Monday, December 12, 2011

Momma's Makeover

Mom's Hangover Helper will be relaunching on January 16, 2012 at full-speed, ready to provide advice and entertainment! Send your stories or get advice from Momma and her helpers by emailing momshangoverhelper@gmail.com. Also you can tweet at Momma @MommaWontTell. Go crazy!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Week 8 - Blog Project Summary

This concludes my 8 Week IST 195 Entrepreneurship Project, but this is not the end of Momma or Mom's Hangover Helper. When first assigned the project, I had no idea what to do, but knew I had to come up with something. Later that night, I was passing time on the internet looking at sites like FML and Texts From Last Night, and thought to myself, "What if there was someone or somewhere these people could go to for advice. It was at that moment I knew I had my idea and knew I would want to carry this project on well past the 8 weeks.


At first, the project was somewhat easy in relating my site to the information learned in lecture, like social media. However, as we moved farther into more technical and  hardware-oriented subjects, it became harder to relate helping college students with things like domain names and bytes/bits. I managed to do so and actually enjoyed the challenge because it expanded my thinking and thought of different ways to use this technology that could benefit my target audience as well as myself.

From here, I plan on expanding Mom's Hangover Helper and working on reaching out to the public, mainly college students. In order for Mom's Hangover Helper to take off, we need to gather followers and get people to send in their questions to Momma or tweet @MommaWontTell. From there, the site can continue to grow and be the next great site, like FML, where people can go to read some funny stories but at the same time, offer more because personal advice is given for each story. There is also a chance for the readers to give their own advice by commenting on the posts.

Now, Momma needs your help to get this site going! Email and tweet to Momma with your stories and questions and have your friends do the same. Everything remains anonymous and the reader is anonymous. What you tell Momma, stays with momma because @MommaWontTell.

Happy Partying!
Momma's Little Helper


Other blogs I commented on:
Hi My Name is Justin Law - Commented under: "IST195 Entrepreneurial Idea" (Lok Hei Justin Law)
heART - Commented under the post: "entrepreneurial idea(1st week)" (Xuenin Chen)
KnowYourSnow - Commented under the post: "Week 1: Topic/Social Media" (Lisa Weissman)

Monday, October 24, 2011

Week 7 - A Not-So-Easy Solution for the Starving College Student

What's a problem that all college students encounter quite a lot? The answer is having no money. It's not easy to hold a job while balancing school work at the same time. You have to have money, but at the same time you have to have good grades. What are you going to do? For those college students who are technologically advanced, the answer can be found in networking. How does networking work?


How the Internet Works
Every node on the internet needs an IP address to communicate. An IP address (IPv4) is a set of four bytes, of four 8 bit numbers, for example 128.230.84.49.  The first 2 sets of #’s is the network address (Exp: 128.230 = SU), the 3rd number is a Sub-net (Exp: 84 = hinds hall), and the last number is the actual host (system). The internet is running out of IP addresses so they have to add some, creating a new form of IP address known as the IPv6. What we see when we type in a website is known as a domain name, an alias for an IP address. ICANN.org (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is the governing body that manages domain names including the suffixes whether they are restricted (,gov, .edu, .mil, etc.) or unrestricted (.com, .net, .org, etc.). 

Domain Names
Can you buy and sell any domain? This is where the money lies and where you can make a nice investment if you play your cards right. Domains can be bought for $10 if they have not been claimed and if that domain name becomes popular then one can sell it for much, much more. For example, in 2007 porn.com was sold for $9.5 million and in 2010 sex.com was sold for $13 million. A more common example is a SU professor, Jeff Rubin, bought the domain yaz.info for baseball player Carl Yastrzemski and sold it for $5,000 to Bayer for their morning-after pill Yaz. 

Domain Disputes
One thing you have to worry about when investing in domain names is to not "steal" a domain name from someone or a company then later try to sell it to them because they could file a complaint and the domain would be automatically become theirs. All domain name disputes go through WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Examples of Disputes:
   1) Your domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the complaint has rights
   2) You have no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name
   3) Your domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith
When filing a dispute, it costs $1,500 for a single panelist to review the dispute and $4,000 for three panelists.

Where the Money Is At
Like mentioned before, this is not necessarily easy to succeed on and also may take a while for the domain you choose to actually gather some worth. For those more technologically advanced, and with more time, one could create a domain and then actually do something with it rather than just waiting for the domain to gather worth. You can create a website with information that people would be interested, gather traffic, and gain worth that way then gain advertisers to make the money. However, this is much more complicated and time consuming so you may just want to stick with a simple part-time, typical college job.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Week 6 - Professional Blogger Review

