstration at a science fair where students need to present their idea and information about why it works.
For this science project idea you will need only three things.
A glass
Matches
2 AA Batteries
You are going to tell everyone that water will burn.
Fill the glass with water.
Drop the batteries in the water and leave them in the water for 30-40 minutes.
Remove the batteries.
Now light a match and hold over the water. The water should ignite and burn inside the glass.
Why does the water light and burn? Did the batteries leak or what energy is been put into the water?
Make sure your child researches those questions above to find the answers. I know you probably want the answers but we provide science project ideas. The kids still need to research why something works the way it does. That is why we make them do a science project so they can research and learn.
You suddenly feel overwhelmed. You were just getting back on track from the Holidays and are dealing with beginning of the year issues like tax preparation and finalizing out end of year work issues. Now you have to help your child find a science project that is interesting enough, creative and unusual, but yet unique enough so that it will not be like the other students science projects at school.
Also children have a tendency to rely on their parents to help prepare much of the project. No matter how much we try we have to help in some capacity.
Here is a science project idea that is simple and easy and that you child can do himself or herself. Depending on the age of your child you will need to supervise them because it uses matches which will need to be lit and batteries.
This science project will also be a great demonstration at a science fair where students need to present their idea and information about why it works.
For this science project idea you will need only three things.
A glass
Matches
2 AA Batteries
You are going to tell everyone that water will burn.
Fill the glass with water.
Drop the batteries in the water and leave them in the water for 30-40 minutes.
Remove the batteries.
Now light a match and hold over the water. The water should ignite and burn inside the glass.
Why does the water light and burn? Did the batteries leak or what energy is been put into the water?
Make sure your child researches those questions above to find the answers. I know you probably want the answers but we provide science project ideas. The kids still need to research why something works the way it does. That is why we make them do a science project so they can research and learn.
Wildly Fun Science Projects
Don't look now, but it's science fair time - time to search for those fun science projects...that also have to be educational. They're not easy to find, but they do exist. Here are some wildly fun science projects. Some of these are so cool that you'll do them later just for the fun of it!
Finding a fun science project isn't impossible. Whether you're looking for an experiment or a demonstration, there are some great ideas that don't cost a lot, are easy to do, and will teach your child basic scientific practices. We have four sons, and over the years we've done more projects than we can count. Here are some of our boys' favorites:
• Find out which citrus fruit has the most Vitamin C? Make a solution with iodine and starch (it's EASY to do!), and test different kinds of citrus juices to see which contains the most vitamin C.
• Take the shell of an egg - without boiling it. This wildly fun project is so cool you'll do it over again for the sheer fascination of it! Soak a raw egg in vinegar, and the shell will come off. The egg membrane is so tough that the shell-less egg will bounce!
• Show how yeast gives of gas. Place a yeast and sugar solution into a bottle, put a balloon on top, and watch the yeast have so much gas that the balloon blows up!
• Watch static electricity work. Grab your wool socks, make a little piece of aluminum foil bounce between your finger and a pie plate.
• Use toy cars to find out about friction! Set up a hot wheels track, and find out how far they will roll across different floor surfaces.
• Are two ears better than one? Hide a ticking clock in a room, and send your friends in to find it - half using both ears, and half with one ear blocked with a cotton ball. (Birthday party idea?!)
Finding a fun science project isn't impossible. Whether you're looking for an experiment or a demonstration, there are some great ideas that don't cost a lot, are easy to do, and will teach your child basic scientific practices. We have four sons, and over the years we've done more projects than we can count. Here are some of our boys' favorites:
• Find out which citrus fruit has the most Vitamin C? Make a solution with iodine and starch (it's EASY to do!), and test different kinds of citrus juices to see which contains the most vitamin C.
• Take the shell of an egg - without boiling it. This wildly fun project is so cool you'll do it over again for the sheer fascination of it! Soak a raw egg in vinegar, and the shell will come off. The egg membrane is so tough that the shell-less egg will bounce!
• Show how yeast gives of gas. Place a yeast and sugar solution into a bottle, put a balloon on top, and watch the yeast have so much gas that the balloon blows up!
• Watch static electricity work. Grab your wool socks, make a little piece of aluminum foil bounce between your finger and a pie plate.
• Use toy cars to find out about friction! Set up a hot wheels track, and find out how far they will roll across different floor surfaces.
• Are two ears better than one? Hide a ticking clock in a room, and send your friends in to find it - half using both ears, and half with one ear blocked with a cotton ball. (Birthday party idea?!)
Educational Toys, Video Games and Enron
I was watching CBS 60 Minutes and they had an article on Echo Boomers. A prominent professor and pediatrician was told by a fortune 500 executive that the thing that struck him most about the new generation coming into the workforce, was their lack of long term vision. He said that they treated business like a video game, where they would only pursue a goal if there was the reward of immediate results. He also commented that today's young employees cannot proceed in a step wise fashion, cannot accomplish a task in a methodical way. I immediately drew a connection between this attitude and the video game generation. I see kids all the time playing video games by pushing buttons randomly in hopes of scoring points.
