10 Four Letter Words Describing Parenthood

Parenthood is probably one of the most wonderful, difficult, rewarding, thankless, exciting, terrifying, satisfying, amazing jobs on earth. It is full of ups and downs and all kinds of conflicting emotions and experiences. Can it be described using four letter words? I think so:

1. Open – Being a parent opens you up to a plethora of experiences. There will be times of great joy and great sorrow; proud moments and embarrassing ones; times of certainty and times of questioning. Parents must be open to allow in all that awaits them on the journey.
2. Fair – Parenthood helps develop one’s sense of fairness. You realize that even when you think you are being fair your children may not think so. You learn to accept and compromise and you learn resolve to stand firm. You also learn the timing for each.
3. Joys – It’s a roller coaster of emotions but the joys of being a parent make it worth the ride. There are so many wonderful moments that one holds onto in memories. It’s the joys of parenthood that can pull you through tough times. Listening to your baby laugh is a simple pleasure that when remembered can put a smile on your face in a most unexpected moment.
4. Full – On every level a parent is full: full of anticipation; full of questions; full of dreams and hopes; at times full of anxiety and at other times full of happiness.
5. Hope – Becoming a parent means putting hope in the world. You hope your child will have a bright future and many parents hope their child will make a positive impact on the world; or at least their little part of it.
6. Hard – Unfortunately children do not come with instruction manuals. However, there are all kinds of resources out there to help figure out how to get this tiny little baby up to adulthood. Unfortunately many of those resources are at odds with one another so parents have to figure out what’s going to work for their particular situation. Then again, no one ever said parenthood was going to be easy!
7. Long – Parenthood lasts a long time. Once you are a parent, there is a piece of you out in the world and no mater how old you get you always remain connected and therefore concerned about the welfare of your child.
8. Woes – The woes of parenthood can be short lived and temporary or last a lifetime. It would be nice to think of parenthood as always nice and rosy, but it doesn’t work that way. Our children grow up to make their own decisions and sometimes those decisions can have costly consequences. By the same token, sometimes as parents we make decisions that we later regret.
9. Life – Someone once said that to have children is to begin your own journey of immortality. Just as each of us are the result of our ancestors, when we become parents we expand our own lives into the future – providing our children outlive us and their memories of us are worth carrying forward.
10. Love – Meeting that baby for the first time opens up floodgates of love that you didn’t even know were possible. As your baby grows so does your love and sometimes even the hardest hearts become soft with love for a child.

Parenting isn’t an easy thing and it’s not for the weak-willed. It’s been said that it’s the one thing we don’t need a license to do, but we should. It can be the most rewarding job you will ever have, especially if you are willing to put in the time and sacrifice that the job calls for.

Taken From Find a Nanny

20 Terrific Twitter Chats for Every Kind of Educator

Twitter chats are such a great way to stay connected and informed in your professional circle, and education is no exception. Through education chats, you can find out about new methods for teaching, tech resources, even jobs for teachers. Most chats are held weekly, and offer an opportunity to have a regularly scheduled conversation with like-minded educators. Check out our collection to find a wealth of Twitter chats that are great for all kinds of educators.

General

These Twitter chats cover anything and everything in education, and represent a great jumping off point for those just getting started in Twitter education chats.

1. #edchatTalk to a variety of educators around the world through #edchat, Tuesdays at noon and 7 p.m. EST.
2. #lrnchatEvery Thursday night from 8:30-10 p.m. EST, you can connect with other educators and discuss learning.
3. #edbkchatOn Wednesdays at 4 p.m. EST, you can discuss educational books and topics in learning and pedagogy.
4. #spnchatFind out about successful practices in education and education reform through #spnchat Tuesdays at 9 p.m..
5. #ptchatWednesdays at 9 p.m. EST, parents and educators around the world can open the lines of communication on #ptchat.
6. #urbanedThis Twitter chat for educators discusses topics relevant to urban education and beyond, every first and third Sunday of the month at 9 p.m. EST.
7. #teachchatConnect with other teachers and find out what they’re doing in their classrooms on #teachchat Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST.
8. #teaching2030Discuss big picture education issues, strategies, and reform through the #teaching2030 chat, every third Thursday at 8:30 p.m..
9. #smeduWednesdays at noon and 9 p.m. EST social media professionals, students, educators, and more can discuss using social media in education in this chat.
10. #ntchatNew teachers can learn more about their profession with ideas, collaboration, and more for getting starting through #ntchat on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST.
11. #educoachWednesdays at 10 p.m. EST, you can find instructional coaching for improving education.
12. #gtchatFridays at noon and 7 p.m. EST, gifted and talented educators, administrators, parents, and students can discuss new developments in developing gifted and talented programs around the world.
13. #spedchatFollow this weekly discussion on issues for students and teachers in special education Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Administration and Behavior

Check out these Twitter chats to get connected and discuss topics concerning school administrators.

