15 Life Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

One of the benefits of watching the years go past in your life is the ability to look back and see where you screwed up.

If you look back often enough, with a discerning eye and an open heart, you can often self-correct along the way. Or at the very least, you can learn from your screw-ups and become a bit wiser and stronger in other areas of your life.

You probably know from your own life experiences that mistakes are painful but very useful ways of learning. However, there are some life mistakes, that if avoided in the first place, will save you a whole load of heartache and misdirection.

These are the mistakes that stem from a lack of knowledge, infrequent self-reflection, or little solid emotional guidance as you grow and enter adulthood. These are the mistakes that can stick with you for a lifetime if someone or something doesn’t gently (or often abruptly) help you self-correct.

Although I’m sharing these mistakes with you, and some ideas on how to fix them, I haven’t been immune from them. In fact, I’ve made every single one of these mistakes, and I can proudly claim that now in mid-life I am beginning to make a dent in a few of them!

So here they are — 15 life mistakes you don’t want to make:

Mistake #1: Losing Sight of What Makes You Happy

Remember when you were a kid, and pure, unadulterated joy was part of most every day? We didn’t have to ask ourselves, “What makes me happy?” We just knew and made it our mission to do those happy things. But adulthood and responsibilities take us farther and farther away from the pure happiness of our youth. We get so caught up in the work of life that we lose touch with the joy of living.

The Fix: 

Go shut yourself in a clutter-free, distraction-free room with a pen and paper. Think about all of the things you did as a child, a teenager, and a young adult (before you had major responsibilities) that brought you happiness. Write them down. Now think about some things you’ve done in recent years (whether in work or life in general) where you have felt really happy or content. Write those down as well.

How can you make space for more of those things that make you happy back into your life?

Mistake #2: Giving Power to Fear

Fear, which was once an appropriate reaction to real and present danger, is now the reaction to any imagined negative outcome. Fear is mostly a product of our imaginations, almost always without any true basis in reality. We fear failure. We fear success. We fear the future. We fear the past. We fear possible scenarios with only a shred of evidence to lead us there. The more we think about what we fear, the more we feed the fear. Then fear begins to control us, limit us, and ultimately overtake us.

The Fix:

Examine your fears under a magnifying glass. Break them down and study all of the parts. How much truth is there really in each fearful thing? What are the odds that the fearful thing will come to pass? Leave no fear un-probed, until you become bored with fear. Become practiced at seeing fear as a weak and capricious companion, only useful when you are dealing with reality.

Mistake #3: Believing You Are Right

We put a lot of stock in our beliefs. We’ve spent a long time cultivating them, supporting them, proving to others that we  have the last word on the subject. We do this with our beliefs about religion, politics, sexuality, child rearing, money, lifestyle, and any number of lesser areas of life (where we still feel compelled to take a stand). But once we are firmly lock in to a point of view, we lose. We lose perspective, kindness, and a learner’s mind.

The Fix:

You don’t have to give up your beliefs — just your attitude about them. Open yourself to other points of view. In fact, seek out other points of view. Look at the topic from every angle and be discerning. You will be a more interesting and understanding person.

Mistake #4: Pleasing Others at the Expense of Yourself

Helping other people, being there for friends and family, finding ways to serve your community — these are all positive things. Until you find that you have lost yourself in the process. Do you please others out of obligation? To feel better about yourself? To avoid abandonment or loss of love?

The Fix:

Examine your motives for giving of yourself. Does giving fill you up or drain you? Are you pleasing to find love? If so, shift your pleasing efforts to yourself for a change. Find ways to love and please yourself. Then you will create authentic love to give others.

Mistake #5: Complicating Your Life

Life is full of opportunities and choices, and for some reason we must grasp at all of them. With every success comes more . . . more tasks, more stuff, more paperwork, more events, more distractions. With each passing year, our lives become exponentially complicated and full. We are stretched to the limit and drained of energy.

The Fix:

Begin simplifying your life. Start with clutter. Then material things that you no longer use. Then start chopping unnecessary tasks and events. Pare down. Trim back. Craft your life into the purest essence of exactly what you love the most so that your precious time is spent in the best way possible.

Mistake #6: Staying Stagnant

You’ve grown up, secured your job, created a steady income, have a nice place to live, have a pretty decent lifestyle. Now that your life is in good shape, what’s the point of shaking it up? You may feel restless or bored, but things could be a whole lot worse.

The Fix:

And they could be a whole lot better. Life is change. Staying stagnant stunts our potential for happiness. We are born with an enormous capacity for continued learning, personal growth, and new ways of living in the world. With every “life stretch” comes thrilling new opportunitiesand experiences. Where can you stretch yourself through change?

Mistake #7: Not Facing Realities

Life experience has taught us to put our head in the sand when we don’t like what we see. If things look unpleasant, if people let us down, if we fail to meet expectations — we spend precious energy finding ways to obfuscate, hide, deny, and pretend. The painful truth seems too scary to face, so we wear ourselves down trying to avoid it.

The Fix:

Denying unpleasant truths in life causes tension and internal pain for as long as we deny. Facing the truth may cause brief pain, but the relief and freedom of living honestly is liberating and allows us to move on in life with renewed hope and energy. Where are you denying reality? Pull the band-aid off quickly. It will sting, but not forever.