The pediatrician noted that the echo boomers had been coddled by their parents, driven to soccer practice, provided with trophies for participating. He had observed that when left to play by themselves without adult organization, they were often lost.
I couldn’t help but think of the Enron scandal, where earnings were fabricated to meet the expectations of the market. I know those involved in Enron are of an earlier generation, but are we teaching similar behaviour through video games. Are we teaching our children that short term results are what matter. If so, how will we ever reach goals like colonizing outerspace, or eliminating global warming.
Educational toys have always been a mainstay of my children’s fun and games. We often use science kits and science toys as fun activities on a rainy day. My children are still impulsive, but they are also prepared to make sacrifices for something that excites them.
I hope video games are a phase, for my great grandchildren's sake.
The pediatrician noted that the echo boomers had been coddled by their parents, driven to soccer practice, provided with trophies for participating. He had observed that when left to play by themselves without adult organization, they were often lost.
I couldn’t help but think of the Enron scandal, where earnings were fabricated to meet the expectations of the market. I know those involved in Enron are of an earlier generation, but are we teaching similar behaviour through video games. Are we teaching our children that short term results are what matter. If so, how will we ever reach goals like colonizing outerspace, or eliminating global warming.
Educational toys have always been a mainstay of my children’s fun and games. We often use science kits and science toys as fun activities on a rainy day. My children are still impulsive, but they are also prepared to make sacrifices for something that excites them.
I hope video games are a phase, for my great grandchildren's sake.
Science Fiction Movies
In recent years, science fiction movies have made a big comeback in Hollywood and I, for one, consider that a very good thing.
I like to be surprised when I go to the movies. I like to see things that I've never seen before and I like to be confronted by virtual realities that I did not even think possible. That's why science fiction movies are my cup of tea.
They traditionally cover a wide range of subjects and themes, including several that are uniquely their own. Today's trend in science fiction puts a premium on special effects, backed by today's cutting-edge technology that can make even the most bizarre scenes seem realistic, such as alien life forms, spectacular battles in outer space, time travel or traveling to other worlds at the speed of light.
Often, science fiction films are purely speculative in nature and are peppered with recurring themes involving science and technology. Other prevalent themes in sci-fi movies are mysticism, magic, the occult and the supernatural, which are also key elements of fantasy or occult/religious movies. In fact, quite a number of films blur the line between these genre, such as Forbidden Planet, Chronicles of Riddick, and the Star Wars series.
It's hard to define precisely what makes a science fiction film because the genre has no universally accepted definition. In fact, science fiction may vary from viewer to viewer in that what is sci-fi to me may be fantasy or horror to you.
If you've been a long-time fan of Hollywood, then you know that science fiction has come a long way. There was a time when special effects meant putting a toy spaceship at the end of a string and waving it in front of a camera or having someone dress up as an orangutan and terrorizing an entire city. Certainly, the special effects in science fiction movies have evolved from the downright laughable to today's breath-taking and awe-inspiring treatments that seem truly realistic. Some of the great milestones in this regard are marked by films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Star Wars films, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Matrix.
Of course, science fiction films just seem to be getting better by the year, as evidenced by such recent hits as "Lord of the Rings", "I, Robot" and "Superman Returns."
I like to be surprised when I go to the movies. I like to see things that I've never seen before and I like to be confronted by virtual realities that I did not even think possible. That's why science fiction movies are my cup of tea.
They traditionally cover a wide range of subjects and themes, including several that are uniquely their own. Today's trend in science fiction puts a premium on special effects, backed by today's cutting-edge technology that can make even the most bizarre scenes seem realistic, such as alien life forms, spectacular battles in outer space, time travel or traveling to other worlds at the speed of light.
Often, science fiction films are purely speculative in nature and are peppered with recurring themes involving science and technology. Other prevalent themes in sci-fi movies are mysticism, magic, the occult and the supernatural, which are also key elements of fantasy or occult/religious movies. In fact, quite a number of films blur the line between these genre, such as Forbidden Planet, Chronicles of Riddick, and the Star Wars series.
It's hard to define precisely what makes a science fiction film because the genre has no universally accepted definition. In fact, science fiction may vary from viewer to viewer in that what is sci-fi to me may be fantasy or horror to you.
If you've been a long-time fan of Hollywood, then you know that science fiction has come a long way. There was a time when special effects meant putting a toy spaceship at the end of a string and waving it in front of a camera or having someone dress up as an orangutan and terrorizing an entire city. Certainly, the special effects in science fiction movies have evolved from the downright laughable to today's breath-taking and awe-inspiring treatments that seem truly realistic. Some of the great milestones in this regard are marked by films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Star Wars films, Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Matrix.
Of course, science fiction films just seem to be getting better by the year, as evidenced by such recent hits as "Lord of the Rings", "I, Robot" and "Superman Returns."
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