14. #AcAdvTuesdays from 8-9 p.m. EST, you can talk to academic advisors and other colleagues about advising.
15. #SAChatDiscuss student affairs with other professionals in the industry Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. CST and 6-7 p.m. CST.
16. #isedchatTalk about independent schools Thursdays at 9 p.m. on #isedchat.
17. #CUADAt 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, you can discuss college unions and activities with higher education student affairs professionals and educators.
18. #cpchatConnect with other principals in this always-open chat.

Subject Chats

English teachers, librarians, and other educators in special subjects can check out these chats for great information and resources.

19. #engchatAt 7 p.m. each Monday, you can come together with other English teachers to discuss improving English instruction.
20. #DUedchatChat with educators Down Under in this chat each Thursday 9 p.m. New Zealand time.

Taken From Online Colleges

13 Books to Polish Your Speaking Skills

No matter how many times you do it, public speaking is always a little nerve-wracking. While you may not be able to ever remove all the butterflies, you can help make yourself more confident and capable when it comes to speaking to an audience, whether it's in a boardroom or in a college classroom. A combination of practice and education on public speaking may be just what you need to give you those qualities and while we can't provide the practice — that's up to you — we can provide some books that are essential reads for polishing your speaking skills. Read through this list to find amazing books on speaking, offering advice, information, and research that can help make public speaking a much less dreaded occurrence.

1. Public Speaking for Success by Dale Carnegie

   First published in 1926, this book by Dale Carnegie is one of the most widely-read and well-respected books on public speaking ever written. While updated and revised to meet the needs of modern-day public speakers, the advice at the heart of this book stands as true today as it did when it was written, more than 85 years ago.

2. The Art of Public Speaking with Connect Lucas by Stephen E. Lucas

   Often used in communications and speaking courses in college, this textbook can help anyone looking to hone their skills. Readers will find explanations of contemporary theory as well as ways these theories and ideas can be applied in real life.

3. Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs

   A big part of speaking in any situation is being able to sway your listeners toward your point of view. In this book, you'll learn about the strategies employed by some of the world's most renowned speakers (Cicero and Winston Churchill, to name a couple), as well as a wealth of modern techniques you can apply to be a more persuasive speaker.

4. An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski

   A book on acting to help you with public speaking? It makes more sense than you might think. After all, no one has to do more public speaking than actors. Crack this book to learn the methods Stanislavski uses not only to act but also to emote, communicate, and be engaging on the stage and off.

5. Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun:

   Professional speaker Scott Berkun shares his techniques for great public speaking in this must-read book, offering practical advice, engaging stories, and even a few tales of public speaking gone wrong.

6. Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions by Guy Kawasaki

   The best speakers know how to enchant their audiences, and in this book by business guru Guy Kawasaki you'll learn what ingredients go into creating the perfect recipe for maximum enchantment.

7. Present Your Way to the Top by David J. Dempsey

   Much of the public speaking done in the working world takes the form of presentations, but creating a great, interesting presentation can be immensely difficult. Through the lessons in this book, you'll learn ways to create memorable presentations that may just help you stand out from your peers and move up the corporate ladder (or just score an A in your class).

8. So What? How to Really Communicate What Matters to Your Audience by Mark Magnacca

   You don't have to be in sales to take away some great communication lessons from this book. It'll show you how to make people really get what you're trying to say and hopefully convince them to care about it as much as you do.

9. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

   The best ideas in the world may fall by the wayside if you don't know how to communicate them well to others. In this book, the Heath brothers share lessons on how to make your ideas "stick" by using better communication methods and techniques.

10. World Class Speaking: The Ultimate Guide to Presenting, Marketing and Profiting Like a Champion by Craig Valentine, Mitch Meyerson and Patricia Fripp

    Offering advice on both business and public speaking, this book can help you build your speaking skills, become a better presenter, and maybe even turn both of those skills into a profitable business venture.

11. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Caldini

    This book by Robert Caldini is another amazing read on persuasion, but it takes a slightly different angle. Caldini explains the psychology behind persuasive speech, information you can use when trying to tailor your own approach to public speaking.

12. The 7 Principles of Public Speaking: Proven Methods from a PR Professional by Richard Zeoli

    Taking you through some of the fundamental principles of good public speaking, Zeoli's book aims to help you build your confidence as a speaker and maybe, just maybe, even look forward to public speaking and presenting.

13. In The SpotLight, Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Performing by Janet E. Esposito

    It's incredibly common to have a fear of public speaking, but while it may be common that doesn't mean it's something you just have to live with. Find amazing lessons and advice in this book that will help you overcome your fear (or at least control it) so you can be a more confident speaker in any situation.