Being a new blogger, I do not know exactly what does and doesn't work in order for my blog to be successful so I did some looking around and checked out what successful bloggers are doing right and how I can apply those to my own blog. One blog that stuck out to me was The College Crush, a how-to site on surviving college relationships and give advice. The first thing i noticed when I opened the site was its style, layout, and all of the pictures. The site has a sort of vintage and handmade kind of feel that is carried through every page, article, and picture. This is a great choice and done really well as it appeals to the people that they are trying to attract as their audience. They have branded themselves with this style and made an appropriate logo to go with it. A couple ways I could incorporate what I observed on this site was the use of images. Im trying to to attract college students and if there is one thing these students don't like its reading endlessly for homework so when they take breaks, they don't want to do more reading. What draws them into the articles on  The College Crush site are the interesting and artistic pictures that depict in a way what the article is about. When they see a picture they like, they select the picture and read that article because it appeals to them. Another way I could improve my blog is if I branded the site, and Momma herself, more by working on a logo, creating a final theme and design for the site, and put the site out there by reaching out to my target audience through social media and just spreading the word around of Momma and her advice. Thanks College Crush and great site!

-Momma's Little Helper

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Week 5 - Mixing It Up

There are three things that make or break a party: the people, the music, and, of course, the drinks, but people don't always realize that what really makes or breaks the party is the music. Without the right music, the alcohol and people go to waste. If there is no music, or it isn't good, then no one wants to dance with anyone and so you stuck standing there just talking while the alcohol goes to waste. This is why it is important to know how to mix music, so you can have a successful party. A free, simple program that has everything you need to make you mixes is Audacity, but before mixing the music, you have to know the logistics.


There are 2 common types of formats: WAV and MP3. There is no difference in sound between these two, but the difference is a WAV file is uncompressed audio and MP3 is compressed audio. Lossy Compression: CD’s contain uncompressed audio although your brain cannot process all of the different sounds so MP3 compresses the audio by taking the frequencies from the song and throwing away the frequencies the average human can’t hear so there is no difference in the sound, to humans.

Another important thing to know is how to figure out the file size to ensure your files are not to big for the cd or other storage device. Here is how you figure it out: 
1) Convert the minutes to seconds. Exp: 8 minutes and 42 seconds à 522 seconds
Note: Stereo sound uses 2 channels or 16 bit DAC (Digital Audio Conversion
2) Figure out the 16-bit number. Exp: Total 16-bit sampled: 522*44100*2=46,040,400
3) Now figure out the 8-bit by multiplying it by 2. Exp: Total 8-bit bytes = 92,080,800 (87.8 MB)

For more information about Audacity or how to use it check out some videos. I recommend beginning here:


Happy Partying and Stay Safe!
Momma

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Week 4 - Keep it in Your Pants

As mentioned in my previous blogs, college students are huge targets, especially with theft. College students are very vulnerable, especially when they go out, and often fall victim to crimes from criminals or even their peers. So how does one avoid being mugged and keep their valuables in their pants? With an advancement in technology, plus just using common sense, you can lower your chances of becoming a victim.

A new mobile app was released recently that will cut down what you have to carry in your pockets, known as Google Wallet. Using NFC Technology (Near Field Communication), you can enter your credit card information into the app so when you pay for something you just enter a pin, hold your phone to the sensor, and then you're done. Combine this with a phone case that can hold your ID card, and you will only need one thing on you when you go out. This way girls won't have a need to carry purses with them and both girls and guys can keep just their phone with their ID and Goggle Wallet in their front pocket which greatly reduces the risk of becoming a victim of "pick-pocketing."

Google Wallet is currently only available for the Nexus S 4G from Sprint because it has the NFC chip where the encrypted data is stored on. This is an up and coming product so there is still work to be done on it, especially with security. People question how secure this will be and if people could easily scan your phone with some device when they walk by. It is actually more secure than it seems, more secure than RFID and Bluetooth. The two biggest security features in Google Wallet are the pin code you have to enter whenever you want to make a transaction and in order for the sensor to pick up on the NFC chip the phone must be within 4 centimeters of it. Remember when you go out to only take the things you need and not to keep your things out in the open or unattended so someone can easily take it.

Happy Partying!
Momma

Remember to email Momma or tweet @MommaWontTell when you need advice!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Week 3 - College Students Being Targeted

Are you completely protected from identity theft? Most likely not. Have you or someone you known fallen victim to identity theft? It doesn't take long for your identity to be stolen, but it takes months to recover from and often you can never fully recover from it. People 18-29 years old, especially college students, are most at risk of having their identity stolen. There are many ways to stop this from happening, but there are ways they can steal your identity that you can't always prevent. This is why it's always good to take precautions and check regularly to make sure there is no suspicious activity.

