Happy Change Your Passwords Day!

by
Online students of the Allen School use their computers for a lot more than the average person.  And although your course work may not be something of value to would be thieves, it is safe to say that you probably also do your banking online and other financial management activities.  This is why it is so important to have strong passwords in place on your more sensitive accounts like credit card accounts, mortgage accounts, medical records and other information you’d not want in the hands of some scammer.  Unfortunately, since we all have so many passwords to remember these days, it can seem like a shortcut to make your passwords easy to remember.   Passwords like “12345” or “password” are so easily hacked, its a wonder that you haven’t yet been the victim of identity theft if you use these easy-peasies.  So today is Change Your Password Day and the good geeks over at LifeHacker have put together a good bunch of information on this topic.  Read it here and then set about solidifying your defenses against the hordes of scammers just looking for an easy way into your personal information online.

CNN: Healtcare Jobs a Bright Spot For Hiring

by
CNN recently reported on something that as an Allen School Online student you’re likely already hip to.  If you’ve not yet decided to study medical billing and coding or medical office assistant with Allen School Online, you should read this article from Yahoo! Education entitled, “How to Prepare for a Booming Health Career”.  The money quote: “Statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show that 3.2 million jobs will be created from 2008-2018. And according to a July 2011 CNN Money article, “Health care jobs a bright spot for hiring,” an aging population and health care reform will most likely lead to an increased demand for health care workers.” Success in life is often all about timing.  With that in mind, you might agree after reading the above linked piece, that this is an excellent time to pursue a career in the medical office.

Doing Away With Spam

by
So you spend alot of time online and tethered to your online responsibilities like studying medical billing and coding at the Allen School Online.  This means you most definitely understand the time-sucking, productivity-draining effects of spam.  From scores of unwanted emails and text messages every day to unsolicited advertisements on Facebook to the always annoying telemarketing phone calls, many of us spend a not insignificant portion of every day (while we should be working/studying) opening and then deleting unwanted messages or “Spam” as this exquisite little inconvenience has come to be referred to.  Heck, I even get too much junk mail in the old snail mail box.  So how does one effectively do away with all this unwanted canned meat-product?  The nerds over at Lifehacker.com have compiled the definitive list of strategies for eliminating the spam from all inboxes, virtual or dirt-world.  Click here for the secrets of a Spam-free existence!

SOPA and PIPA – What it All Means

by
Well online students of medical billing and coding, did you notice that yesterday, Wikipedia and many other favorite websites were intentionally darkened to protest something called SOPA and PIPA?  Made it rather tough to do any research for your Allen School Online course work I imagine.  It did succeed in raising the awareness about these two pieces of legislation being considered in the US House of Representatives and Senate respectively.  Both bills are nominally intended to combat the very real problem of online piracy of intellectual property.  Through illegal downloads of music, movies, artwork and other copyrighted materials, producers of these items lose billions annually.  The opponents of these bills are not pro-piracy, but they point out that the legislation as written, would provide an unchecked power to industry and government to shut down any website that is even accused of hosting pirated materials.  Your mashup of Justin Bieber and Spongebob Squarepants on Youtube?  That’d be plenty enough for a complainant to get Youtube shut down.  Supporters of these bills, the Recording Industry of America and bigtime TV and movie studios suggest that this is not the case.   Here is a quick primer on the bills and the controversy courtesy of CBS News.  Have a look at it and then share with us in the comments your opinion on the matter.  As online denizens, this legislation has an absolute impact on your life.  Learn, form an opinion and be heard!

Friday the 13th – Are You Superstitious?

by
Today is the first Friday the 13th of 2012.  This is a date that has come to be synonymous with bad luck.  Are you a superstitious person?  Will you be calling in sick from school or work today to avoid being outside where a stray piano might fall down upon your head?  Life magazine has a neat photo slideshow of Chicago’s Anti-Superstition Society’s Friday the Thirteenth party from 1940 wherein participants tempt the fates by engaging in act after act of superstition.  From the breaking of mirrors, to ambling beneath ladders, lighting 3 cigarettes with a single match and cozying up to a black puddy tat, these non-believers are reveling in their disregard for the consequences.  All in all, a pretty interesting photo spread and one worth viewing.  Just make sure you knock on wood, toss some salt over your right shoulder and wear a garland of garlic to hedge against unpleasant consequences!  Do you have any superstitions?  Tell us about them in the comments.

Medical Assistant: Best Bet for a Job in 2012

by
According to an article published by MSN Careers, Medical Assistant is one of the best bets for job hunters in 2012.   The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be 34% growth in Medical Assistants’ jobs between 2010 and 2018 so if ever there was a time to be studying this in-demand field, it is now.  The broader medical/healthcare field dominated MSN’s list. Together with registered nurse, biomedical engineer and home health aide, medical jobs represented 4 out of the 9 jobs on the list which can be viewed here.

Take a Break, Improve Your Performance

by
Allen School Online Students know what it means to be multi-taskers.  Between studying medical billing and coding, many have full time jobs, households to run and many other challenging commitments to honor every day.  This is why some of us tend to be wound tightly, stressed and feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish all we are responsible for.  Here’s the answer to this condition:  TAKE A BREAK!  Yes, you heard me right.  And I am not being snarky either.  It has been proven that taking well planned breaks throughout your day can really help alleviate the stressful conditions that lead to anxiety, insomnia and other productivity-sapping ailments.  It seems counter-intuitive, but investing a little time in your own emotional well being can pay dividends in your job performance, demeanor and attitude.  All of which are crucial to success in business and in life.  Click here to read more about the details and science behind taking a break in this excellent article from LifeHacker.com.

Antibiotics in Food – Stopping the Rise of Superbugs

by
The Allen School Online blog has long covered the subject of MRSA and other so-called “superbugs” which are virulent strains of pathogens highly resistant to antibiotic treatment.  The long suspected culprit behind the rise of MRSA and other superbugs is the abuse of antibiotics by agri-business which continues to routinely include antibiotics in the feed used on poultry, cattle and hog farms.  The overuse of antibiotics is thought to promote the mutation of bacteria as all but the most resistant strains are eliminated.  Unfortunately, farm lobbies have effectively thwarted any attempts to regulate or eliminate this dangerous practice.  However, the public is ahead of Congress (as usual) in their support for such regulations.  Follow over the fold for some truly terrifying data.  Continue reading…

New Year, New Goals

by
Welcome back Allen School Online students.  The new year is now upon us and it holds exceptional promise for growth and advancement.  Especially if you’re preparing to enter the career force as a medical billing and coding professional.  It is also a time to refocus our energies on the goals we set forth for ourselves.  So after great reflection, what have you resolved to accomplish this year?  Share your resolutions, plans and goals with your fellow Allen School Online students in the comments section below.  Sharing your perspectives is a great contribution to your fellow students and a wonderful way to help articulate your plans.