Numerous organizations offer skills certification, practical training, or undergraduate or graduate level degrees.
Undoubtedly some of these entities are better than others.
But how does one determine which school, instructor, or trainer best suits their needs to receive appropriate instruction or a respectable education from without having to fork over lots of resources (i.e., money, time, etc.).
To begin with there’s always word of mouth. Understandably it’s easier for some people and with some fields than others to access the benefits of this process. Sometimes you know a person, just like you, who graduated from one of these programs, an alumnus, who can vouch for an instructor or a school that they attended and benefited from or direct you away from a questionable target.
Alternatively, you can post a question on an on-line forum like Reddit asking for recommendations and hope there is someone whom you trust to give you honest feedback. Keep in mind, however, that other people’s opinions may be singular. Their experience may not be the same as others.
Since these strategies are not sufficient, it’s helpful to consult a handful of publicly available ranking systems like US News and World Report, QS World University Rankings, or the Times Higher Education Review. They have a set of criteria, ask experts in the field to rank order schools in their area of expertise, and then they consolidate the responses.
But what about the field of criminology/criminal justice? Indeed the graduate programs in these fields show up on the previously mentioned publicly available ranking platforms.
However, over the past few decades, in addition to the traditional bricks and mortar schools, a number of for profit and not for profit programs in the field of Criminology/Criminal Justice, offering face-to-face and/or on-line programs, have emerged. In general, they are cheaper and easier to enroll in than the more well known schools, colleges, and universities.
Unfortunately not all of them are created equal. These schools, colleges and universities, pejoratively referred to to diploma mills, may have legitimate sounding names, but questionable accreditation credentials. Meanwhile numerous well-meaning but poorly informed or advised individuals have been duped by these educational organizations.
Few members of the public, including aspiring students, understand the nature, purpose and meaning of accreditation. And there are lots of different types of accreditation. Although accrediting bodies are voluntary nongovernmental organizations, some of them are better than others. Some have higher or lower standards.
With all economic transactions (and education is no different), in the case of searching for an appropriate place to receive certification, a diploma, degree or training, the buyer must educate themselves about the subtle and not so subtle nuances of organizations that provide services.
photo credit: Image of Banksy’s “Follow your dreams”
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2023-03-14-at-3.34.08-PM.png372551Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-03-14 21:02:562023-03-14 22:56:57The importance of earning a certification, degree, diploma, and education from a respected accredited school or organization
If you drive a car in a big city, eventually you’re going to need to park it somewhere.
It turns out, some urban locations are better than others enabling motorists to find short-term places to park their vehicles. While some cities, seem to “make it up as they go along,” others have thought carefully about where and how motorists can park their cars and integrated helpful solutions into their planning process.
In some municipalities, there are numerous convenient parking garages. Some are built above ground occupying valuable retail, commercial and residential space, whereas others (especially those located in Western European countries) build parking garages underground where they are less of an eyesore.
Some parking establishments even have helpful electronic billboards outside, indicating whether they are full or the number of empty spots available. You park your car, pay a nominal fee, and then retrieve it later. Sometimes the enterprise is run by the municipal or county government and at other times they are operated by private entities.
In cities, like Washington DC, where I live, finding a place to park your vehicle, that is both convenient and reasonably priced is next to impossible. Yes there are parking garages, mostly commercially run, charging exorbitant rates, but the lion’s share of affordable parking is on the street.
Because of the dynamics of supply and demand and the confusing signage and payment processes it’s challenging not only to find an empty space, but to pay for parking and to avoid a ticket.
Over the past two decades, the District of Columbia has phased out parking meters that were solely coin based to ones that would also accept credit cards. Over time many of these machines broke, (or were smashed), became convenient surfaces for all manner of graffiti and street art, and despite instructions encouraging motorists to report broken meters to avoid receiving a ticket, few of these mechanisms were repaired or replaced.
Shortly thereafter DC shifted to a system where curbside parking payment machines were installed. Motorists wishing to park their cars now needed to put their cash or credit card in the machine, indicate how much time they wanted, and then the machine would print out a receipt that motorists placed on their dashboard. Again, many of these machines continuously broke and rarely were they fixed.
With the growth of smart phone apps (e.g., ParkMobile), the District, like other jurisdictions started implementing numbered parking zones. Download the app, interpret the parking restrictions, and if you are within the allowed hours, enter the tag of your vehicle, your credit card information, the amount of time you want, and presto you are good to go.
