Mister Worldwide

Today, in a database searching class, we went over altmetrics.

Here's wikipedia's description from it's Impact Factor page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_factor

Alternative metrics, or "altmetrics", often measure impact at an article level and include article views, downloads, or mentions in social media.

 Some samples described in class has to do with how many times an article has been cited, linked, e-mailed or downloaded.

One slide showed the geographic distribution of a scholarly article getting read.

With Blogger, you get to track the same info with your blog.


Here's a screenshot of that example

 

My "all-time" stats 

(well actually since 2007, when Blogger started tracking these things)

(the green & white  blob on the right just blocks out other info, related to what web browsers are linking to my blog, I put that green & white  blob   courtesy of Jing)

But yeah, I do have an international audience. Even from Latvia a tiny European country.

This list only shows the top 10 countries. Those that didn't have 208 pageviews got left out. :(

But for the pageviews for this week 

Got a lot of Latvian fans this week.

A little more diverse group of countries listed there

 But my quest for world domination is not complete. India is the 2nd most populated country in the world but is not on either list. Also, neither list had gotten an African or Middle Eastern country.  Hopefully whoever was spreading the word in Latvia will soon spread the word in Africa, the Middle East and India. 

PS: I know rapper Pitbull is the real "Mr Worldwide". Much respect to him!

It Never Gets Easier

Most of us have experience with friends or relatives say or do stuff that annoys you even when they don't intend to. 

But you know that their behavior has to stop.

And you know you'll go insane if you don't say anything.

And you don't want to tell them off in front of everyone, partly to save them from embarrassment, partly to save everyone else the trauma of seeing friends/relatives arguing!

Me, I'd rather just send a letter or an e-mail telling them how I feel about their behavior!

Telling them from a distance usually gives them time to think before they react.   Whereas telling them in a face-to-face conversation gives them time pressure to react now, which can cause you or them to say something they might later regret.

I have just sent a letter to someone in my family.  It'll probably be in his/her mailbox today. He/she probably read it by now!

It is a very serious topic and I want that person to get his/her act together before we meet again!  It's at the point where I am telling that person "if you keep that up, I will boycott any gatherings in which you are present". Yes, it's that bad!

I have sent similar letters to other people over the years. It's never comfortable to do so.

It never gets easier, but it just has to be done! 

Not a fan of UPS policies

If you're doing online shopping, make sure you know how your stuff is being delivered before clicking the checkout button.


If the company ships your stuff directly by United Parcel Services (UPS) you may want to re-consider!


You see, UPS does NOT tell you what time they're coming by your house!

So you're expected to wait at home ALL DAY just to receive your package!

Who has time for that?

And if you live in a secured building (like I do), they can't just come in and leave your stuff by your door. Plus, I don't want stuff left outside by my door. You never know who'll be thinking  "hey, free stuff".


And even worse, their delivery workers are not allowed to call the customer's  phone # when they come by my home to confirm I'm home!

That is the most stupidest delivery  policy known to humanity!

So if you're not home when they come by (and they don't tell you when they'll come by), you got to go to their facility to pick up your item.

Their facility on Oahu is on an isolated road near the airport! If you're a bus rider, you got to get off by Nimitz and walk multiple blocks on Lagoon Drive!

And UPS doesn't automatically deliver to the nearest UPS store even if you request it! You have to call the UPS Store yourself and hope they'll allow you to receive your stuff there! 

Fed Ex isn't that messed up. They're willing to hold your stuff at the nearest FedEx Office instead of making you go to their isolated facility to get your stuff!


For deliveries, I'd rather just rely on the U.S. Post Office. I know all the jokes and complaints about the U.S. Post Office.  But I don't have any problems with their package delivery! They have easy access to my apartment, they leave a key in my mailbox, and with that key I can just open the bigger mailbox to get my stuff!  No need to stay at home all day just to wait for the delivery worker! And no need to go to an isolated facility in the middle of nowhere! 

So yeah, I'm avoiding the UPS as much as possible.

Though if UPS changes their policy, let me know! 
 

my time at NVMS

Time to stop holding things in!

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I was working as a Para-Professional Tutor (PPT) at Niu Valley Middle School (NVMS)  from April 2010 to May 2011.

Actually, my job interview was on February 2010 but my employment started on April 2010. Typical DOE red tape!


Anyways, I  was a one-on-one tutor for a few students who need special services.

