Plane Crashes on the Rise?

It all seemed to begin with the "Miracle on the Hudson" on 1/16/09. That was the first well televised- okay maybe over televised also- plane crash this year. Unfortunately that crash seems like the one with the best final results as well. I know many of us are heading out on Spring Break in a week or two and are hoping on planes only to cross our fingers and pray that our plane makes it to the destination in one piece.

Unfortunately a Turkish plane did not make it to Amsterdam in one piece, in fact it ended up on the runway in many pieces. Nine people were killed in the crash and 50 injured, 25 of them seriously. It is too early to tell what caused the crash but it does seem to be one of many in the first two months of the new year.

There have been a handful of others, one in Buffalo, Australia, Puerto Rico and the infamous Hudson crash. So are plane crashes really on the rise or is this just a coincidence?

Results are not in yet and hopefully this is all just a result of news stations choosing to give more attention to these accidents. So for your peace of mind odds of dying in a plane crashes with airlines with the worst safety ratings are 1 in 724,00 and with the best safety ratings 1 in 10 million. (Aviation Safety) So odds are in our favor!

PHOTO: Courtesy of CNN.com

How to Sell Back Old Textbooks on half.com

KIM: This is an interview with Daniel Schmitt, a local college student who has recently learned of and utilized half.com as a way to sell back old textbooks.
KIM: How did you learn of half.com?
DAN: I had a friend who used it.
KIM: Have you sold any books on half.com?
DAN: Yeah, I had about 18 books left over from past semesters. I posted them and sold about 11 of them.
KIM: Would you say this is an easy way to sell back your books?
DAN: Yeah, it was easy. I just entered in my books and waited for a sale. When someone bought my book I just mailed the book.
KIM: Did you have to pay to mail the book?
DAN: Yeah, they give you about a $3 allowance to mail it. If you use the Priority Mail packaging from the Post Office you can mail it for about $4. I suggest the flat rate package, the one that looks like a big envelope. It's the cheapest.
KIM: How are you paid for your book?
DAN: I entered in my bank account to PAYPAL, a company associated with eBay, so I figured it was safe. They directly deposit money from my sales about two times a month.
KIM: How much money have you made since you began selling your textbooks?
DAN: I have made about $470.
KIM: Were you surprised that you made as much as you did?
DAN: Yeah, I was. KIM: Any advice to new users?
DAN: Yeah, I'd recommend using half.com if your bookstore won't buy back a book. I made enough money to go on Spring Break.
KIM: Thank you, check out the tutorial video to learn how easy half.com is!

VIDEO: Puggle Outsmarts Baby

Cute video of a Puggle (that's a Pug and Beagle mix) outsmarting a baby who could care less about learning how to high five!

Dog Outsmarts Baby @ Yahoo! Video

I just read Jen's post about her roommate's dog visiting and if any of you have a dog in the Hamden area there is a great dog park I take my pup to so she can run around....Hamden Dog Park at Basset

My Pup Riley----->

Cupcake Truck

So we had a lengthy discussion about cupcakes last class and I found the Cupcake Truck that is becoming infamous in New Haven...I can tell you I'll be looking a little closer when I walk the streets of New Haven!

New "IT" Place?

So I know that there are some huge sushi eaters out there. I'm one of them. There is nothing better than a nice piece of fresh sushi. Luckily last year a new restaurant came to Hamden and I think that it is no longer a "hidden gem". According to the crowds last night, despite the holiday, I'd say this restaurant is doing pretty well for itself.

Sakura is located across from the infamous Acrop Diner in the plaza with Home Depot. They are the best sushi place in Hamden by far. They also have an extensive Hibachi menu. The only downside is that you can't get Hibachi at a table, you have to sit around the grille. On Valentine's Day this didn't seem optimal for a romantic dinner for two, but so many couples were seen doing it.

The place was packed! People were waiting forever to get a seat, all reservations were booked until 9pm. Fortunately we had a reservation and had a lovely meal. Alcohol, appetizer, rice, and five sushi dishes for under $60! Not a bad deal seeing how expensive sushi can be sometimes. I highly recommend this new trendy restaurant, but beware of the Valentine's Day crowds!

The Price is WHAT?

When Quinnipiac University students hear the word "organic" they usually see dollar signs. This common conception is one that has sent many students to the large chain grocery stores such as Stop & Shop and Shaws located in Hamden, CT. According to price comparisons on similar items, large chain grocery stores do not offer the best buy. The best buy is at "Your Neighborhood Grocery Store", Trader Joe's, just a few miles down the road in Orange, CT.

Matthew Wellington has been living in Hamden as a student for two years. "I usually go to Shop & Stop and spend like 200 a month. I eat out a few times a week and it can be expensive."

Trader Joe's is a smaller chain grocery store specializing in natural, mostly organic food bought directly from retailers whenever possible, according to their website. The chain is located in CA, the pacific Northeast, East Coast, Midwest, Southeast and Southwest. They offer lower prices on more natural, organic foods. Although the stores are smaller than those of the large chain stores, they offer all the basic foods as well as a large selection of frozen entrees.

Students at Quinnipiac and other colleges in the area are required to live off campus in their senior year. This causes the students to loose the option of having a school meal plan at the campus cafeteria. These off-campus dwellers are now on their own when it comes to cooking meals. Edar Bennett has lived off campus for his senior year. "I would say I spend 300 to 400 dollars a month, which is probably because I eat out all the time.

As indicated in the chart, Trader Joe's offers prices which are lower in most main categories, dairy, meat, fruits and vegtables. The frozen entrees and prepared dinners that they offer are also cheaper than most prepared dinners that are sold at the larger grocery stores and according to reviews on websites are well liked by consumers.