Over time however, parking zone designations either fell off the remaining parking meters, payment machines, or street signs, or more likely were ripped or scratched off these surfaces. Now, in some parts of the city, information about competing apps are posted on signposts, etc.
Missing zone designations, and no functioning meters or parking payment machines present means that motorists risk hefty fines and added stress.
If you are absolutely intent on paying for street parking, you might walk a block or two and luckily find a functioning parking payment machine or discover a parking zone sticker and hope that it matches to your exact spot.
It would seem as if this whole process was intentionally designed to frustrate motorists and signal to them that the city doesn’t want them to drive a car anyways. But then I’m reminded of the expression to not assume malice when incompetence better explains the outcome.
Needless to say, although solutions exist, it appears as if the city is unwilling or unable to experiment and implement them.
For example, why not roll out a city wide parking permit. For example, District of Colombia car owners already have the option to purchase ward based street parking permits that they affix to the inside of their vehicle’s windshields. Alternatively visitors to the district could be required to pay a toll fee when they enter the city. This can be collected when they enter the city on one of a handful of bridges or roads into the city. A portion of this fee could enable free parking during certain times of the day. The solutions are limitless, but largely unexplored.
photo credit
Jeffrey Ian Ross
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2023-03-07-at-1.20.01-PM.png11471170Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-03-07 20:14:562024-09-22 12:21:30Overcoming the Challenges of Street Parking Payment Systems in Major American Cities
Since starting to cook Japanese food, I’ve increased not only my knowledge of this type of cuisine, and my skills in its preparation, but along with trying new recipes, I’m continuously delimiting the dishes I prefer to cook and the ones l like to eat.
Although my rank-ordering has changed over time, one of the dishes I like to prepare is Chanko Nabe (a hearty stew).
Why? This meal is relatively quick to cook, I can easily find the ingredients that go into the recipe, and they are healthy to eat.
For those who don’t know, Chanko Nabe (also spelled Chankonabe) is considered to be the go to food of Japanese sumo wrestlers, and it is typically cooked in a hot pot or donabe (i.e., a traditional Japanese style clay cookware).
Moreover, there’s no single way to prepare Chanko Nabe, and lots of cooks use different ingredients and steps.
And in many respects this is the beauty of the dish, so that you can personalize it to your own tastes and that of the people who you will be preparing the dish for. (Incidentally although few English language Japanese cookbooks include recipes for Chanko Nabe, there are numerous ones on the web)
But here are the basics. You start with a firm base of dashi, add soy, mirin, and then you add chicken balls (which is typically ground chicken rolled up into meatball size), and then at the very end, the vegetables, typically Chinese or napa cabbage, and a carrot that is thinly sliced but cut in a decorative manner. I also include Chinese (not Japanese) style tofu cut into small half inch cubes.
Although some of the ingredients can be sourced from your Safeway or Whole Foods, at least half need to be purchased from a market specializing in Japanese food, or an Asian grocery store. This includes hurkasame noodles, different types of mushrooms, and kikuna. You can get by with substitutes, but the more you go the substitution way then the authenticity and fidelity to the Japanese cuisine gets compromised.
For a dish that includes almost everything but the kitchen sink it’s also important to have a sense of proportionality. I frequently lay out everything I think I want to put into the soup, but in the end cut back because I know the final dish will look overwhelming
Also, make sure you have a large enough pot. In fact you can never have a pot that is too big. And then it’s a matter of timing. Things that are going to take a longer time to cook go first and ones that are quick to cook go later.
As you get comfortable preparing Chanko Nabe you can experiment with different sources of protein (e.g., fish and meat) and vegetables (e.g., daikon, bok choy, etc.).
In short, almost every Asian cuisine has their favorite meat and vegetable soups. For example there are numerous Hot Pot recipes in Chinese and Mongolian cuisine; and Koreans have stews such as Budae Jjigae, but the Japanese have Chanko Nabe and it’s well worth exploring.
Photo credit:
Chanko Nabe
photo taken by @gwenaelledesign
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/5991d3c7-78ed-48e7-bad3-7d28f8c5847e.jpg477462Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2023-02-27 14:10:312024-09-07 04:34:55Wrestling with Chanko Nabe
The importance of earning a certification, degree, diploma, and education from a respected accredited school or organization
/by Jeffrey Ian RossNumerous organizations offer skills certification, practical training, or undergraduate or graduate level degrees.