I can't tell you too much detail about the individual students I was working with, nor how I was supposed to help them. Part of it is because of confidentiality rules, plus I don't want to embarrass the individual students I was working with.

However, it's some of the staff members who ought to be embarrassed of themselves.

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First off, SPED teacher  Randi (Sagawa) Passantino who I'll just refered to as "Miss RSP"  in the rest of this blog post.




Good news: good spirit, good enthusiasm.

Bad news: very disorganized, poor leader.


She doesn't tell new PPTs what they're supposed to be doing or how they're supposed to be doing things until it is too late!  And she only does it after the fact and loud enough for everyone to hear! 

Good leaders tell you and prep you ahead of time! "Miss RSP" doesn't!

Good leaders try to correct you in a way on an individual level in at least a semi-private setting (ie. correct you softly at the teacher's desk). "Miss RSP" does the exact opposite. She'll embarrass staff members in a loud tone in front of everyone.

I mean, it's one thing to yell at  some fool playing around in class! It's one thing to yell when the students won't be quiet when I start the class!  But minor mistakes are to be corrected in a softer tone of voice. "Miss RSP" doesn't believe in a softer tone of voice, ever! Therefore, "Miss Blank" is all noise, no sense!

It is also impossible to talk with "Miss RSP" in a low-key environment. She walks away when I tell her "I won't know if you don't tell me". Real leaders don't walk away when being told that!  "Miss RSP" isn't a real leader,  is all ego, no humility!
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Math teacher Stephen Duncan allows chaos to occur in his homeroom. And he has the nerve to tell me "what happens in this class stays in this class". WRONG MOVE MISTER!

I reported that statement to the vice-principal  who thought that statement was "so stupid". The vice-principal agreed with me when I said "anything that happens in class is fair game".

Stephen Duncan, instead of telling me "what happens in this class stays in this class", why not put more effort in controlling your class?  

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And talking about class management, PPTs are supposed to be silent  passive observers  whenever the classroom teacher don't even put much effort in classroom management.  This was the instruction by one of the former vice-principals (Kelly Bart) when I mentioned to him about the chaos occurring in a Japanese-language class.

The teacher was a temp hire (regular teacher was on maternity leave) and was excessively lenient.  There was constant trash talking and running around among the students in the class

Yet the VP Bart's order to me was to be a silent passive observer and just help the student I was assigned to help.

(by the way, I was supposed to help that student, even in classes where I have no expertise, ie. Japanese language)

Anyways, I was so angry about the situation, I went to the other VP and the principal on this issue! I was then told I can call security if anything goes on, as long as I got the teacher's permission. Afterwards, the temp teacher finally put more effort in classroom management.

In the last quarter, that class finally had a different temp teacher. He was more of a disciplinarian without being overly harsh. He was one of the coolest people on campus!  The bad kids didn't like him, but the good kids did!

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Because PPTs are supposed to silent observers when other kids are causing chaos,  I no longer work as a PPT!  

 I'm tired of being silent when chaos occurs in class!

I'd rather be a substitute teacher than a PPT! Even if the students give subs a hard time, at least I'm allowed to put  effort in classroom management   instead of just being a silent passive observer!  I'm done with being a silent passive observer!

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There was also this Student Service clerk Winnie Yuen. She asked the usual introduction question "where are you from?" I told her I was from this island. She then asked "where are you really from?" EXCUSE ME I just answered your question!  Racial profiling from someone who acts as if only Asians and Polynesians can say they grow up in Hawaii. I like see her tell people in Idaho or Mississippi that she's a US citizen! Ha! 

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Other that though, I like most of the people at NVMS!  

The head secretary (officially called the SASA) Eric Ikawa is one of the coolest people on Earth. 

Rick Nagata is a great social studies teacher! 

Monica Boehm is no longer there, but she's an engaging English teacher with real passion in the subject!

Mr Doi is a real PE teacher. He actually teaches the students about the games, whereas my PE teachers were just like "here's the ball, make a team and go play" 

Ms Lozis teaches the video-making, which is a class I wish I had when I was in school! 

I also remember the fun conversations with EA Traci Smith!

 Candice Kuo was the librarian, very nice sweet woman!  Same with counselor Angie Inoue. 

Shon was the after-school activity guy! A cool guy!

And if I forget the other staff members I got along with, I apologize!

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