Taken From Online College Courses

10 Foreign Remakes of American TV Shows Very Different Than the Original

The U.S. is known (and probably not in a good way) for taking other countries' popular shows and turning them into something much less palatable for American audiences. There have been several successes, including some that you probably don't realize weren't ours to begin with, but a large percentage of the foreign shows are ruined when we import them. Have you ever wondered which U.S. TV shows have been botched in a similar way — or at the very least, turned into a weird, localized version of the program we knew? Many of our shows are just dubbed for foreign viewers, but some lucky series got recreated or edited beyond recognition.

1. Happy Together

   When you think of your favorite U.S. sitcoms in the last few decades, Married … With Children probably isn't at the top of your list. But this show has been remade all around the world: Argentina to Armenia, Germany to the UK. The Russian version, called Happy Together, was an incredible success, probably even more liked than the original was in its home country. After just a year on the air, the show was the most popular scripted series on TV among the 18- to 30-year-old demographic. Happy Together plays on the same outrageous, middle-class humor as the U.S. version and followed similar scripts through most of the series, but the Russian version is different in that it actually became its own show, with viewers submitting ideas for new episodes and Russian writers (as well as a few Married … With Children writers) brought new life to the Bundys, er, Bukins.

2. Law & Order: UK

   It's amazing to see just how different the multiple foreign remakes of Law & Order (and its unnecessary American spinoffs) are despite the fact that they all revolve around the same concept and basic plotline each episode. If you've ever tuned into Law & Order: UK thinking it'll be just like the American one with different accents, you probably realized that the customs that surround each country's laws and keeping order really change the show. Laws, sentences, and the whole judicial process are so varied that each nation's series is really its own. In England, for example, the judges and lawyers wear wigs. If that doesn't mutate the show drastically, nothing will.

3. Al Shamshoon

   The Simpsons clan, while it may have become a picture of the all-American family, isn't exactly what you would imagine as ideal entertainment in the Middle East. The culture that The Simpsons seems to make fun of in each episode is often the direct opposite of the way people live in the Arab world. Nevertheless, Dubai's MBC station remade the family into Omar and Mona Shamshoon with a son named Badr. Of course, so many of the show's staples were lost in the making, with Homer drinking soda instead of beer, never going to Moe's since it's a bar, and getting rid of Krusty's rabbi dad. Unsurprisingly, it didn't catch on.

4. My Wonderful Nanny

   The Former Soviet has made a big business out of taking '90s shows from the U.S. and turning them into popular prime-time TV for the modern-day Russian. This localized remake of The Nanny ran through all of the original episodes and then involved original American writers to help create more. The main difference between this show and the U.S. sitcom — and it's a big one — is the absence of Fran Drescher. In the titular role, she had the power to draw viewers in or annoy them to tears, with the latter being more likely. Maybe that's a reason the Russian version performed so well.

5. How I Met Your Mother

   A zany sitcom about six friends living through their crazy 20s is just what Russia ordered. Of course, they didn't quite have the budget to pull it off as well as CBS' original How I Met Your Mother probably deserves. The promo that circulated the Internet last year made it clear that they were using the same characters and bar hangout as the American version, but it all seems just a little bit off. Barney's character (we can only assume they chose some awesome Russian names for our HIMYM friends) seems a little bit too old to be hanging out with the group of young adults, especially with his creepy behavior that Neil Patrick Harris himself can barely pull off. The new Marshall seems to be relegated to playing the goofy guy with bad hair. And those kids don't seem old enough to be hearing about the sexual exploits of their own dad. Maybe children mature faster in Russia.

6. Geordie Shore

   If there is one show that most Americans probably wish would just die off, it's MTV's Jersey Shore. When it was announced that the show was being remade in the UK, it made us all wonder, "Is there really another group of people as ridiculous as the one in New Jersey?" MTV chose Newcastle, a town known for its huge nightlife, and they certainly got closer to the original than we hoped was possible. There's no duplicating Jersey Shore, though. Geordies, as they're called, live in a cold climate, though none of them wear coats (or much else) and they all manage to keep up their tans much like the Jersey cast. They speak in a dialect that's almost a totally different language, but unlike with the Jersey accent, most people prior to the show felt that the accent made them seem friendlier and more trustworthy. The main difference: no Snooki. What's a shore without her?

7. Everybody Loves Kostya

   Though Russia may have taken some of our slightly less popular shows and turned them into gold, they had trouble with one of America's favorites: Everybody Loves Raymond. Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal went to Russia to help them create their own version and discovered that their sense of humor really wasn't the same as the American audience. The studio's head of comedy told Rosenthal that he didn't think the show was funny, and during production, Rosenthal had to try to tone down the slapstick humor, since apparently Russians think it's hilarious to see a guy kicked in the nuts. Despite casting actors that look very similar to the original, Everybody Loves Kostya just didn't turn out as well as Raymond. You can see why in Rosenthal's documentary, Exporting Raymond.

