Best products from r/UpliftingNews

Great question!

Ok, so my general advice for anyone seeking to go to college is to go to a private non-profit or public school. The evidence is pretty strong that, on average, this is the better route.

BUT I really do think it's going too far to say all for-profit institutions are scams. In fact, there are even some advantages to them:

• They tend to have higher completion rates than community colleges. One reason is that they have a lot of incentive to retain students because they really want your tuition $$ (usually paid by federal financial aid); they're far more dependent on that tuition for revenue than publics. But that means that if you're the kind of student who might slip through the cracks, I.e. who just might not get around to enrolling in classes for the next semester and then never come back, for-profits might offer some advantage to you.
  
  
• they can be somewhat faster and more responsive in adapting to changing labor markets
  
  
• access. Usually I point to the really high marketing costs at for-profits as a negative, but you could also spin it in some ways into a positive. In particular, for-profits are really good at reaching out to low-income, minority, parents with kids, and otherwise disadvantaged communities where a lot of people feel like college isn't for them and saying "hey you! Yes, you! YOU can go to college and deserve to go to college!" and that can be a very positive message in the public interest.
  
  So, yeah. I wouldn't go to a for-profit college personally, nor send my kid to one, but I don't think it's fair to call them scams. If you visit a for-profit college and talk to the faculty and advisors, they are generally sincere and totally committed to student success.
  
  
  
  Ps. If you're interested in further reading, check out James Rosenbaum's work on this topic. https://www.amazon.com/After-Admission-College-Access-Success/dp/0871547554

This is one of my favorite things. Had a great experience on a business trip to Atlanta at Pappasitos, the waiter was extremely prepared, knowledgable, and helpful when our order came out wrong, so I went the extra mile to let not only his immediate manager know, but the district/regional manager as well. I filled out a survey online and made sure to identify the store and employee that helped me so much. They reached out to me personally and let them know that my comment may be used in internal business meetings and that feedback like that helps them know when they win as a business in the customer service industry.

Raving Fans is a great book about attaining exceptional customer service and creating "Raving Fans" aka people who go out of their way to rave about a business. I like to pass this on to other people in the customer service industry and it really helps them run their business more effectively.

Aloha,

I live on Maui and also run underwater photo workshops in tropical destinations, so have spent a lot of time experimenting with sunscreens.

Here is my suggestion for a good physical sunscreen that goes on easy (without the huge white mess) and is good for the reef. It’s the only physical sunscreen so far that my 10 year old daughter will wear if that tells you something about how it applies.

BurnOut SPF 30+ KIDS Physical Sunscreen

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037AO682/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0B7WAb9WEJDVT

From their website:

BurnOut KIDS Physical Sunscreen SPF 35

Finally, the perfect sunscreen for babies and kids!
UVA/UVB broad-spectrum protection, will not run into eyes.
Chemical-free, paraben-free, petroleum-free, PABA-free.
Hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, non-greasy, and perfect for sensitive skin.
Recommended by pediatricians and dermatologists.
Rich in Antioxidants, and enriched with Extracts of Helionori, Pomegranate, and Plantain to protect and nourish skin.
Biodegradable, ocean-safe, and eco-sensitive.
Finally, the perfect sun protection solution for babies and kids!
Size: 3.4 oz.

Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide (non-nano) 18.9%

Other Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Carrageenan, Helionori, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Plantago Lanceolata (Plantain) Leaf Extract, Ascor

Also available at Whole Foods if you’d prefer to get it locally.

FWIW, their regular version is thicker and does not go on as nicely.

Lastly, most snorkel boats and resorts here have been offering reef safe sunscreen for a few years.

A toys r us gift card might be a safer treat for a little girl that age, it looks like she might not have full use of her remaining hand so toys and video games that require dexterity would be hard to use. When my sisters were that age they loved baby dolls and barbies and dress up clothes and fancy hair bows/tiaras. It looks like she likes to paint her fingernails so that would be an inexpensive little gift :) and all little girls love webkinz stuffed animals and those little shopkins things, which are a good portable toy to take with to hospital visits.

Ah, if you stay home you may not need to, but if the insurance company provides you a pump for free, why not? Plus, if you need to take a trip without the kiddo (it happens!) or you get a plugged duct while baby is sleeping (it happens!) you may want the pump to help out.

We did a bassinet for the first, err... 3 months, 4 months? Eventually though they'll get too big for even a bigger bassinet. I think ours outgrew hers at around 6 months. The pack and plays are okay, but oh boy are they low to the floor (being... on the floor and all...) Maybe look at the convertible bed-crib things? 2 things in one go!