Mistake #8: Giving Away Your Power

When life is overwhelming, tedious, or frightening, it seems easier to let someone else take over. Sometimes it’s better to let someone else make the decisions or call the shots. But when we do that too often, or when someone intimidates or manipulates us into acquiescing, we give away our personal power. This can lead to depression, anxiety, and despair.

The Fix:

Examine your life and look at ways you may be giving away your personal power. Being empowered means taking responsibility for all of your actions and choices. This can sometimes be hard or painful, but the reward is your freedom and self-respect. Reclaim your personal power, even if there is some fallout.

Mistake #9: Neglecting Relationships

We all claim that our relationships are the most important parts of our lives. But quite often our most valued relationships get neglected as we allow less important for more demanding activities fill our time and attention. An untended relationship will eventually wither and die, leaving us unwittingly holding the bag.

The Fix:

Be honest with yourself. How might you be neglecting your most prized relationships? Are you truly offering the love and attention these people deserve? Begin to re-prioritize your actions and agenda so you can cultivate and care for the relationships you value.

Mistake #10: Feeling Guilty

We make a mistake and feel guilty. We hurt someone and feel guilty. We lie or deceive and feel guilty. We don’t do what someone wants us to do and feel guilty. Even after we apologize, we often still feel guilty. For some reason we believe that ongoing guilt will absolve us — that we deserve to feel bad to make amends for our sins, regardless of how large or small.

The Fix:

Guilt is our psyche’s way of letting us know when we’ve acted against our integrity. It can also signal that we are allowing ourselves to be manipulated by someone. If you have done something wrong, apologize and do what needs to be done to make it right. If someone tries to make you feel guilty, state your truth with confidence. Then consciously work to disengage from guilt. Once a situation is properly addressed, guilt does absolutely nothing for you except cause pain.

Mistake # 11:  Spending Mindlessly

We often spend money on impulse, buying to satisfy a brief whim, to fill a void, or to impress. So much of what we spend money on doesn’t offer any long term happiness or fulfillment.Overspending often ties in with complicating our lives, creating more stuff, more tasks, and more responsibilities that we don’t really want.

The Fix:

Question yourself every time you make a purchase. Why am I buying this? Does it meet a need? Does it offer long-term satisfaction? Can I truly afford this? Focus your spending primarily on real needs, experiences, and soul-enhancing material things.

Mistake #12: Over-Thinking

Many of us who are analytical or who dwell in ideas and possibilities, spend a lot of time in our heads, pondering problems and solutions. We ruminate and pontificate, believing we can think ourselves to a result or resolution. But over-thinkers can get stuck in thought, living on a mental treadmill that leads nowhere.

The Fix:

If  you are an over-thinker, you must hop off the treadmill and begin taking action. Sound thinking followed by regular action is the most powerful combination in the world. And action doesn’t need to wait for thinking to be “complete.” In fact, action can lead to some of the best ideas you will ever have.

Mistake #13: Neglecting Your Body

A body that is poorly nourished, overweight, and out-of-shape will make you feel bad in every way. Routinely neglecting your body is one of the worst life mistakes you can make.

The Fix:

Fortunately, it is always a correctable mistake. You know what to do. Move your body and eat healthily.

Mistake #14: Not Managing Your Anger

Like all emotions, anger comes and goes. But too often we attach truth and meaning to our angry feelings that aren’t necessary. So we feed the anger because we feel justified, unheard, or disrespected. Then the anger feeds ill-health in mind, body, and spirit.

The Fix:

If you are able to look at your anger, see the senselessness of it, and simply disengage, then by all means do that. If you are unable to disengage, seek help from a counselor so your anger doesn’t destroy you and those around you.

Mistake #15: Never Giving Yourself Time

So many people never take the time examine themselves to see where they are making these life mistakes. Without awareness, change is impossible.

The Fix:

Give yourself the gift of time to reflect on these mistakes in your own life. If you haven’t made them, how can you prevent them? If you are living one or more of these mistakes right now, are you willing to take action to turn yourself and your life around?

What is your experience with these life mistakes? What other life mistakes have you encountered and self-corrected along your own personal journey?

Thanks: http://liveboldandbloom.com/06/self-improvement/15-life-mistakes-you-dont-want-to-make-and-how-to-fix-them-if-you-do

How to recover from a mistake on the job

(CNN) -- When James Theodorou reflects on mistakes from past jobs, he cringes to think about the role he played in printing 4 million copies of a well-known U.S. magazine with the wrong date on the cover.

It was the early 1980s and Theodorou was working as an offset stripper, who performs platemaking and stripping for presses. He said he could only wait in horror as his little mistake was distributed across the country.

The memory is burned into his brain. It resurfaced earlier this month when he learned of the nurse in the United Kingdom who put through a prank call from two Australian DJs to the ward where Prince William's wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was being treated for acute morning sickness.

Who was nurse Jacintha Saldanha?

While the circumstances of the nurse's death remain unclear, the incident prompted Theodorou and many other CNN.com readers to share stories of dealing with stressful situations on the job, making mistakes and moving on.