8. Powerpuff Girls Z

   The Cartoon Network series The Powerpuff Girls featured adorable kindergarten-aged superheroes who dealt with silly situations involving evil villains and growing up. The show was known for its use of humor and references to old American pop culture. Japan's anime version of the show involves the same main characters (plus some new ones) but they're all grown up. Well, almost. These Powerpuff Girls are in seventh grade and use weapons rather than just their adorable super powers. Much of the history of the girls has changed in the Japanese version — they're no longer sisters, they weren't created in a lab, and their cute but despicable nemesis monkey Mojo Jojo didn't start out as a lab assistant. And let's be honest: the show doesn't have the same kick without the ridiculous pop culture nods.

9. The Apprentice UK

   How can you have The Apprentice without Donald Trump? The best that British producers could do was bringing on Sir Alan Sugar, also known as Lord Sugar or Baron Sugar of Clapton. Sure, he sounds important, but does he have entertainingly bad hair? The answer is no. The concept of the British show is the same and much like the U.S. version, it evolved into a spinoff where celebrities compete for charity. But the show changed throughout the series, with one season's prize being an investment in a business the winner would create, shared 50/50 with Sugar. Those Brits just always have to change things up, don't they? They should be fired.

10. 24

    It may be the perfect time for India to introduce their own version of the butt-kicking show 24 since they recently announced the approval of a new National Counter-Terrorism Centre. But there's no doubt that the Indian version of 24, which producer Anil Kapoor bought the rights to in late 2011, will be a totally different experience than the American version (below). Jack Bauer is the prototypical American hero, protecting the nation and its interests sometimes using questionable methods. Though no videos of the new version have been leaked (yet), there's no doubt that the Indian Bauer will do things a little bit differently and that the threats faced will be considerably changed to make it more realistic for the local audience.

Taken From Zen College Life

10 Math Riddles Related to Age

We just can’t resist the challenge of a good riddle. Some riddles are complex, like logic puzzles, while others are simple wordplay; but the good ones, the brain teasers, are those that suck us in and keep us guessing. The solution may seem obvious at first glance, but beware the twist or the hidden clue. On the other hand, some may seem complex, because we’ve overlooked the obvious. In any case, here are some riddles with a common theme: 10 math riddles related to age.

1. The ages of a father and son add up to 66. The father’s age is the son’s age reversed. How old are they? (There are 3 possible solutions for this one.)

Answer(s): Father 51, son 15
Father 60, son (0)6
Father 42, son 24

2. A woman was born in 1986 and died in 1964, at the age of 42! How can this be?

Answer: She was born in Room 1986, and died in Room 1964, of the same hospital.

3. A man has three daughters. When the family doctor asked their ages he said, “The product of their ages is 36.” When the doctor still couldn’t find their ages he said, “OK, I’ll give you another clue: the sum of their ages is the same as the number of my house.” The doctor looks at the address on their medical records, and says he still doesn’t have enough information to figure out their ages. So the man says, “You’re right. My eldest daughter hates broccoli.” With that, the doctor was able to figure out their ages. How old are they?

Answer: There are only 8 possible combinations of ages that could give a product of 36. Two of them (1×6x6 and 2×2x9) both add up to 13. So if the doctor couldn’t guess their ages from the house number, it had to be one of these two combinations of ages. When the dad mentioned his “eldest daughter”, then the doctor knew that there was only one daughter older than the other two, so he figured out that the girls’ ages were: 2, 2, and 9.

4. Here’s a rather timely age-related riddle: A man dies of old age on his 25th birthday. How is this possible?

Answer: He was born on Feb. 29th. (That only comes along every 4 years, in a leap year.)

5. When asked how old she was, Karen replied, “In 2 years I will be twice as old as I was 5 years ago.” How old is she?

Answer: 12. So when Karen is 14, she will indeed be twice as old as she was 5 years ago, when she was 7.

6. You’re driving a bus, and at the first stop 8 people get on; and two people get off. At the 2nd stop 4 people get on and 7 people get off. At the 3rd stop 9 people get off and 3 people get on. How old is the bus driver?

Answer: Your age (since you’re driving the bus!)

7. How many birthdays does the average human have?

Answer: One, and we celebrate it every year.

8. I asked a girl how old she was; she smiled and said: “The day before yesterday I was 22; but next year I’ll be 25.” What is her birthday and when was the date of our conversation?

Answer: Her birthday is Dec. 31, and our conversation was on Jan. 1, at a New Year’s party.

9. Mary is 54 years old, and her mother is 80. How many years ago was her mother three times the age of her daughter Mary?

Answer: 41 years

10. Dave’s age today is three times what it will be three years from now minus three times what his age was three years ago. How old is Dave?

Answer: 18

Taken From Internet Provider

20 Innovative Ways High Schools are Using Twitter

Plenty of colleges are getting tuned in to all of the great things you can do with Twitter, but unfortunately, many high schools are still held back by restrictive social media policies. However, the lucky few who are able to take advantage of Twitter are already doing amazing things. Chatting with students in Pakistan, reporting high school football on the fly, and supplementing classroom discussion are just a few of the great ways high schools have made use of Twitter. Read on, and we’ll explore 20 innovative ways high schools are making use of this great social media tool.

