Josh's on-again off-again

For the past few years, I've conducted interviews of Princeton applicants in the St. Louis area. I'm not particularly qualified to do this, but I do happen to be an alumnus.

Truthfully, based on my impression of the current applicant pool, if I had to reapply today I would almost certainly not be offered admission.

Fortunately (for both the applicants and me), these interviews are treated by the admissions office as just one more data point in the process, so there's a limit to the influence my opinion might have. I've had to remind myself of that fact a few times when the results didn't jibe with my predictions.

Anyway, today I received the following email regarding the university's stance on social media's role in all this (ASC = Alumni Schools Committee):

Dear colleagues:

A few ASC volunteers have asked about the possibility of doing "research" on social websites like Facebook, in order to obtain background information about applicants whom they are assigned to interview. This raises a question as to whether the material that one may find in these social media is likely to make a positive contribution to our mission as interviewers for Princeton. We think it would not.

Most of us who have had teenagers under our watch in the current age know that much of what they put (or see from their peers) on social media represents a degree of adolescent exuberance (to be kind), and/or a mix of fantasy, impulse and posturing. (Of course, most of us had similar reflexes at that age, but mercifully lacked the broadcast opportunities.) It is not the sort of material that is, on the whole, likely to reflect accurately the potential of the applicant as a student or leader, or the applicant's real character. Whatever conclusions one might try to draw about the applicant's judgment, or lack thereof, in connection with some Facebook entry or "tweet", they are not really a valid basis for assessing how that judgment will be exercised at a different time and in a more serious context.

The Admission Office and the PSC leadership are concerned that the value and integrity of our interviewing process would be compromised by random impressions taken from social media. Our interviews are of value precisely because they represent face-to-face conversations and the opportunity for exchanges that are not available through the written application process or the other (substantial) background information coming to the Admission Office through test scores, written recommendations and the like. Interviewers should approach each applicant with an open mind and should report objectively on the results of their conversation. We would surely lose value if the interviewer's impressions were pre-formed or prejudiced by some fluff on a social website. Therefore, we ask chairs and ASC volunteers to resist the temptation to go outside the bounds of our traditional approach to conducting applicant interviews.

You all might also wish to consider the possibility that applicants assigned to you will go to the social media sites to check on your own background --- but there is nothing we can really do about that other than to be attentive to what gets posted there.

That last paragraph reminds me how grateful I am for the fact that digital cameras (esp. those on cell phones) and social media weren't around when I was engaging in my own "adolescent exuberance"!

Incidentally, I fully support the university's approach on this.

Do you use Google Tasks in Gmail or Google Apps? Are you on a Mac? Would you like to have instant access to your task list from your menu bar (image 1)?

I thought so.

You too can have a slice of this magic in a few easy steps.

First, you'll need to download a free app called Fluid. Fluid allows you to create what they call "site specific apps". Basically, what this means is a dedicated browser for accessing a particular web app.

Once you've downloaded and installed Fluid, launch it.

This next part will vary depending on whether you want to access your gmail tasks or the tasks for your domain (if you're using Google Apps, like we are for Virtual Nerd).

If it's the gmail version of Tasks you want, use this for the URL: https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig

If it's the Apps version, use a variation of the following, substituting your domain where indicated: https://mail.google.com/tasks/a/mydomain.com/ig

Enter the appropriate info into Fluid (image 2).

Click "Launch Now".

You may need to login first, but then you should see your task list in its own window (image 3). You'll notice, if you look at your Dock, there's even a Tasks icon there (image 4).

Sure, you could argue this is ideal, and maybe it is, but if you want to see what life would be like if you had instant access to your tasks from your menu bar, here's what you need to do.

Go to the Application menu (the one named Gmail Tasks, or whatever you named yours), and click on "Convert to MenuExtra SSB" (image 5). Et voila!

OK, one more step if you want the app to be there next time you restart your Mac, go into System Preferences > Accounts > Login Items and add your new app to the list (image 6).

Now, it's time for me to get back to those tasks!

(download)

Click here to download:

Add_Google_Tasks_to_your_Mac_O.zip (455 KB)