Mistakes are an opportunity to see how you can do something differently, said commenter RealityChk101, a software engineer from North Dakota who has had "code blow up in my face several times, sometimes with disastrous results," he said.

"In almost every case I have had to take the action of documenting every little thing that went wrong, why it went wrong and how this was never going to happen again."

The commenter, who asked not to have his real name used, said he once was mortified to find that he had somehow stripped last names from everyone in a database. His co-workers made up a song about him, to the tune of "Candy Man," asking "Who can take the last name, and throw it all away?"

After his initial panicked reaction, he calmed down and came up with ways to rectify the situation.

"I spent two days calling those 500 people, getting their last names," he said. "Management figured that was punishment enough."

The commenter said his situation pales in comparison to the stress nurses and hospital workers deal with daily, where lives are at stake.

"Hospitals are by their nature a stressful place: you have births, sickness and death, all under one roof," he said. "Caregivers are bombarded by every type of emotion on a daily basis."

The incident caused him to fear that he would lose his job. But talking to co-workers proved to be helpful, he said.

"In most of those cases, my co-workers were supportive, and when I needed more support, I just unloaded emotionally on my wife of 33 years."

Seeking support from others can be helpful, especially in cases where you think you might be in danger of losing your job, said Christine Porath, associate professor of management at Georgetown University. They may help you see things differently.

Porath said people of all occupations often place their self worth in their jobs because they see them as much more than a task.

"Their heart and soul is in their job, so their identity is wrapped in it, which is great, but when your job is threatened or you make a mistake, that makes it all the more harder."

It helps to get a bit of perspective on the situation by disengaging and "stepping away from the workplace to focus on everything else that you have," she said.

"I think it makes the support aspect all the more important. You really need to focus on other parts of your life."

Employers also benefit from keeping their employees happy, said Porath, who researches the effects of incivility in the workplace. Most people are focused on the outward display of anger and far less aware of the devastating effects of being afraid or sad about one's status in the organization, she said.

These latter two emotions are the ones that are more likely to cause people to leave their jobs, she said.

Since his first public gaffe, Theodorou said he has learned to handle workplace stress by maintaining an emotional detachment from the task at hand while making decisions.

"By using logic, and following the (standard operating procedures), everything is no longer personal, just business. Even errors. I then go home and engage my hobbies."

Theodorou had no choice but to try to do better on the next issue of the magazine. He slowed down and went over his work again carefully. He made a checklist and had another technician perform a quality control inspection before starting the four-hour process of printing the covers.

"It only added about 15 minutes to the job, but they were a well-spent 15 minutes," he said.

Corporate recruiter Steven Raz said the recession can increase people's concerns about doing well at work.

He advised that if you do make a mistake, you should have a plan to correct it. If the mistake is big, get help.

"It's always recommended that if something happens like that, and it's too big to handle, that's when you should bring in your boss," Raz said.

Some people may be tempted to say nothing, but that can be dangerous, he added.

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to worry about what truth you've told," Raz said.

What do you think? Have you ever made a big mistake at work or encountered a stressful situation? How did you get through it?

Share your views in the comments area below or post video commentary on CNN iReport.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/17/living/recovering-from-mistakes/index.html

Five career-changing mistakes

The state of today's business world is fast-paced, constantly evolving and undeniably competitive. Having a successful career, regardless of what position you are in, is highly dependent upon several factors, including knowledge, confidence and finesse. Many people decide to change careers midstream for a variety of reasons, including wanting to try a new line of business, learning new skills or to make their resumes appear more marketable to hiring managers. Changing work paths can revitalize your career, increase your earning potential and help you secure the dream job you've been chasing. If not done carefully, however, a drastic job change can sabotage your career. While the jury is still out on the perfect way to change careers, there are plenty of career-changing don'ts and career changes that you simply do not want to make. Here is a look at five career-changing mistakes that professionals should avoid at all costs.

Unclear or indecisive career planning
One mistake that can significantly limit your career potential is not having a long-term goal. If you are switching career tracks frequently, or have no real direction in your career, you are not likely to get very far in your profession. Build upon the experience and education you already have, and opt for a career move in which you can apply your previous knowledge. Career goals, whether long- or short-term, act as a road map. Without clearly-defined goals, your career does not have much definition or depth. There are plenty of skills that are diverse and can easily be applied to a plethora of different careers. Make sure you have at least a general goal in mind before making any major changes. There are many organizations that can help if you don't have any idea what career path you want to take.

Changing paths without doing your homework
Another mistake that can cost you big in the long run is changing career paths without doing any homework or research. While the position may sound interesting and lucrative, it is vastly important to fully research where it can take you and what training or experience you need to succeed in this field. Prior to changing career paths, make sure this is the route you truly want to take and that any assumptions you may have about the new career path are actually true. By fully researching the limitations and potential of different career paths you will also be helping to ensure that your career is not negatively impacted by a rash or ill-conceived decision.