1. Vocabulary and grammar building

   In foreign language classrooms (and beyond) students learn about verbs with the help of Twitter. Through the service, students tweet verbs, their definitions, morphology, and grammatical functions, and as the tweets come in, teachers and peers fix or give hints on incorrect entries. Teachers can see how and where students make mistakes, and have them immediately corrected, while students can understand how they’re making mistakes before getting too far, offering immediate formative assessment.

2. Parent communication

   So many school districts are using both Twitter and Facebook to reach out to plugged-in parents without having to send home notes in kids’ backpacks. Lunch menus, school board meetings, and even discussions about school district decisions are being shared online. Proponents of school districts on Twitter support this move, pointing out that districts can get instant feedback, and parents can conveniently share their insights. In one Portland public school, after sending out information about swine flu and recommending that students wash their hands frequently, community members pointed out that there are unreliable faucets, and the school was able to respond with maintenance workers.

3. Backchannel discussion tool

   High school students can sometimes be quite introverted and shy in the classroom, but outspoken online. Additionally, some high school classes move through discussions quickly, and not all students find the opportunity to speak up in class. Both of these issues are addressed as high school classes encourage a Twitter backchannel discussion, in which quiet, shy, and unable-to-get-a-word-in-edgewise students are able to speak up in class without actually speaking up in class, sharing their comments, insights, and even relevant links through Twitter as the discussion goes on. Educators have found that Twitter backchannel discussions provide for more interaction not just in the classroom, but beyond, as students often enjoy further carrying on the conversation even after class time is over.

4. Professional development

   Twitter makes the education world smaller, connecting principals, teachers, and other education professionals across the U.S. and even around the globe. Principal Sheninger at New Milford High School in New Jersey started using Twitter to keep in touch with parents, but found its real value in reaching out to other educators and collaborating with them. He is able to use the tool to find new ideas, new resources, and ideas for professional development.

5. Reaching out to political candidates

   Wise politicians know that listening to the people is their most important job, and as such, so many have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon to connect with constituents and voters, particularly during campaign season. One 11th-grade social studies class in Canada is using a Twitter classroom to reach out to candidates in local elections, allowing students to become more informed and feel more involved in the political process. The students send out questions to the candidates, and often, get responses right back.

6. Creating imaginative dialogues

   Illinois high school English teacher Tracee Orman uses Twitter to enrich the learning experience of Hunger Games, asking students to tweet as if they were a character from a chapter in the book. This is a fun way to engage students in the content that they’re studying, and a great practice in learning empathy and understanding of characters.

7. Review and understanding

   At Iowa’s Valley High School, Sarah Bird’s DigiTools class uses Twitter as a tool for reviewing material. After each discussion Bird asks her students to twitter their MVP (Most Valuable Point) using their classroom hashtag. This quick exercise allows students to further digest and understand the material at hand, while at the same time creating a great resource for future review.

8. Upgrading underappreciated school newspapers

   In some schools, high school newspapers just aren’t getting the attention they used to, as students are often glued to phones, tablets, and laptops much more regularly than anything representing real paper. Some school newspapers are now using Twitter as a way to aggregate news information, tweet stories as they happen, and interact with their audience through questions and polls. Freedom High student journalists in Pennsylvania’s Bethlehem Township often live-tweet updates about football games right from the stands, sharing news for those who can’t make it to the game.

9. Worldwide connections

   Adam Taylor’s class at Nashville’s Overton High School connects with students half a world away in Pakistan, and they’re quite enthusiastic about it. The two classes discuss student voices in school, cultural stereotypes, and more, learning what life is like outside of their own classroom and culture. Taylor’s idea has been quite popular, and is even such a great draw that students are willing to come in early to school for the discussions.

10. Volunteer opportunities

    One nonprofit group, Jersey Cares, targets tweets to find volunteers to fill their recruitment needs, and has found that many high schoolers answer the call. High school groups use Twitter to locate projects in their area where they can help out, since so many nonprofits are speaking out and asking for help on the social media service.

11. Concise writing exercises

    English teachers often need to teach the importance of brevity in writing, and Twitter is such a great tool for that, with its 140 character limit per tweet. Through the service, teachers assign tweets as a way to encourage understanding and efficient use of language.

12. Twitter quizzes

    In California, Half Moon Bay High School history students can actually have fun with their quizzes, which take place on Twitter. Teacher Mike Putnam uses the social media service to ask fun questions that students answer, such as, “Who would you rather have dinner with? Adams, Jefferson, or Washington?”

13. Word tracking

    As classrooms focus on a particular unit or subject, Twitter offers a great opportunity for staying up to date with learning beyond textbooks. Through Twitter, high school classrooms are tracking words, in which they subscribe to all tweets that include a particular words or phrase, like “Pearl Harbor,” or “woodworking,” returning results with insights, new developments, and more. This exercise is great for allowing students to follow current events and learn about resources they might not otherwise find.