Although Trader Joe's may not be the closest choice for the Quinnipiac student, it does have the lowest prices around. When asked if he would make the trip Bennett figures shopping closer to home is more convenient for him. "Probably not, when you think about, that's only like $15 a week, not worth it for a quick trip."

For some other students that $15 may be the difference between going out one night or staying in. For others the quality may be more important and Trader Joe's offers mostly organic and natural foods that are very popular with younger, health-conscious students. The 20 minute drive to Trader Joe's could end up saving the savvy shopper upwards of $100 a month on groceries.


Directions to Quinnipiac's Local Trader Joe's:

http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4SKPB_enUS253US255&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=0,0,3147981586031393425&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&dq=trader+joes+oragne+ct&daddr=560+Boston+Post+Rd,+Orange,+CT+06477&geocode=2532666389086490964,41.251802,-73.019951&ei=s5eYSePBENLjtgeA6oiZCw&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=directions-to

Coffee Lovers Truth

So here it is...the depressing truth for all you coffee lovers...getting that warm, steaming cup of coffee every morning from Dunkin Donuts is costing you a fortune. Exactly how much does it cost you a week? Let's calculate:

1. 1 small cup a day @ $1.80= $12.60*


2. 1 medium cup a day @ $2.00= $14.00*


3. 1 large cup a day @ $1.30=$16.10*

Now that's if you buy hot coffee. Want ice? Jack those prices up another 10 cents at least. How about one of those fancier drinks? Well add another 20-30 cents on!

Now even scarier is the price of Starbucks that so many people are hopelessly addicted to. This is only for black coffee...some grande drinks are around $3 which is over $20 a week.

1. 1 tall cup a day @ around $2.00= $14.00*


2. 1 grande cup a day @ around $2.20= $15.40*


3. 1 venti cup a day @ around $2.40=$16.80*

So what's my point? Just to lay this sad and scary truth on you and leave you hanging? Nope. I have a solution. Go to target, buy one of those small coffee makers which can make up to four cups at a time, barely takes up any counter space and costs $7-14 (that's less than some of you are spending a week on coffee!). I have one and they work great! Then hit the grocery store buy a giant bag of coffee grounds, yes they have Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. A large bag at Stop and Shop will cost you about $12 and it makes over 60 cups. But in all honesty you can get around 80 cups out of it. Buy a gallon or milk or cream for another $2, a travel mug if you need for $4 and there you have it. For the next 10 weeks or so, you've spent under $30 on coffee and about $14 of that is for a coffee maker and mug which will keep on giving back.

If you're a Dunkin Donuts person you've saved an average of $110 (if you buy and average of 7 medium coffees a week) and for you Starbucks lovers $124 (if you buy an average of 7 grandes a week) for every 10 weeks. So save your gas and money and start brewing at home...it's worth it! Plus its better for the environment with all that Styrofoam and cardboard being saved! Go green!

*prices differ at each store by a few cents

Big Night at the Grammy's

Coldplay and Lil Wayne looked like the people to beat coming into the Grammy's Sunday night. Coldplay only ended up taking home 3 out of its 7 nominations, most notably in the cateogory of Best Rock Album. Lil Wayne did not take home all of his nominations either, but did win Best Rap Album.

Other big winners of the night were Jennifer Hudson with her self-titled album winning Best R&B Album. The Best New Artist went to the British singer Adele who sang a duet with Sugarland. Best Male Pop Vocal Performance went to John Mayer and Record of the Year was taken by Plant and Krauss who also wonAlbum of the Year.

Performances covered a wide range from country with Kenny Chesney to a mix of country and pop with a duet by Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. T.I. also performed along with Kanye West and Estelle.

However, the big story of the night was the people who did not preform, or make an appearence at the Grammy's. Scheduled to perform were Rhianna and Chris Brown. Neither made it to the show after an altercation between the two ended with Chris Brown turning himself in to the police and posting $50,000 bond for charges of criminal threats against Rhianna, who reportedly has visible injuries.

Six children + Octuplets...what's your opinion?

So I've been following this story on the octuplets that were just born to Nadya Suleman, 33, in CA. Turns out she already had six childrenthrough in vitro, two girls and four boys ages 2-7, is divorced and does not currently have a job. She is living with her parents in a middle-class suburb. Now the doctor who provided her with these 14 children is under investigation.

People are starting to worry about the family who is now faced with caring for 14 children. Angela Suleman is the mother of Nadya, even she is speaking her mind. “She loves children, she is very good with children, but obviously she overdid herself,” Angela Suleman said. (according to nytimes.com).

Currently there are no laws in place controlling how many embroys may be implanted in a woman at onetime. Should in vitro continue on the way it is going with the number of multiple births rising, or should some laws be put in place? What if it is compared to adoption? Adoption is controlled, right? There is a screening process to make sure the family can afford and provide for the children. However, then we have families like the Duggars who have 18 children by natural births. Is this okay too? Or should all births, natural or in vitro, be limited or monitored?

What do you think? Should regulation be put in place concerning in vitro?

Why me?

I came to Quinnipiac University four years ago as one person and in a few months I will leave a completely different one. Now there was more than one thing over the span of four years that changed me into who I am today, but I had to pick one thing that I wanted to pass along to the younger generation of Quinnipiac students about my time at the university.

As I sat thinking I started to realize that my priorities and desires are completely different than they were four years ago. I value new things. I came to this school a shy, young person and now I'm emerging with plans of what to do with the rest of my life and new ways in which I have choosen to live.

I thought that I'd pass along some tips on how I learned to live a little more balanced and what I come to find as a happier exsistence. Not focusing so much on the material or monetary things, but on what can make you more well rounded and a better person. I can not say I know it all nor can I take complete credit for what I now know but I think that passing some little pieces of information I've learned on to the next generation of Quinnipiac students might help give others the chance to experience new things.