Making a career change out of desperation
Take a poll and ask your friends and colleagues if they are truly happy with their current positions and the state of their careers. Chances are that you are going to receive some feedback about just how unhappy they are in their professions. While it may seem desirable to escape a dead-end job that you are miserable in, it is not advisable to escape your profession completely based on that fact. Career changes tend to work best when you are at the top of your game in one profession and want to make a change to further your earning potential or knowledge base. Changing careers just to escape an employer you do not enjoy working for is probably not a good idea, because the chances are you will make a rash decision out of desperation.

Following the money
A major reason for anyone to have a career is to earn money to support his or her lifestyle and loved ones. Although money is the main reason most people work, it should not always be the deciding factor when changing careers. While the salary may exceed your expectations, it is important to research whether or not this career will take you to where you want to be. Changing careers based upon money alone may be a decision you later regret if you do not do the necessary research to justify the career switch. Make sure your new career path is something you're passionate about. Many successful people found success by following their passions, and they did this by aligning their work with their preferences. You will want to ensure that the type of work you will be doing and the amount of work you will have to put in will be worth the pay increase.

Taking an entry-level job in a new field
You've spent years bulking up your resume and gaining important skills and knowledge to perform your job well. When making a career change, you want to make sure you can apply past skills and knowledge in your new job. While you may be desperate to make a change in your career, it is vital that you do not sell yourself short. Never opt for anything less than a lateral move. A lateral career move will allow you to maintain your salary and expertise level, while learning a new trade.

The bottom line
While there is no surefire recipe for success in the business world, there are plenty of pitfalls that professionals can fall into when changing careers. It is vital to consider each career move with care. Not only will your experience go on your resume at some point, but your work history is the backbone which your entire career is based off of. Smart business moves that build on your strengths, knowledge base, experience and personality make for a strong career, while poorly thought out career moves can sabotage all that you have worked so hard to achieve.

 http://www.nbcnews.com/business/5-career-changing-mistakes-1C7574788  

security mistakes that are easy to avoid

Takeaway: What’s worse than getting hit with a security breach? Getting hit with an easily preventable one.

No matter how much we try, users — and sometimes even IT departments — overlook some security mistakes that are relatively easy to correct. In this article, I’ll discuss 10 avoidable security mistakes and describe what you can do to correct the oversight.

1: Using poorly chosen passwords

There was a day when people thought that using the password “password” would be a surefire way to fool hackers and other miscreants. After all, who would use such an obvious password? Although most people now realize just how poor a password that is, so many still use equally obvious choices for passwords, particularly in this day of high social engagement. Take this for example: You cleverly use your anniversary year in your password along with the middle name of your oldest child. Both are easily retrieved on Facebook and through other means. Even organizations that have strong password policies can suffer from poorly chosen passwords when users attempt to work around the requirements.

Fix it: Don’t use obvious patterns in your password. Mix things up. Substitute exclamation points for the number 1, ampersand signs for the number eight, and the like. The more variety you place in a password, the more difficult it is to crack. If you’re creating a password policy for your organization, require the use of characters from multiple character sets.

2: Never changing passwords

I’ve seen this in action too many times. People who keep the same password forever and use the same password on multiple sites are more likely to suffer a breach. Even in organizations that require password changes, some people try to find ways around having to change passwords on a periodic basis. For example, I once had an employee with domain admin rights who decided to exempt himself from the organization’s password policy. He was reprimanded (although, in hindsight, I should have fired him for abusing his access rights) and made to comply with policy. Of course, these kinds of situations should be the exception, but how many people use the same or very similar passwords across multiple sites and change only one character in their password when it comes to expiration time?

Fix it: Educate your users about the importance of good passwords and why changing them every so often is critical. As a part of your policy, consider using a third-party tool to disallow similar passwords at reset time and to create stronger passwords.

3: Not installing antivirus/anti-malware

This one is a given. If you’re not running antivirus software of some kind in your environment, you’re wrong. Even with the best firewalls, the concept of layered security still holds true. Anything that the firewall fails to catch can be handled by your antivirus software.

Fix it: Install anti-malware software… now.

4: Not using a firewall or being too lax with a firewall

Whether you’re at home or running IT for a business, a firewall should be considered required equipment. Although Windows and other operating systems include built-in firewalls, I have always preferred a hardware firewall of some kind, especially when used in conjunction with the aforementioned software firewall. Moreover, any firewall that is deployed should be deployed well.

Fix it: Wherever possible, deploy a hardware firewall both at home and in the office. Make sure that firewall rules aren’t allowing unnecessary traffic to make its way to the internal network.

5: Never patching machines

Operating system and application vendors release software patches for a reason. While many updates add new functionality, many also correct security flaws in products. I’ve seen plenty of home machines on which the user has disabled software updates. In the enterprise, patches can sometimes be avoided with the reasoning that the firewall at the edge of the network protects the organization. This isn’t a good strategy, as valid traffic can still exploit vulnerabilities.

Fix it: Patch machines! Turn on automatic updates and implement robust patch management policies and procedures in your organization.

6: Insecurely storing data

How many of you have stored sensitive data — personal information or for work — on a USB thumb drive? Do you ever take that thumb drive with you out in public? I’ve seen a lot of USB storage attached, for example, to key rings and carried around. Further, that storage simply sits on people’s desks and such.

Now, how many of you back up your organization’s data to tape? Do those tapes go offsite and, if so, are they always under your control?