14. Inspiration and though provoking questions

    Minneapolis English teacher Candace Boerema doesn’t use Twitter for assignments, but she does keep up the educational chatter, and encourages her students to interact with Twitter. With questions like, “Who are you in Elizabethan England?” and “Is chivalry dead?,” Boerema sparks offline discussion and interaction among her students that’s reported to be inspiring and great for keeping students connected even when they’re not in class.

15. Fundraising

    Whether it’s for sending the glee club off to regionals or shoes to South America, high schools always seem to have a need for fundraising, and they can use all the help they can get. Some schools have turned to Twitter and Facebook to get the word out, going social, and hopefully viral, in their efforts. Aided by online fundraising platforms and online payment tools, they’re able to do virtual fundraising to complement and even replace traditional car washes and bake sales.

16. Connecting with experts

    Everyone is on Twitter these days, from celebrities to the President, and some high school classrooms are smart enough to take advantage of that. In Madison County, Ala., students use Twitter to interact with historians around the world. They put together questions to ask historians on Twitter, getting answers that may not be easy to find in their history books. This sort of interaction is great for learning from experts, and teaches students the value of research beyond traditional sources.

17. Planning careers

    Another great way high school students are using Twitter connections is in preparing for their careers. Students can talk to professionals who are currently working in the paths they’re thinking about following in their future careers. Some teachers have set up assignments that have students create Twitter lists in which they can follow accounts that are relevant to their career goals.

18. Twitter scavenger hunts

    Some teachers are helping students improve their research skills by assigning Internet scavenger hunts and only allowing students to use Twitter to find their sources. Students often find this a fun challenge, and a great way to research ideas and movements through Twitter searches.

19. Real-time source evaluation

    Using Twitter, students are able to tweet sources and ask their teacher, fellow classmates, and others that they engage with on Twitter whether it seems to be a credible source or not. This is a great way to teach about the use of online resources and learning about which sources are reliable, and which shouldn’t be trusted.

20. Foreign language learning

    Students in foreign language classes are able to use Twitter discussion around the world to learn about foreign languages. They create lists that allow them to follow foreign language news resources, key Twitter personalities, and more. Students are even able to follow foreign language Twitter pen pals that they can interact with.

Taken From Best Colleges Online

10 Weirdest TV Ads in History

Have you ever, after watching an ad on television, had the feeling that you just saw something you weren't supposed to see? Or swore never to purchase the product that was advertised? Or wondered if you were hallucinating and maybe even losing your mind? History has shown that marketing geniuses have green-lighted some truly weird television ads. Here are 10 of them: the cool, the strange, and the hopelessly offensive.

1. Sugar Rice Krinkles

   Clowns get a bad rap, and vintage commercials like this one do nothing to help their cause. Sure, Krinkles the Clown's anticipation and enjoyment of this sugar-infused breakfast cereal seems sincere and innocent. But the vibe of the commercial is unsettling: the stark, cheap, second-hand set, the lack of ambient sound — as if Krinkles is actually living several stories beneath the ground in a padded room. And then there's Krinkles' kabuki-like face paint. Is it any wonder that many grown adults harbor an fear of clowns?

2. Chanel Egoiste

   This surreal bit of '90s-era new wave is about as intense as it gets when it comes to television ads for men's fragrances. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, especially if she's French. The man in this ad is smart enough to keep his sorry self hidden as his romantic conquests shriek from the balconies, "Show yourself selfish! O rage! O despair! Selfish! Selfish!!!" Is it weird or is it just … well, French?

3. Baby Laugh A Lot

   Sure, it's fun — and even healthy — to laugh. And that's what Remco's Baby Laugh A Lot does. Set her on a table, give her a push so she begins rocking back and forth, and she'll start to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. And laugh some more. Suddenly, the non-stop laughter begins to sound malevolent. And the additional giggling male voice-over only adds to the nightmarish quality of this ad. The repeated shots of young girls suddenly turning their heads as if startled by Baby Laugh A Lot's psychotic laughter call to mind an especially memorable film performance by a certain child actress.

4. John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) Country Life Butter

   You've got to hand it to the marketing team for the British-made Country Life Butter. Somehow, they were able to convince former Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten (now John Lydon) to appear in a series of ads extolling the virtues of their product while taking a few digs at stereotypical "British" living. The genteel humor of the ad may strike some as a bit weird, given that Lydon is the man who snarled his way through the Pistols' 1976 banned hit single "Anarchy in the U.K."

5. Sony Tape

   Ah, the '80s! Considering that this was the decade of Max Headroom and the birth of MTV, it makes total sense that Sony would green-light this straightforward ad featuring a cassette tape being ejected, flipped over, and then replaced inside the toaster-like skull of an attractive bald woman. The commercial has less to say about the quality of Sony's cassette tape and more about Sony being a company on the cutting edge. Of what? Who knows. Maybe one of their executives just really dug bald women.

