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Most of you probably haven’t heard of John Yoo but you did see his work unfold between the years of 2001 and 2003.  John Yoo is a professor at the University of California Berkley Law School and has once the assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Council in the Department of Justice.  During his stint in the Bush Administration, he was right in the middle of some major decisions, such as Guantanamo Bay, the Iraq invasion, and how to treat terrorists.  John Yoo is the author of War By Other Means, a book that describes the critical time after the September 11 terrorist attacks and the decisions that were made by the Bush Administration.

I was originally assigned War By Other Means as a required reading for my Homeland Security class in college but I did not finish the book and made it a priority to do so after the semester wrapped up.  I’m glad that I made that decision.  The book is filled with a lot of insight into the Bush Administration, the justification behind their course of action after the September 11 terrorist attacks, and much more.  Even though the book does contain a lot of good information, there were definitely times that the progression stalled and there wasn’t too much to reinitialize interest in the topics being discussed.  At times, it felt like Yoo was repeating himself and the subject just kept dragging on.  Those type of moments were few and far between, but they did require me to set the book down for a couple of days in order to get my interest peaked once again.

I must warn you, this book takes a very right wing approach, as it is practically a defense of the actions taken by the Bush Administration.  Although I’m not a big fan of biased books, it was quite refreshing to read literature that was not produced by the media, which often is in the pocket of left wing politicians.  John Yoo brings up some excellent points in the book, especially when discussing the topics of interrogation and wiretapping.  I believe that this is a book that every American should read, even if they aren’t too interested in politics or homeland security.  The information within the book put some pieces together for me and filled in some gaps that I had about our nation’s defense system, the laws that run our country, and the policies that the Bush Administration put into place.  I think this is a good starting point for people who want to know more about what went on after September 11 and for individuals who desire to be familiar with the topic of homeland security and all that goes along with it.

If you want a preview of the book, you can check out it out on Google Books.

I wanted to say a quick thank you to all of the readers of ericalpin.com for making yesterday, March 8, the most popular day thus far that we have seen.  According to my FeedStats records, there were 58 hits on the site yesterday, which surpasses the previous high of 41 in early January.  Thanks for making it worth it for me and let’s get to some more record breaking!

Update (March 9):  I created this post during the evening on March 8 and was incorrect about the number of hits for that day.  There were a total of 63 site hits that day.  That’s even better!  Thanks again!

I’m sure you’re saying, “Yes, Eric.  I know that in order to be efficient I must list and prioritize my tasks,” but do you really do it?  Most likely not.  If you do, then you should still keep reading this post because you might just learn a thing or two.  I’ve recently been practicing this method and found that it is working out well.  Here are a few of the benefits of listing and prioritizing:

Keep track of your accomplishments

Keeping a prioritized list of things to do in a day or a week will allow you to keep track of the things you have accomplished.  I keep it pretty simple; I just check off the tasks that I have completed during the day.  I have also heard that some people enjoy writing out all of their completed tasks at the end of the day on a separate list to reiterate what was done  during the day.  No matter how you do it, keep track of your accomplishments so you can keep moving forward during the hard times.

Highlighters are your friend

It’s very easy for me to get lost in my daily list and it’s even easier for me to forget what really needs to get done and what can wait.  To solve these two dilemmas, I use an orange and a blue highlighter to make certain tasks just out at me.  For example, if I want to get something accomplished in the morning before I head out for work, I highlight it in orange.  Also, if there is a task that is considered extremely urgent (paying a bill, meeting with someone, etc.), I will highlight that item in blue.  Highlighters allow for you to divide your tasks even further.

Include work and play

A lot of folks only include work or non-leisure related tasks on their to-do list but it shouldn’t be this way.  Instead, when making a list, some enjoyable tasks should be included.  Not only do these enjoyable tasks provide a nice break in the day-to-day routine, but they also make you feel more accomplished.  Why not include a specific number of pages you want to read that day?  Why don’t you include the page you want to complete in your scrapbook?  When you include these activities in your list, you’ll see them get done and you’re purposely creating leisure time for yourself.

Don’t do it

Yes, this is a bit of an oxymoron, but hear me out.  When you are making your daily task list, be sure to include more than you’re able to accomplish.  When you include an abundance of tasks, you are telling yourself that your time is in demand.  If you complete all 50 tasks on your to-do list in one day, what are you going to do over the new few days?  You got it–waste your time.  In order to save your time, don’t do everything you have written down.

Tell it like it is

I’m guilty of over generalizing my to-do list.  Tasks such as “Blog” and “Read Bible” really don’t do too much in the long run,  Of course, it reminds me that I need to blog that day or read my Bible, but it doesn’t steer me in the right direction.  Specifics minimize self-debating tendencies.  If I were to write on my list that I need to “Blog about efficiency tips,” this would most likely speed up that period of my day instead of causing me to think of a topic, figure out what I’m going to say, and so on.  Be specific in order to be productive.