Unprotected data is a big deal. A single lost USB drive, laptop, iPad, or tape with the wrong information can land an organization in a mess financially, legally, and from a public relations perspective.

Fix it: Make heavy use of encryption for anything that is portable. Most backup software can be configured to encrypt data on tapes and you can use tools such as BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to protect laptops and portable storage devices. For other mobile devices, such as iPads, consider deploying mobile management security software that separately encrypts and protects particularly sensitive information.

7: Being too generous with permissions

In the enterprise, permissions drive what people can and can’t do. The easiest way to enable employees is to grant them carte blanche admin access to everything, but that would quickly devolve into chaos. So most organizations have a policy and structure under which they grant specific permissions based on work-related needs. Over time, unfortunately, “scope creep” comes into play. People change positions within the organization and old permissions are never removed or a temporary permissions increase is never removed, and so forth.

Fix it: Make sure that there are clear permissions policies in your company. Your policies and procedures should include a periodic permissions review that matches current needs with existing permissions; permissions that are no longer necessary should be removed.

8: Choosing poor (or no) Wi-Fi security

Even with all the known risks regarding open Wi-Fi networks, there are still tons of them out there that are completely open and insecure. Some have taken the step of implementing Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) as a protection mechanism since it’s widely supported, but WEP encryption can be cracked in as little as four seconds. That said, it’s still better than no encryption at all, which carries its own risks.

Fix it: Implement WPA at the bare minimum, or better yet, go with WPA2. WPA2 is a modern wireless security standard that is supported by most modern operating systems. When you implement WPA2, choose a good wireless password, too. It shouldn’t be too easy to guess or your wireless protection will be for naught. WPA2 can still be cracked, but cracking WPA2 is far more difficult than cracking WEP or WPA.

9: Avoiding basic mobile device security

Mobile devices will become a hacker’s paradise in the coming years. Most people walk around with devices that have unencrypted personal information of some kind and these devices are accessible at a moment’s notice. They can also be lost or stolen. I mentioned previously that you should consider what kind of information is on a mobile device and remove anything too sensitive or you should consider software that can compartmentalize sensitive information. But you should also keep the casual snooper from being able to easily access information.

Fix it: It’s basic, but at the very least, impose some kind of passcode requirement for mobile device users who access company information. While this will not keep determined adversaries from getting information they want, it will thwart the causal snooper who might pick up the device.

10: Never testing backups

Let’s suppose that all of your other security mechanisms fail and your environment is so severely compromised, the systems and data are no longer trusted. At that point, it might be time to consider restoring the environment from backup. However, horror stores abound about companies that have attempted to recover from backups only to discover that:

·                                 The backed up files were corrupted.

·                                 The backup tapes were bad.

·                                 No files were actually being backed up even though the tapes were being swapped each night.

None of the above is good and can place an organization in a terrible state.

Fix it: Immediately implement policies and procedures that require regular testing of backups. In addition, consider implementing a tiered backup system that backs up data from disk to another disk-based system and from there, to tape or to another offsite, off-network service that can’t be compromised in the event of an attack.

Thanks :- http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-security-mistakes-that-are-easy-to-avoid/2968

10 Common First-Aid Mistakes

1. Myth: Cut a snakebite
“The safest thing to do for snakebite is just splint the limb and go to the hospital,” says Christopher P. Holstege, M.D., an emergency medicine doctor and toxicology expert. “Cutting the bite wound could sever tendons, nerves or arteries or increase the risk of infection, and tourniquets are risky,” Dr. Holstege explains.

Dr. Holstege recommends the right approaches for the following first-aid myths.

2. Myth: Put butter on a burn.
Reality: If you apply butter or another substance to a serious burn, you could make it difficult for a doctor to treat the burn later and increase risk of infection.

The right approach: “It’s usually OK to cool the burn with cool water, but burns with significant blistering need to be seen at a health-care facility,” says Dr. Holstege. Keep the burn clean and loosely covered. Don’t pop the blisters.

3. Myth: Keep syrup of ipecac on hand in case of an accidental poisoning.
Reality: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other experts no longer recommend using syrup of ipecac. The AAP says there’s no evidence that vomiting helps children who have swallowed something poisonous. Most emergency medical facilities have switched to activated charcoal, which binds with the poison in the stomach and prevents it from entering the bloodstream.

The right approach: Throw out any syrup of ipecac that you have at home. If an accidental poisoning occurs, immediately call your doctor or a poison-control center for advice.

4. Myth: Apply a tourniquet to a bleeding extremity.
Reality: When severe bleeding occurs, some people mistakenly tie a belt or shoestring around the limb above the wound to slow the flow of blood. But doing so can cause permanent tissue damage.

The right approach: Pad the wound with layers of sterile gauze or cloth, apply direct pressure, and wrap the wound securely. Seek medical help if the bleeding doesn’t stop or if the wound is gaping, dirty, or caused by an animal bite.

5. Myth: Apply heat to a sprain, strain, or fracture.
Reality: Heat gives the opposite of the desired effect—it promotes swelling and can keep the injury from healing as quickly as it could.