And yeah, wait for Target baby stuff sales. Worst case is you get a gift card that you then spend on diapers.

Oh a few items you didn't know you wanted (but you probably want!)

1. Butt paste wand. Trust me. Get this. https://www.amazon.com/BabyBum-Diaper-Cream-Brush-Blue/dp/B00LYQ53JW/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538604479&sr=8-1&keywords=baby+butt+wand. Diaper cream is a great thing, but it gets stuck EVERYWHERE.
   
2. Baby changing caddy. https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A04588481Q6AWCSY7ABYX&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDexbaby-Changing-Station-Toddler-Organizer%2Fdp%2FB00512VMVI%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1_sspa%3Fie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1538604532%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26keywords%3Dchanging%2Bstation%2Bcaddy%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1538604532&id=4049971636655450&widgetName=sp_atf. Can you live without it? Yes. But is it nice when you're changing a kiddo at 2am and need everything in one place? Yep.
   
3. Nose Frida. Seems gross, but oh man is it more effective than the bulbs in a lot of cases. https://www.amazon.com/Nasal-Aspirator-NoseFrida-Snotsucker-Fridababy/dp/B00171WXII/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538604617&sr=8-4&keywords=nose+frida. When the baby gets its first cold, you'll need at least this, a bulb, maybe a Dyson with an attachment, an industrial vacuum tube... Maybe my kid was just a snot factory...
   
   That's about it. Maybe 1000 swaddles...

Hmm, yeah, I don't think there's going to be anything you can do to convert a wireless USB headset to mono, short of being an electronics genius, physically taking it apart, and rewiring it.

It's a shame that the PS4 doesn't have an accessiblity setting for mono, and they're the only console that doesn't. I just submitted a suggestion to https://share.blog.us.playstation.com/, but we'll have to see if they even accept it. I just noticed that the most recent suggestion they've even posted is from October 14, 2016, so yeah, I guess that site is dead.

There's some guy who disassembles these headphones and stuffs them inside of these earmuffs, resulting in a headset that plays both channels into the same ear, allowing you to tell left from right by listening to whether the sound comes from above or below. Pretty interesting concept. (As you can see in his comment, to get them working on the PS4, you'd also need a separate microphone and a Y adapter.)

If you look up "mono gaming headset" on Amazon, or even just "gaming headset", you can see plenty of them that only have one ear, but it's hard to be certain that they will definitely downmix stereo to mono. For example, in lots of comments, the Turtle Beach people sound really adamant that the Turtle Beach Recon are "chat only", which suggests to me that something is wrong with them. There are ones like this that would definitely work, but then you're gaming with an earbud, or this but the reviews are pretty terrible.

Stereo-to-mono adapters do exist that you can plug into your controller, and then plug a 3.5mm headset into. However, I can't seem to find a single one that would work correctly with a TRRS connection (the type with 3 black bands that supports a microphone). So to make a 3.5mm headset work in a PS4 controller you'd need a pretty ridiculous setup with like 3 different adapters.

If I was in your shoes, I'd probably dig around looking for a decent looking single-ear gaming headset (either USB, or 3.5mm TRRS), and then email the manufacturer asking them to confirm that it will play both stereo channels through the one ear. Either that or buy the wacky homemade set from the guy. Or pester Sony to add mono support to the PS4.

I really admire what they're doing. Debt and poverty are difficult problems, because while on the surface they appear to be strictly a lack of material resources, in truth they're often also grounded social/personal/pyschological issues, and material poverty is merely a symptom or indicator. I read a book a few weeks ago called "When Helping Hurts - How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor or Yourself", and it went very in-depth into why strictly material approaches ("this person/organization is short on cash: give them cash") rarely work in the long-term, and how true long-term change requires a change of thinking and lifestyle, which is much more difficult, though doable with commitment and time. Often "stop the bleeding/poverty alleviation" efforts, such as after Hurricane Katrina or Haiti, are done with good intentions, but end up causing more harm in the long-term than they do good.

The book is written from a Christian standpoint/worldview, but much of the content applies to non-religious charitable giving, charity work, and NGO relief efforts as well.


That being said, I do admire and appreciate what this group is doing, sort of spontaneous gifts of debt relief, and it's encouraging to see. Here's hoping there are more who will follow their aspirations!

I had an Under Armour Backpack I paid somewhere in the 60-80 dollar range my freshman year of high school. (2010) It got me all the way through high school. It started falling apart at the bottom of the main pocket due to overstuffing and sharp textbook corners. (Also me fucking with the rips in class.) so I am not using it for college. (Textbooks are heavy and expensive, I'm afraid the backpack may finally rip all the way.) But it still works for lighter stuff on the weekends.