What benefits have you gained from scheduling out your daily or weekly tasks?  What strategies do you use to stay productive with your lists?  Share with other readers in the comments section below!

As a college student, I know what it’s like to scour the Internet for information.  Sometimes it can be pretty easy but most of the time it is quite time consuming and can only add to the already huge workload that I’m required to juggle.  Here are a few links that I’ve stumbled upon over the past few weeks that should prove useful to students at any level (especially college).

• Cramberry- Directly from their website: “Say hello to Cramberry, a new web application that uses flashcards to help people study for exams, learn a new language, remember important things like birthdays or names, and much more. Getting started with Cramberry is simple, and usually takes less than a minute.”
• Pick-A-Prof- Directly from their website: “Pick-A-Prof is a socio-academic utility that helps college students make educated decisions about professors and classes.  By combining an extensive amount of academic information directly from university records along with social networking data, Pick-A-Prof gives you virtual snapshots of classes from how professors teach to which sections friends are going to take.”
• The 10 Best Websites to Swap Books, CDs, DVDs & Games- MakeUseOf has compiled a list of the best websites that can be used to swap anything ranging from books to video games.  Students will be able to take advantage of this list in order to find new textbooks and to locate bartering items that they want to receive.
• Free Software For Your Flash Drive- Software can be expensive but thanks for this list of free software, students of all ages can save some money when upgrading or maintaining their computer.  There is a wide variety of software included in this list, including OpenOffice which can be used instead of Microsoft Office.
• 69 Free or Open Source Tools for Students – Online College lists a plethora of resources that students can use to accomplish a variety of things, ranging from social networking to research.  There area ton of great applications and websites on this list that will definitely have an impact on the life of a student.
• 10 Online Learning Tools for Students- MakeUseOf generated this list of essential resources for students.  It is broken down by subject and has a lot of good information to offer.  A majority of the links on this page would be very useful to college students.

What are some websites that you visit that help you succeed at your studies?  Let everyone know by commenting on this post!

So, I think it’s pretty safe to admit that times are tough for most of us financially.  We don’t really want to spend more money than we need to and, much to our disliking, we have cut back on a lot of impulse buys because we just don’t have the money to splurge.  Well, I’ve created a list of 4 ways that you can keep money in your wallet while you’re working.  You don’t even have to do much, just keep earning that dough and the rest will do itself!

1. Carpooling - This tip isn’t really done while you’re working but it does involve your job.  Even though gas isn’t as high as it was this time last year, a great way to save money is to carpool with fellow employees to the office.  The concept is simple: instead of taking 4 cars to the office, fit 4 people in one car.  The same person doesn’t have to drive everyday but it is a great way to cut back on expenses when times are tight.  Plus, you’re building rapport with your co-workers, saving space on the highway, and reducing the level of pollution.  It’s a winning situation for everyone and everything, including your wallet. 
   Savings: $50 or more/month
2. Drink water  – There are plenty of folks at my office that are addicted to caffeine and constantly buy soda from the break room and local supermarkets.  Well, this really isn’t practical in a financial sense when you have a healthy alternative at your disposal – water.  A lot of offices have a water cooler or a water filtering system set up for employee use.  Instead of spending between $2 – $5 every day on things that will rot your teeth, why not be healthy and drink some of the free water.  Your office building doesn’t have free water?  Try requesting it to your manager or you can purchase a water bottle and bring water to work each day. 
   Savings: $40 – $100/month
3. Bring your lunch- Everyone has a lunch break and most times people order or purchase their lunch.  If you’re looking to cut back some expenses, this is probably the biggest area of improvement for a lot of people.  I know that I used to have a big problem with this but I can proudly say that I now only purchase lunch about once a week.  Even though grocery prices are increasing, it is still cheaper to pack your lunch than it is to buy your lunch.  Also, it’s healthier.  There is far less sodium and fat in packed lunches compared to fast food and take out places.  Start a trend in your office; bring your lunch and keep more of your money.
   Savings: $50 – $150/month
4. No more Starbucks - Some of you may consider this to be going against a sacred practice or procedure but it will really save you money in the long run.  I have never fallen victim to the “coffee in the morning” trap but I know a lot of people who have.  The biggest argument for stopping at the coffee shop along the way to work is that they just make coffee better than you can at home.  False.  There are plenty of tools and recipes to make great coffee from the comfort of your kitchen.  Why waste the gas and money to buy a $4 drink each morning when you can make the same thing for less than $1?  It’s impractical and it’s ripping the money from your pocket.
   Savings: $80 – $120/month

What measures do you take to save money while working?  Share your thoughts with everyone via the comments!

Recently, I had the fortunate pleasure of spilling a few drops of iced tea on my cell phone.  I have an enV2 and although phone was not flipped open when the spillage occurred, the stickiness made its way to the lower half of my QWERTY keyboard.  Needless to say, I was not too happy about this.  So, after many attempts click the keys so many times to free the sticky mess, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands.