The right approach: Apply ice wrapped in a cloth or something else to keep it from having direct contact with the skin, alternating 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off for the first 24 to 48 hours.

6. Myth: You should move someone injured in a car accident.
Reality: A person with a spinal-cord injury won’t necessarily appear badly injured, but pulling him or her out of a vehicle—even removing the helmet from an injured motorcyclist—could lead to paralysis or death.

The right approach: If the vehicle isn’t threatened by fire or another serious hazard, it’s best to leave the person in place until paramedics arrive.

7. Myth: Rub your eye when you get a foreign substance in it.
Reality: Doing so could cause a serious tear or abrasion.

The right approach: Rinse the eye with tap water.

8. Myth: Use hot water to thaw a cold extremity. Hands and feet go numb when they get too cold, in which case many people try to warm them up by putting them under hot water.
Reality: Hot water can cause further damage.

The right approach: Use lukewarm water only, or use dry heat.

9. Myth: Sponge on rubbing alcohol to reduce a fever.
Reality: In children, the alcohol vapor is absorbed from the lungs. Children are sensitive to very small amounts of alcohol.

The right approach: “Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen,” says Dr. Holstege. “If a fever is very high, have it checked by a physician or treated in a hospital emergency room.”

10. Myth: It’s OK to treat at home an allergic response to a bee sting.
Reality: Delaying professional treatment could be fatal.

The right approach: For symptoms such as breathing problems, tight throat, or swollen tongue, call for an ambulance immediately.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-common-first-aid-mistakes.html#ixzz1i1ZkQ1eE

Small Patients, Big Consequences in Medical Errors

WHEN 6-year-old Chance Pendleton came out of surgery for a wandering eye, it was obvious that something was not right. “He was crying hysterically, vomiting and kept saying, ‘I wish I was dead,’ ” his mother, Grace Alexander, of Paris, Tex., recalled.

The boy had been through surgery before and had never reacted this way. “The nurse was quite peeved and wanted me to calm him before he disturbed anyone,” said Ms. Alexander, who said Chance was denied more pain and anti-nausea medication. “She thought he was just throwing a tantrum.”
After about 20 minutes, another nurse walked by, and Ms. Alexander beckoned her for help. The nurse checked the intravenous line in Chance’s ankle and saw that it wasn’t inserted correctly. He wasn’t receiving any medication. She immediately fixed it, bringing relief to Chance in a matter of seconds.
Medical mistakes, though also common in adults, can have more serious consequences in children, doctors say. The actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins nearly died last year after receiving 1,000 times the prescribed dose of a blood thinner. Other infants have died from the same error. A study in the journal Pediatrics in April found that problems due to medications occurred in 11 percent of children who were in the hospital, and that 22 percent of them were preventable.
An Institute of Medicine report nearly a decade ago highlighted the prevalence of medical errors, and they are still a major problem. “There’s been slow progress in the decline of these errors,” said Dr. Peter B. Angood, chief patient safety officer of the Joint Commission, the independent hospital accreditation agency. The agency recently called onhospitals to further reduce medication errors in children.
Children are also the victims of diagnostic errors, incorrect procedures or tests, infections and injuries.
Medical errors pose a greater threat to children than to adults for a number of reasons. They are physically small, and their kidneys, liver and immune system are still developing. Even a tiny increase in the dose of medication can have serious effects — especially in babies born prematurely. And if children take a turn for the worse, they can deteriorate more rapidly than adults. Children also are less able to communicate what they are feeling, making it difficult to diagnose their problem or know when a symptom or complication develops.
Adult medications are prepackaged and have standardized doses, but pediatric medications vary, based on the child’s weight and sometimes height, requiring doctors to make calculations. It is easy to misplace a decimal point, a tenfold error.
Typically, an adult formulation is diluted for children, and sometimes “the amount of medication being diluted is smaller than an air bubble in a syringe,” said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, director of quality and patient safety at the Komansky Center for Children’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
“A pharmacist can get orders for 55 milligrams, 65 milligrams, 70 milligrams of the same medication,” said Michael R. Cohen, president of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, a nonprofit health care education organization. And medications for children come in different formulations, from drops to liquids to chewables. These variables increase the chance of human error, Dr. Kaushal said.
The Joint Commission reported that about 32 percent of medication errors in children in the operating room involved the wrong dose, compared with 14 percent in adults.
But not all errors happen in hospitals. Karen Rhodes was giving her 2-year-old daughter, Lanie, the prescription medication Zyrtec for allergies three times a day, as the label indicated. But Lanie began to suffer tremors, her breathing grew shallow, and she became “zoned out,” her mother said. It turned out she was getting three times the recommended dose; the drug should have been taken once a day. It was the pharmacist’s error, said Mrs. Rhodes, of Spartanburg, S.C.
At the American Academy of Pediatrics annual meeting in 2006, Dr. Kaushal reported that potentially harmful medication errors affected 26 percent of children in outpatient care.
“There needs to be more medications specifically manufactured for the pediatric population, more standardized dosing regimens and very accurate and clear labeling and packaging of medications,” said Dr. Angood of the Joint Commission. A labeling issue caused the mix-up that led to the overdose of the Quaid twins. The label for a 10-unit dose of the blood thinner heparin, which is used to flush intravenous lines, looked similar to the label of the 10,000-unit dose that the twins were given.
TECHNOLOGY has helped to reduce medication errors. Two methods are favored by experts: an electronic prescribing system known as computerized physician order entry, and a system in which a bar code assigned to a patient is swiped against the bar code of the drug he is about to receive.
But these technologies are expensive and require training. Only about 10 percent of hospitals in the United States use computerized prescribing, and 20 percent use bar coding, said Dr. Cohen. One technology, adopted by about half of the hospitals in the United States, is the smart pump, a programmable intravenous device that regulates the amount and timing of drug delivery. Infections, which are considered errors because they are preventable, are also common among children being treated in hospitals. Studies of neonatal and pediatric intensive care units found that infections topped the list of medical errors, followed by medication errors and injuries from catheters (many are left in too long), said Dr. Paul J. Sharek, chief clinical patient safety officer of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif.
Misdiagnosis is also common and can lead to serious complications or death. A study of malpractice lawsuits involving children visiting emergency departments found thatmeningitis, appendicitis and broken arms were the most common misdiagnosed conditions.
Hospitals can take simple measures to reduce mistakes. For example, when members of a surgical team take a time-out a moment before operating to check that they have the right patient, the right procedure and the correct location, errors are reduced.
Parents need to be the eyes, ears and advocates for their children. “Parents have to pay attention and speak up,” said Dr. Steve Selbst, professor of pediatrics at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, who conducted the study on malpractice suits. “You know your child, and if you feel something’s wrong, go up the chain of command.”
Chance Pendleton’s mother said she was not aggressive enough. “I wish I had been more confrontational sooner,” she said. “That was the worst 20 minutes of my life.”
Here are some tips from experts for parents to lower the chance their child will be harmed by his or her treatment.
ID BRACELETS If your child is in the hospital, make sure the identification bracelet is worn at all times.
HYGIENE Ask all health care providers to wash their hands before approaching your child.
INFORMATION Before a procedure, ask the surgery team’s members if they know exactly what the procedure is.
KNOWLEDGE Schedule a time every day to review with the physician and nurses the medications your child is taking and any other information about his care.
AWARENESS Keep an eye on catheters and incisions, looking for redness and swelling.
ASK QUESTIONS If your child is very sick, make sure a pediatric specialist is involved, and ask whether your child should be moved to a children’s hospital.
TALK ABOUT IT Express your concerns about a missed diagnosis.
BE PREPARED Carry a list of the medications your child is taking and remind doctors about any allergies your child has.
DOUBLE-CHECK Understand why medications are being ordered, and don’t be afraid to ask the doctor to double-check that he used your child’s correct weight and height in calculating the dose.
MEDICINES Familiarize yourself with the medications so that you can recognize if your child is given the wrong pill or liquid. Ask about potential complications and whom to contact if your child has a reaction.
VIGILANCE Be especially watchful if your child is taking multiple medications or is on high-risk medications like chemotherapy drugs, insulin or heparin, or if your child has a compromised immune or organ function.
THANKS  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health

