Today's Links (Wednesday, 8-22-07): Optimal Cookie

- We've posted before about branching out with electives, but this list takes the idea of unique classes to a whole new level.

- How young people are changing philanthropy, via the Wall Street Journal. (Subscription required but send an email if you want to read it and I can email to you). An excerpt: Some of the newer Web-based nonprofits, such as DonorsChoose and Kiva, are attractive because contributors say they allow them to connect directly with their recipients. Donors or lenders can hand over money directly to, respectively, teachers and students in urban public schools or individual entrepreneurs in developing countries, rather than sending a check that ends up with an abstract recipient.

- Sometimes all it takes to launch your career or company is spontaneous enthusiasm. (From the Financial Times).

- Both of us got our first real jobs at Starbucks a few years ago and experienced many unique moments, so it was funny when I received this article on Starbucks hacks (via Slate) in my email yesterday.

- Technology recommendations for college students, via PC Magazine.

- From the HBR: How to make a stressful conversation a little easier.

- Why you should avoid playing favorites, via Knowledge@Wharton.

- Since the emerging trend in today's post involves linking to top schools, I dug up this useful article on making first impressions (via Stanford).

- Great article I read a while back on avoiding corruption (and cheating) via Dartmouth.

- Last top university/college post: check out MIT's OpenCourseWare. It's a great resource for the intellectually curious.

- Short guest essay on affirmative action, from Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

- A lot of psychologists say that people like to feel like they're in control. It's really no surprise that mandatory reading (via USA Today) ends up being painful when the same books might have been read had a person found it on their own. I certainly liked it when I was able to choose from a reading list.

- On our friends from Latin America coming to study at US colleges, from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

- Good meals have an impact on school results, via the Fremont Tribune.

- Good post on data and accountability in education via Eduwonk but you can get most of the message by starting at the "In my proposed accountability system..." sentence near the bottom.

- Recent troubles in the market lead many to believe that "this is Berkshire's market" via the WSJ (subscription required but I can email it to you if you ask). Buffett is known for (rough quote) "being greedy when others are fearful and being fearful when others are greedy."

- The second best world is the real world, via Free Exchange. A noteworthy point: If the optimal cookie contains chocolate chips and coconut flakes, but you have no chocolate chips, chances are you don't need the coconut either. The second-best cookie may be the gingersnap. If ingredients (or logical conditions) do their work through a certain combination or complementarity, you may have to aim for something completely different even if you're missing just one of them.

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