Undoubtedly some of these entities are better than others.
But how does one determine which school, instructor, or trainer best suits their needs to receive appropriate instruction or a respectable education from without having to fork over lots of resources (i.e., money, time, etc.).
To begin with there’s always word of mouth. Understandably it’s easier for some people and with some fields than others to access the benefits of this process. Sometimes you know a person, just like you, who graduated from one of these programs, an alumnus, who can vouch for an instructor or a school that they attended and benefited from or direct you away from a questionable target.
Alternatively, you can post a question on an on-line forum like Reddit asking for recommendations and hope there is someone whom you trust to give you honest feedback. Keep in mind, however, that other people’s opinions may be singular. Their experience may not be the same as others.
Since these strategies are not sufficient, it’s helpful to consult a handful of publicly available ranking systems like US News and World Report, QS World University Rankings, or the Times Higher Education Review. They have a set of criteria, ask experts in the field to rank order schools in their area of expertise, and then they consolidate the responses.
But what about the field of criminology/criminal justice? Indeed the graduate programs in these fields show up on the previously mentioned publicly available ranking platforms.
However, over the past few decades, in addition to the traditional bricks and mortar schools, a number of for profit and not for profit programs in the field of Criminology/Criminal Justice, offering face-to-face and/or on-line programs, have emerged. In general, they are cheaper and easier to enroll in than the more well known schools, colleges, and universities.
Unfortunately not all of them are created equal. These schools, colleges and universities, pejoratively referred to to diploma mills, may have legitimate sounding names, but questionable accreditation credentials. Meanwhile numerous well-meaning but poorly informed or advised individuals have been duped by these educational organizations.
For example, over the past few decades many people (including incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and criminal justice practitioners) have enrolled in certification courses, bachelors, masters and doctoral programs, only to discover that the rigorousness of instruction was lacking, the work required to pass classes was laughable, and to find out at some time during the process, or upon graduation, despite the fact that the school was accredited by a professional sounding organization, that their degree was practically useless.
Why were these certifications, diplomas, and diplomas not worthwhile? Because savvy people who made hiring decisions knew that the educational institutions were not rigorous, or properly accredited.
Few members of the public, including aspiring students, understand the nature, purpose and meaning of accreditation. And there are lots of different types of accreditation. Although accrediting bodies are voluntary nongovernmental organizations, some of them are better than others. Some have higher or lower standards.
With all economic transactions (and education is no different), in the case of searching for an appropriate place to receive certification, a diploma, degree or training, the buyer must educate themselves about the subtle and not so subtle nuances of organizations that provide services.
photo credit: Image of Banksy’s “Follow your dreams”
Overcoming the Challenges of Street Parking Payment Systems in Major American Cities
/by Jeffrey Ian RossIf you drive a car in a big city, eventually you’re going to need to park it somewhere.
It turns out, some urban locations are better than others enabling motorists to find short-term places to park their vehicles. While some cities, seem to “make it up as they go along,” others have thought carefully about where and how motorists can park their cars and integrated helpful solutions into their planning process.
In some municipalities, there are numerous convenient parking garages. Some are built above ground occupying valuable retail, commercial and residential space, whereas others (especially those located in Western European countries) build parking garages underground where they are less of an eyesore.
Some parking establishments even have helpful electronic billboards outside, indicating whether they are full or the number of empty spots available. You park your car, pay a nominal fee, and then retrieve it later. Sometimes the enterprise is run by the municipal or county government and at other times they are operated by private entities.
In cities, like Washington DC, where I live, finding a place to park your vehicle, that is both convenient and reasonably priced is next to impossible. Yes there are parking garages, mostly commercially run, charging exorbitant rates, but the lion’s share of affordable parking is on the street.
Because of the dynamics of supply and demand and the confusing signage and payment processes it’s challenging not only to find an empty space, but to pay for parking and to avoid a ticket.
Over the past two decades, the District of Columbia has phased out parking meters that were solely coin based to ones that would also accept credit cards. Over time many of these machines broke, (or were smashed), became convenient surfaces for all manner of graffiti and street art, and despite instructions encouraging motorists to report broken meters to avoid receiving a ticket, few of these mechanisms were repaired or replaced.