6. Jell-O

   Confucious say, is very racist commercial, no? Our guess is that no Chinese-American had anything whatsoever to do with this excruciating vintage TV ad for Jell-O. You have to wonder if Bill Cosby was hired years later as a product spokesman to help erase from our country's collective memory this cartoon featuring "Chinese-type baby" and a truly cringe-inducing voice-over. It's possible that Cosby's efforts redeemed this strange gelatinous snack, a favorite of anyone who just had their tonsils out.

7. Irish Spring

   What could be more Irish than outdoor wrestling, pocket knives, and turtleneck cable-knit sweaters? Television advertising has a long history of grabbing the most obvious, misinformed ethnic stereotypes and blowing them out of proportion in an effort to sell junk food or, in this case, bar soap. Why is it necessary to slice the bar of soap with a pocket knife? Why exactly is Irish Spring a "manly" soap? And why don't we see men with chests as hairy as this dude's in today's TV commercials?

8. Coke (Hilltop)

   In the age of the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, this classic commercial from the flower power era, where a multicultural mob of idealistic young hippies sings the praises of the über-corporate drink-product Coca-Cola, seems like the product of a massive brain-washing experiment. But admittedly, it's a great tune. And the lyrics "I'd like to buy the world a Coke!" were not only prescient given the triumph of globalization, but kind of endearing, depending upon how cynical you are.

9. Winston Cigarettes featuring the Flintstones

   Breakfast cereal, children's chewable vitamins, and of course, cigarettes! The Flintstones was always a show for adults, what with Fred clearly mimicking Jackie Gleason in laugh-tracked episodes and humor based more on domestic arguments than caring for a pet dinosaur. So it only makes sense that during the show's run Fred and Barney would, as they do in this ad, take a time out to enjoy Winston cigarettes while their wives, dressed in skimpy, animal-skin outfits, take care of the lawn work. What's surprising is that the Flintstones were never tapped to hustle beer or hard liquor.

10. Calvin Klein Obsession

    There was a series of truly weird Bergman-meets-Fellini ads for Obsession fragrance in the '90s, and this one is the weirdest. Its hapless Justin Bieber-esque protagonist is unable to comprehend the needs of one truly batty femme fatale who has probably set the course for all of his future intimate relationships with the opposite sex. How did these actors read their lines without laughing? Saturday Night Live, of course, brilliantly co-opted this ad campaign which already teetered toward self-parody.

Taken from Top Online Colleges

10 Telling Studies Done on Longer School Days

With test scores faltering in many school districts and American students lagging behind their counterparts in other countries around the world, education reform has become a hot topic of late. One of the ways many school districts are looking to improve their grades and test scores is by lengthening the school day, with the idea that more time at school means more time that teachers can work with and educate students.

While longer school days may work for some students and districts as a whole, research on the issue is divided. Some studies have found little to no benefit to extending the school day, at least not without making serious other changes to the school’s curriculum as well. Others take a more positive view. We’ll leave it to you to make up your own mind whether lengthening the school day is a good move for America’s schools (it comes at a pretty hefty cost, too). No matter how you feel, make sure to check out these studies that will help you better understand the real-life impact extended school days may or may not have on American education.

1. One study showed that longer school days resulted in a big jump in test scores.

   One of the studies that has helped to popularize the idea of lengthening the school day is this one, conducted by the Department of Education in Massachusetts. The study, conducted in 2006-2007, found that increasing the school day by 25% in 18 schools around the state caused test scores to rise by 4.7-10.8 percentage points. Other pilot programs conducted in regional schools, including one in New Hampshire, were found to improve not only test scores but grades as well. Additional funding from state grants has helped to offset the costs associated with the extra in-class time required by these new plans, and with the success of these early programs, more schools are expected to apply for the grants this year.

2. Other research has found no link between longer school days and improved scores.

   One of the reasons studies on extended schools days can be so confusing is that many come up with quite different results, making them hard to reconcile with one another. While Massachusetts may have had great success in extending the school day, other school districts and states haven’t found the same to be true. An independent evaluation of DC-area schools found that, with the exception of higher science scores for fifth graders, there were no statistically significant differences between schools with expanded schedules and those with conventional days. Fans of extended-program schools point out, however, that the extended day at these schools (only 30 minutes more) simply may not be long enough to produce any real results.

3. Some scholars have argued that it isn’t longer school days that improve scores, but the quality of interactions students have with teachers.

   When it comes to the school day, quality is much more important than quantity. At least that’s what some researchers believe. Larry Cuban, a professor of education at Stanford, argues in his book Hugging the Middle that too much attention is being focused on the length of the school day, when the real issue is the quality of education students receive while they’re in school, no matter how long they’re there. He showcases a range of studies showing that there’s little evidence to suggest that lengthening the school day alone is enough to create a marked change in student performance. Schools use extending the school day as a way to avoid making real, sustained, difficult changes in how schools are run.