Its replacement was a mid range Swiss Gear backpack. (About $60 IIRC) It's a little smaller than I'd like, but it's very sturdy and comfortable and has a nice padded space for a medium laptop or large tablet. It's about 4 years old, going into its second year of college use. (Took some time off, going back this summer.) It has held up remarkably well though.

Everything being said, I would definitely recommend both backpacks I have used. I'm rough on backpacks, so them lasting for more than a year or two is impressive.

This was the Under Armour backpack I used through high school. Although mine was Navy blue. It seems to have been discontinued.

This is the Swiss Gear backpack I currently own. I was not able to find it on the Swiss Gear website, so it may be discontinued as well.

Well, I actually read that in this book:

• http://www.amazon.com/The-Homeless-Christopher-Jencks/dp/067440596X
  
  I read that book about 10 years ago, and I don't have a copy on hand. But from memory, "long-term homelessness" is defined as over 2 years of continual homelessness and constitutes approximately half of the homeless at any given time. The other half is constituted of people whose time in homelessness is typically much shorter than 1 year (something like 3 months if I recall but like I said, it was 10 years ago, so my figures are likely rough).
  
  I remember that particular fact pretty well because it altered my preconceptions about homelessness.
  
  -----
  
  EDIT: Those stats are out of date. Now an even smaller percentage of the homeless are "chronic" homeless. Cite:
  
  > It’s a common misconception that this group represents the majority of the homelessness population. Rather, they account for less than 15 percent of the entire homeless population on a given day.
  
  > Fortunately, there has been significant progress to address chronic homelessness in the last decade. The number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness has declined by 21 percent since 2010.
  
  
• http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/snapshot_of_homelessness

GiveWell is a non-profit that uses models and studies to determine where dollars are most effectively given (the measure I believe is quality adjusted years of life per dollar; see more here). I'm just learning about effective altruism, and my friend recommended the book Doing Good Better as a place to start. The #4 charity on GiveWell's site is GiveDirectly, which is a charity that gives cash unconditionally to very poor individuals in Kenya and Uganda. See here for more info about GiveDirectly.

===

Here are GiveWell's current top 5 charities.

I absolutely adore the work that the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust does. I highly recommend the book Love, Life, and Elephants, which is the memoir by his wife, which details how the Trust came to be and all the amazing work that happens there.

Ars Moriendi, the art of dying, I feel, is often a lost concept in modern society.

Dying with dignity is an oft shunned topic of discussion, but when approached with a level headed understanding, can save tons of suffering for the dying, and even more than that, can save a lot of depression associated with people caring for the dying and their regrets about not making decisions that comforted the dying in their final days, weeks, months, or years.

It's a hard conversation for even doctors to have in industrialized nations, because the expectation is that everyone is just one medical miracle away from recovering some life they used to have, but the reality, in many cases, is that way of life may already be gone.

Expecting that way of life to come back and crazy interventions that may make the patient worse are something people often pursue towards the end, instead of accepting what they are facing, and living out the best life they can while they still have time.

If you are still reading this here, I would highly recommend the book Being Mortal by Atul Gawande as it has given me an unparalleled understanding of the expectations of aging, mortality, and dying, that I could never express as eloquently

I bought a posture corrector/brace that is really simple to wear, and i can also use it on my 10 yo, who is slightly kyotonic. It’s AWESOME and super easy to put on. I’m working slowly up to wearing it longer and longer, and I can definitely tell the difference in my muscles, and which ones need to be active to keep my joints safer! Here comes an ugly link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072XD1BNW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This sounds like the book I just read. I'm pretty sure it is. It's called The day the world came to town. Great read. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0060559713?pc_redir=1410606683&robot_redir=1

Well, the only thing I know about it is that you can buy one of these, someone on reddit posted it a while ago in a /r/ShowerThoughts topic titled "If bees made beer we'd take better care of them" haha.

Both of their actions should be appreciated.

People should be commended for owning up to their mistakes and for forgiving others.

While I'm here, linking this book on forgiveness

i recommend these:

https://www.amazon.com/VICTHY-140pcs-Colorful-Covers-Applicators/dp/B07JNMK9XH/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cat+claw+caps&qid=1563805538&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

a scratching post is good and all but when they play and scratch your skin it's not fun

Here's a really enjoyable book about this incident: http://www.amazon.com/The-Day-World-Came-Town/dp/0060559713