Ways to minimize your chances of having your identity stolen:
1) Do not use debit cards. Alternatives are to use the debit card as a credit card in which you give them your signature rather than you PIN or a better idea is to use credit cards.
2) Never Disclose SSN.
3) Don't provide bank account or credit info unless you made the call.
4) Check your monthly statements. Make sure there is no suspicious activity on your accounts, if there is you should call your bank or the credit card company immediately.
5) Minimize what's in you wallet. Never carry your SSN number with you.
6) Don't write down passwords and especially don't carry them in your wallet.
7) Shred all discarded paper that contains account numbers. People will go through your trash, make sure you SHRED all of your papers, not just throw them out.
8) Don't show personal info on webpages.
9) Monitor your credit. Everyone is entitled to a free annual credit report from Equifax, Transunion, and Experian at www.annualcreditreport.com. Go through your report and look for suspicious activity.
10) Destroy your hard drive, computers, printers, etc., don't sell them. All of these devices store the data and leave footprints that cannot be deleted even when you think you delete the files from your computer. Destroy by the DoD Standard - disintegrate, incinerate, pulverize, shred, or melt.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Week 2 - Privacy and Social Media

Be cautious when you post things online or when your friends post things pertaining to you, you never know who may be watching. Do you know how protected you are? Google yourself for 10 minutes and see how much information you can find on yourself. You are probably not as protected as you think. When you go out with your friends you drink, have fun, maybe do some illegal activities, and take pictures. Where do those pictures end up? Most likely on FaceBook or some other social networking site. Think about the people who will see these pictures, such as those you have "friended."Do you want all of them to see these? There may be more people seeing the things you and your friends post than you would like there to be. 

Here are 3 important tips on how to stay more protected when online:

1) Check privacy settings. Never settle for the default settings provided by the site. They are usually low protection and make you very vulnerable. Go into the privacy settings and customize them so that you are protecting yourself as much as you want to. Also, some sites update their settings quite regularly so make sure you update your customization regularly.

2) Only "friend" people you actually know. When someone requests to be your "friend" on FaceBook, make sure you know them. If you do not know them, who knows what they are doing with your information? Also, remember your tweets are available for everyone to see so be careful with what you ar tweeting or turn the privacy settings on.

3) Don't be stupid. If you know you should not be posting something on the internet, do not do it. It is that simple. Think about the people who may see these pictures or posts then think about the consequences. Is it worth it? Most likely it is not.

Be safe when using the internet. It is becoming easier and easier for people to find out information on you with just a few clicks, and could easily use it against you. More employers are turning to the internet to research potential employees. Are you posting things that could affect your chances at getting a job?

Be Safe and be smart,
Momma

Saturday, September 17, 2011

9 Home Remedies for Hangovers

by 

Well, you partied from sundown to sunup, and now you're paying the price. You've got the pounding headache, the queasiness, the dizziness, the sensitivity to light and sound, the muscle aches and the irritability that comes from overconsumption of alcoholic beverages. How quickly last night's fun turns into next morning's nightmare when you have a hangover!

Although we don't like to think of it as such, especially when we're having such a good time, alcohol is actually a drug. It's a depressant, and when taken in excess, it fills your body with toxins. Your body reacts as it would to any drug overdose: It tries to metabolize and get rid of the offending substances. 
The best way to prevent a hangover is, of course, drinking in moderation or abstaining from alcohol. But keeping yourself well-hydrated and well-nourished when you're drinking can go a long way toward minimizing the morning-after symptoms.

The best cure for a hangover: time. Of course, people ignore prevention and don't have "time" for the cure. So, here are some remedies to ease the suffering for those who have had one drink too many.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider. 

Friday, September 9, 2011

Bruised and Itchy

Question:


Hi mom,
So I woke up this morning with a hickey on my neck, ripped dress and bug bites all over my back. What do I do?
-bruised and itchy


Momma:


Well suga', sounds like you had quite the night ;) First let's talk about the hickey, it is nothing to worry about. Even the worst of hickeys wear of in about a week and can be covered up with some makeup. I recommend starting with a little bit of green concealer on the hickey followed by your regular concealer you use on your face. For the bug bites, if they are real itchy, use some anti-itch lotion on them. As for keeping them hidden, wear clothes that will cover them up. And finally the dress, if it can't be sewn up or the tear can't be hidden, then throw it away and get a new one. Hope this all helps and let me know if you need anymore help.


All my love,
Momma

Week 1 - Every College Students' Savior

Remember that time you failed that quiz because you drank too much the night before and came to class hungover? Or that time you called your ex-boyfriend and begged him to take you back? Or when you texted your mom saying you needed more condoms? Partying is fun, but the next day when you see the texts you sent, notice the phone calls you made, and that pounding in your head with every step you take, don't you wish you had someone to tell you what to do next or a way to get rid of your hangover within just minutes? Well now you do, Mom's Hangover Helper is here for you!

Mom's Hangover Helper is your second mother when things get out of control. This is your source for everything you need to know to recover from anything you did last night, including those things you can't remember. From drunk calls to hangovers to the dead hooker in the bathroom, you ask the question and we supply the answer. Nothing can be to extreme for Mom to handle.

Here's how it works: e-mail Mom at momshangoverhelper@gmail.com with your question. Within 24 hours of sending your e-mail, Mom will reply with an answer to your dilemma. With your permission, Mom will then anonymously post your question, hiding all details that may give away your identity, and her solution for others to see in case they find themselves in the same situation. Before sending Mom an e-mail, search the Mom's Hangover Helper database to see if your question has already been answered. Here's to the good nights you may or may not remember!