Top Ten Mistakes in Education

Obviously, I believe that the school system is making a great many mistakes. Here are my ten favorites, favorite not because I like them but because eradicating them would go so far towards helping kids learn:

Mistake #1: Schools act as if learning can be disassociated from doing.

There really is no learning without doing. There is the appearance of learning without doing when we ask children to memorize stuff. But adults know that they learn best on the job, from experience, by trying things out. Children learn best that way, too. If there is nothing to actually do in a subject area we want to teach children it may be the case that there really isn't anything that children ought to learn in that subject area.

Mistake #2: Schools believe they have the job of assessment as part of their natural role.

Assessment is not the job of the schools. Products ought to be assessed by the buyer of those products, not the producer of those products. Let the schools do the best job they can and then let the buyer beware. Schools must concentrate on learning and teaching, not testing and comparing.

Mistake #3: Schools believe they have an obligation to create standard curricula.

Why should everyone know the same stuff? What a dull world it would be if everyone knew only the same material. Let children choose where they want to go, and with proper guidance they will choose well and create an alive and diverse society.

Mistake #4: Teachers believe they ought to tell students what they think it is important to know.

There isn't all that much that it is important to know. There is a lot that it is important to know how to do, however. Teachers should help students figure out how to do stuff the students actually want to do.

Mistake #5: Schools believe instruction can be independent of motivation for actual use.

We really have to get over the idea that some stuff is just worth knowing even if you never do anything with it. Human memories happily erase stuff that has no purpose, so why try to fill up children's heads with such stuff? Concentrate on figuring out why someone would ever want to know something before you teach it, and teach the reason, in a way that can be believed, at the same time.

Mistake #6: Schools believe studying is an important part of learning.

Practice is an important part of learning, not studying. Studying is a complete waste of time. No one ever remembers the stuff they cram into their heads the night before the exam, so why do it? Practice, on the other hand, makes perfect. But, you have to be practicing a skill that you actually want to know how to perform.

Mistake #7: Schools believe that grading according to age group is an intrinsic part of the organization of a school.