The first cleaning method that crossed my mind was water but then I decided against that because I didn’t want to have to invest in a new phone.  So, for some reason, I decided that rubbing alcohol would work out much better.  I guess I thought that since it cleans out bacteria from flesh wounds, it could most certainly stick it to the stickiness.  Now, my method of application was going to be tricky.  Did I want to use a cotton ball to ensure the alcohol was generously applied or did I want to use a Q-Tip for expert precision.  Once again, I went big and decided on the cotton ball.  I wanted to vanquish this stickiness and never have to deal with it again.

Much to my surprise, my rubbing alcohol trick cleared up the stickiness on my phone keypad.  I used it on the front and the inside.  I noticed that the rubbing alcohol leaves a slight residue and smell on the keypad so going over the keypad with a slightly damp paper towel will do the trick.  So, as a summary, here are the steps for cleaning your cell phone keypad:

1. Locate a bottle of rubbing alcohol.  DO NOT use water because it may seep in and cause you some real issues.
2. Apply to a cotton ball and gently rub the cotton ball over your keypad(s).
3. Once the rubbing alcohol has air dried, go over the keypad with a slightly damp paper towel.

I hope that this tips can help you out if you ever run into a sticky keypad issue with your phone.

What other methods have you found to be helpful in cleaning day to day devices?  What else do you use rubbing alcohol to clean?  Post your ideas in the comment section!

Everyone experiences ups and downs in regards to their finances.  Our “up” moments are usually characterized by raises, tax refunds, or any other event that give us more money.  On the other side of the coin, our “down” moments can be the result of numerous events, such as job loss, medical bills, car repairs, or something else that dwindles our finances.  But, have you ever considered an “up” moment to be when you’re saving money?  A lot of people think that saving money is almost as bad as paying for car repairs or a new water heater.  In fact, it’s the complete opposite.  Saving money can help you out when you really need it.  I bet you’re saying, “Sure Eric, I know that saving money can help me out in a pinch.  How is this article any different than anything else I read?”  Well, I’m going to let you in on a concept that I’ve personally used to help me out in the hard times and when I’ve needed a little extra money in my pocket.  It’s what I like to call my “Reverse Savings Account.”

Please note: The “Reverse Savings Account” should not be a priority on your list if you first do not have a regular savings account.  That should be a number one priority, not your “Reverse Savings Account.”

What is it?

The concept is pretty simple – you’re saving money in order to spend it.  Now, that may not sound like much of a savings account to you, but it really does come in handy and help out in the long run.  A lot of people have this mindset that when you have a savings account, no matter if it’s your first, second, or third, you really can’t spend it on anything unless it’s absolutely necessary.  This is a great mindset to have but it really only applies to your emergency savings account.  It is also possible to have a savings account that accumulates money which can be used at your discretion and not just in emergency situations.  That is the sole purpose of a ”Reverse Savings Account.” Continue Reading ->

As you will now notice, there has been a new page added titled “Research Papers/Documents.”  Over the past year or so, I’ve occassionally uploaded different research and term papers that either I’ve written myself or have received from people I know.  With the previous website design, the papers were very hard to locate (as was a majority of the other information) so I’ve deleted those former posts and consolidated all of the content into a single, easy to follow page.  I haven’t uploaded all of the papers I’ve received thus far so I’ll be completing that sometime this week, most  likely on Saturday or Sunday.

First off, I would like to thank everyone who visits ericalpin.com.  I really appreciate it and hope that the information contained in this site has helped you in some way.  Keep reading!  We’ll keep dishing out the content!

I’d like to welcome our newest contributor, Garry, to the website.  Garry is quite the movie buff and will be doing movie reviews for the website.  Next time you’re interested in seeing a movie, swing by the site and see if Garry has reviewed it.  As always, this site is designed to make your life easier in some form or fashion, even in the realm of entertainment.

This week I should be adding the Twitter plugin and will be uploading those movie papers I’ve been promising.  Make sure you check out this week’s poll.  A new one will be generated on Tuesday so be sure to vote on the current poll regarding financial goals before it closes.

I’m in the process of gathering some information and opinions regarding President Obama and his economic plans for the United States.  A few articles reflecting the information I’ve received will appear either this week or next week.

If you’re a regular visit to ericalpin.com, you most likely have noticed that the website has undergone a face lift and now looks a bit more professional and manageable than before.  But, besides that obvious adjustment, I’d like to point out a few more changes.

• Polls – Each Tuesday I’ll be publishing a new poll which will appear on the right hand column.  The polls will vary from subject to subject but will mainly focus on the topics that are discussed on this website or some variation.  Be sure to make your voice heard!
• ShareThis – At the bottom of each post you will notice a button that says “ShareThis.”  Once clicked, a plethora of options will come up that will allow you to share the article with others via social bookmarking sites, email, or social networking sites.  If you feel my content is worthy to be read by others, feel free to share it!
• Website Header – The website header “ericalpin.com” is now clickable and will return you to the home page.

Those are the current updates but there are more to come.  Here are some of the things to look forward to… Continue Reading ->