Shortly thereafter DC shifted to a system where curbside parking payment machines were installed. Motorists wishing to park their cars now needed to put their cash or credit card in the machine, indicate how much time they wanted, and then the machine would print out a receipt that motorists placed on their dashboard. Again, many of these machines continuously broke and rarely were they fixed.
With the growth of smart phone apps (e.g., ParkMobile), the District, like other jurisdictions started implementing numbered parking zones. Download the app, interpret the parking restrictions, and if you are within the allowed hours, enter the tag of your vehicle, your credit card information, the amount of time you want, and presto you are good to go.
Over time however, parking zone designations either fell off the remaining parking meters, payment machines, or street signs, or more likely were ripped or scratched off these surfaces. Now, in some parts of the city, information about competing apps are posted on signposts, etc.
Missing zone designations, and no functioning meters or parking payment machines present means that motorists risk hefty fines and added stress.
If you are absolutely intent on paying for street parking, you might walk a block or two and luckily find a functioning parking payment machine or discover a parking zone sticker and hope that it matches to your exact spot.
It would seem as if this whole process was intentionally designed to frustrate motorists and signal to them that the city doesn’t want them to drive a car anyways. But then I’m reminded of the expression to not assume malice when incompetence better explains the outcome.
Needless to say, although solutions exist, it appears as if the city is unwilling or unable to experiment and implement them.
For example, why not roll out a city wide parking permit. For example, District of Colombia car owners already have the option to purchase ward based street parking permits that they affix to the inside of their vehicle’s windshields. Alternatively visitors to the district could be required to pay a toll fee when they enter the city. This can be collected when they enter the city on one of a handful of bridges or roads into the city. A portion of this fee could enable free parking during certain times of the day. The solutions are limitless, but largely unexplored.
photo credit
Jeffrey Ian Ross
Wrestling with Chanko Nabe
/by Jeffrey Ian RossSince starting to cook Japanese food, I’ve increased not only my knowledge of this type of cuisine, and my skills in its preparation, but along with trying new recipes, I’m continuously delimiting the dishes I prefer to cook and the ones l like to eat.
Although my rank-ordering has changed over time, one of the dishes I like to prepare is Chanko Nabe (a hearty stew).
Why? This meal is relatively quick to cook, I can easily find the ingredients that go into the recipe, and they are healthy to eat.
For those who don’t know, Chanko Nabe (also spelled Chankonabe) is considered to be the go to food of Japanese sumo wrestlers, and it is typically cooked in a hot pot or donabe (i.e., a traditional Japanese style clay cookware).
Moreover, there’s no single way to prepare Chanko Nabe, and lots of cooks use different ingredients and steps.
And in many respects this is the beauty of the dish, so that you can personalize it to your own tastes and that of the people who you will be preparing the dish for. (Incidentally although few English language Japanese cookbooks include recipes for Chanko Nabe, there are numerous ones on the web)
But here are the basics. You start with a firm base of dashi, add soy, mirin, and then you add chicken balls (which is typically ground chicken rolled up into meatball size), and then at the very end, the vegetables, typically Chinese or napa cabbage, and a carrot that is thinly sliced but cut in a decorative manner. I also include Chinese (not Japanese) style tofu cut into small half inch cubes.
Although some of the ingredients can be sourced from your Safeway or Whole Foods, at least half need to be purchased from a market specializing in Japanese food, or an Asian grocery store. This includes hurkasame noodles, different types of mushrooms, and kikuna. You can get by with substitutes, but the more you go the substitution way then the authenticity and fidelity to the Japanese cuisine gets compromised.
For a dish that includes almost everything but the kitchen sink it’s also important to have a sense of proportionality. I frequently lay out everything I think I want to put into the soup, but in the end cut back because I know the final dish will look overwhelming
Also, make sure you have a large enough pot. In fact you can never have a pot that is too big. And then it’s a matter of timing. Things that are going to take a longer time to cook go first and ones that are quick to cook go later.
As you get comfortable preparing Chanko Nabe you can experiment with different sources of protein (e.g., fish and meat) and vegetables (e.g., daikon, bok choy, etc.).
In short, almost every Asian cuisine has their favorite meat and vegetable soups. For example there are numerous Hot Pot recipes in Chinese and Mongolian cuisine; and Koreans have stews such as Budae Jjigae, but the Japanese have Chanko Nabe and it’s well worth exploring.
Photo credit:
Chanko Nabe
photo taken by @gwenaelledesign