Culture | Paddock Post

24

Nov

Holiday Mail Order Sweets

There are certain foods – usually sweets – that we buy or receive once a year around the holidays that lend nostalgia to the season (and a few inches to the waistline). In our home, we usually kick off the season in mid-November with the purchase of a sweet Italian cake called Pandoro that my daughter sprinkles confectionary sugar over. Read more

16

Nov

The Apple of Our Eye….Steve Jobs

“Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson was recently published and is a must read for anyone interested in Apple and the technology industry. The publication of a biography just a few weeks after the death of the star is usually a red flag: how could anyone put together a biography and have it published within days of the memorial service? It almost reeks of sensationalism but this book was not whipped up overnight. Read more

14

Nov

Microsoft and Apple….The USA and Switzerland

Microsoft and Apple remind me of the United States and Switzerland. Each has their place front and center in the world market yet no two modern companies or countries could be more different in how they operate and what they produce. All four entities tend to evoke strong opinions among admirers and detractors. Read more

10

Nov

IB Diploma Schools in Florida: Mean Scores

My daughter attended a middle school in Switzerland that provided dual tracts to the International Baccalaureate (“IB”) or the French Baccalaureate Diploma; alternatives to a typical high school diploma. When we decided to move back to the United States, I contacted the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) in Geneva, Switzerland to find out about IB Diploma schools since we preferred to continue with the program. Read more

8

Nov

The IB Diploma School: Asking the Right Questions

The International Baccalaureate (“IB”) Diploma program has been exploding in the United States. Since 2003 the number of IB Diploma schools has more than doubled from 355 to 743; a 109% increase in 8 years. The weak economy has not slowed down the growth as the US had 534 IB Diploma schools in 2008 and grew to 743 in 2011 – a nearly 40% increase. The program is popular, no doubt and more prevalent in the south and southwestern states where public education was greatly in need of improvement. Read more

4

Nov

Random Acts of Rudeness and Kindness

Connecticut was slammed this week with a record-breaking early snowfall that resulted in trees bringing down power lines across the state, especially in the central and northern parts of the state. The story began last Saturday at noon when snow started to fall – big beautiful fluffy white flakes. Eight inches were predicted – but by 3:00 am on Sunday morning, more than 17 inches had fallen at Bradley – the nearby airport serving the Hartford/Springfield area. Read more

2

Nov

Understanding the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program

The International Baccalaureate program is overseen by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) – an educational foundation – based out of Geneva, Switzerland. Established in 1968 by a group of teachers at the International School of Geneva, the program has grown to become a worldwide alternative to the high school diploma. Nearly 3,300 schools in 141 countries now offer the IB diploma. Read more

31

Oct

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few months ago, I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies from a Neiman Marcus recipe that has been passed along on the internet for years. The story of the recipe isn’t important as any person reading about its origination (a woman having lunch at Neiman Marcus ordering a chocolate chip cookie and getting a bill for $250 for the recipe) would question why the woman even had a credit card. And, who has ever seen a recipe for sale on a lunch menu? But, that’s not the point. The issue is: are the cookies good? I thought so because they contain ground oatmeal and I love oatmeal but that’s not what my family and friends think. Read more

29

Oct

Let’s Dig Deeper to Understand School Rankings

Ranking schools – high schools, colleges, business and law schools – is big business these days. US News & World Report, Newsweek, Business Week and countless other national and regional magazines and newspapers rank our schools annually. Schools seem to be obsessed with their respective rankings proudly displaying them on their websites and in press releases. But, if the public dug deeper and understood how the rankings are computed, these publications would not be considered gospel. Read more

21

Oct

An Open Letter to the President of Bloomingdale’s

Dear Mr. Lundgren:

News Flash: Your company call centers in India are awful and are in desperate need of an overhaul. The employees need to be trained to speak and understand English better in order to effectively communicate with customers. If your company doesn’t want to provide training, then close your call centers in India and bring the jobs back to the United States and train the employees here. Really, your customers will be happier and you will be commended for creating jobs in the country in which your company is based. Read more