This is just a historical accident and it's a terrible idea. Age-grouped grades are one of the principal sources of terror for children in school, because they are always feeling they are not as good as someone else or better than someone else, and so on. Such comparisons and other social problems caused by age-similar grades cause many a child to have terrible confidence problems. Allowing students to help those who are younger, on the other hand, works well for both parties.

Mistake #8: Schools believe children will accomplish things only by having grades to strive for.

Grades serve as motivation for some children, but not for all. Some children get very frustrated by the arbitrary use of power represented by grades and simply give up.

Mistake #9: Schools believe discipline is an inherent part of learning.

Old people especially believe this, probably because schools were seriously rigid and uptight in their day. The threat of a ruler across the head makes children anxious and quiet. It does not make them learn. It makes them afraid to fail, which is a different thing altogether.

Mistake #10: Schools believe students have a basic interest in learning whatever it is schools decide to teach to them.

What kid would choose learning mathematics over learning about animals, trucks, sports, or whatever? Is there one? Good. Then, teach him mathematics. Leave the other children alone.

This list does not detail all that is wrong with school, neither do the teaching architectures we propose fix all that is wrong with education. Nevertheless they give an idea of where to begin. And, I believe that high quality software could help make these changes possible.

   
Thanks:-   http://www.engines4ed.org/hyperbook/nodes/NODE-283-pg.html

Ten common mistakes people make when buying gold

Buying gold has long been touted as a terrific way to diversify your investment portfolio and protect yourself against downturns in global currency values and financial markets. At first glance, the process seems simple enough. You just find a couple of coins that look good, fork over your cash, and store your loot in a safe, right? Wrong. There's much more involved in gold investing than browsing through a coin catalog and picking out your favorites. Unfortunately a lot of people actually take that approach-and end up losing quite a bit of money while doing so. 

But you shouldn't let the fear of making mistakes prevent you from taking steps to solidify your financial standing. All you have to do is be aware of potential pitfalls so you can avoid them when the time comes to buy. Here are 10 of the most common mistakes to look out for prior to purchasing this precious metal. 

1. Lack of knowledge. There is no excuse for being uninformed. As long as you have access to the Internet, you should be able to find out all you need to know about the basic ins and outs of gold investing. You should start by reading a glossary of terms related to this activity before moving on to articles and other resources so you know exactly what the experts are talking about. 

2. Misunderstanding the value of gold. This mistake goes hand in hand with lack of knowledge. In order to invest wisely, you must understand how the metal-especially in coin form-derives its value based on things like history, scarcity, rarity, indestructibility, and global recognition as a desired commodity. 

3. Indecision about your investment amount. People who are new to buying gold frequently make the mistake of either ordering too much or too little of the metal. If you buy too much, it defeats the purpose of diversifying your portfolio. If you buy too little, you're not doing enough to protect your other assets. Most experts agree that your coin holdings should equal from 5 to 30 percent of the combined value of the stocks, bonds, and mutual funds in your portfolio. 

4. Expecting big short-term gains. Gold investing is not going to make you rich overnight, so if you're interested in short-term gains, you should check out other options. The point of putting your money into investment grade coins is to hold onto them for a long time while they appreciate in value. 

5. Linking gold markets to the stock market. Some would-be investors are under the mistaken impression that gold prices are somehow linked to the stock market, and that fluctuations in one will lead to corresponding reactions in the other. But it's important to understand that the two markets are largely independent of one another, so your purchasing decisions shouldn't be based on illusory cause-effect relationships. 

6. Substituting gold stock or ETFs for the physical metal. Buying gold to protect your assets against unstable market conditions, inflation, and other economic problems is a smart move-but only if you get the metal itself instead of stocks, exchange traded funds, or other unworthy substitutes. 

7. Skipping Rare Certified Gold in favor of bullion. Not all gold investments are created equal. Bullion, for example, will not appreciate in value based on age, rarity, or other variables. It will only be worth what the commodities market dictates. By contrast, Rare Certified Gold coins that are held for many years can end up being worth far more than what their weight would command on the commodities market, since their value is driven by supply and demand. 

8. Looking for cheap prices. Although getting a bargain is usually considered a good thing, that's not necessarily the case when it comes to buying gold. Abnormally cheap prices are typically an indication of inferior quality, and are therefore a clear sign to stay away-unless you don't mind getting stuck with something that you won't be able to resell when you need cash. 

9. Working with multiple dealers.Because of the large sums involved in gold investing, it would be worth the time and effort to seek out a reputable dealer and stick with that person for each transaction you make. You will get to know and trust each other a bit more after every deal, which will in turn pave the way for discounts on bulk purchases and similar goodwill gestures. 

10. Failure to understand premiums over spot. Buying gold coins always involves a dealer markup or premium. This is what you're expected to pay over the spot price, and varies from dealer to dealer. It's critical to have some knowledge of fair premiums over spot in order to be able to identify any good or bad deals that might come your way. 

In order to make sound decisions when buying gold, it is imperative that you first learn all you can about gold investing. There are lots of factors that impact each transaction, so the more you know, the better your chances of being successful. 
Courtesy : EzineArticles.com
http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Ten-common-mistakes-people-make-when-buying-gold-38734-3-1.html