4. Extended school days may be most beneficial to at-risk students.

   Those who stand to benefit the most from extended school days may be students who are at-risk, low-achieving, or who come from low-income areas. Numerous programs like KIPP schools and the LA’s BEST program have helped thousands of low-income students improve their grades, stay in school, and even go on to college. The numbers don’t lie when it comes to these programs, but they aren’t accurate representations of the average American school. When it comes to public schools in general, the results of studies are much less clear on the benefits of an extended day, even for at-risk students. Research results have been mixed for both extended-day and after-school programs, leading many to question if they are truly worth the cost.

5. Studies find that some students are only on task for about a third of the hours spent in school.

   More time in school may not make a bit of difference if students aren’t using it effectively. One study found that students weren’t on task for a majority of the hours they were in school, citing problems that ranged from motivation to poor delivery of instruction. These findings suggest that money may be better spent on improving curriculum, delivery, and teacher development rather than extending school days.

6. Extended school days are most effective when the added time is carefully structured and planned.

   In 2010, a paper called "Extending the School Day or School Year: A Systematic Review of Research" reviewed a decade’s worth of studies on extended school days. It found a number of things, including that extending the school day could help improve student outcomes, but only under certain circumstances. Extending the school day alone doesn’t lead to an increase in student achievement. The best and most reliable gains were achieved by schools that didn’t just add extra time but that made plans detailing exactly how that extra time was to be used. This may be part of what causes so much confusion between research that supports extended school days and that which doesn’t, reemphasizing the importance of the quality not the quantity of time spent at school as the deciding factor.

7. Shorter summers may benefit students more than longer schools days.

   The Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness conducted a study on the difference between extended school days in charter schools versus public schools. While they didn’t find a major difference in how the extended day programs were working for students, what they did find was that schools that had a shorter summer, using a year-round or extended school year program, had better long-term outcomes for students than those that didn’t. Students in a year-round program spend less time out of school on break and thus have less time to forget what they’ve learned, get in trouble, or otherwise set back their education. Students in these schools returned to school in the fall at a higher level than their peers, showing that spreading vacation out through the year may have just as big an impact as adding hours throughout.

8. For some students, any supervised time in school may be beneficial.

   Whether it’s after-school programs or extended days, for some students, simply having activities to keep them in school and out of trouble may be enough to improve their educational outcomes. Activities like marching band, drama, chess, and a variety of academic clubs may help motivate struggling students get through the school day and increase their engagement in school activities. Studies have shown that 8 million children ages 5 to 14 regularly spend time without adult supervision, in some cases as much as 25 hours a week. This time is generally spent watching TV, playing video games, or using the Internet, not on school work or self-improvement. Additionally, studies have shown that students without adult supervision are at a greater risk of accidental death, drug use, crime, and dropping out of school. Of course, critics argue that schools aren’t babysitters, and that parents should be responsible for watching children at all times, not teachers.

9. Extended school days are less successful when schools start earlier.

   Extended school days may have their benefits, but those are greatly reduced when students are required to come to class earlier. Numerous studies have shown that later school start times are directly correlated with lower truancy, better student health, and decreased tardiness. Additionally, students were found to have an easier time staying awake in class and as a result got better grades than students with earlier start times. Schools hoping to extend their days would be well advised to do so in the afternoon, not the morning, as any gains from additional hours in school may be negated by a group of tired, cranky students. Additionally, student safety may be an issue to consider as well, as one study showed that students driving themselves to school had far fewer accidents when their start time was pushed back an hour.

10. Many countries with shorter school years and school days also boast high test scores and grades.

    While many educational reformers point to high-performing schools around the world with extended hours as examples of what American schools should be doing, it isn’t quite that simple. Many of these schools have quite different curricula, methods, and expectations of students, not to mention differences in culture and support from public programs. What’s more, many of the best schools in the world actually have shorter school days than the U.S., suggesting that it’s not more time that students need in the classroom but better instruction and more support from teachers. Take Finland for example, where education programs have been lauded worldwide. The average Finnish student spends only 600 hours a year in school, which is just more than half the average of 1,100 hours for U.S. students.

Taken From Online Universities

10 Weirdest and Worst Ads for Lawyers

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, lawyer ads are simply ridiculous. Whether it’s the overly eager lawyer who promises to "hammer" insurance companies that don’t pay, or the cynical divorce lawyer who can make you lose faith in humanity in 30 seconds, these ads run the gamut from awesomely bad to just plain weird. Check out the 10 weirdest and worst ads for lawyers.

1. Berger & Green

   If you like explosions and flying cars, then you’ll love Berger and Green’s wacky ad. He’ll help you "get what’s yours," if you’re not too scared to call after watching this.

2. Jim Adler

   Personal injury lawyer, Jim Adler, is legendary in Texas, but his awesomely bad ads are famous all over. Adler, better known as "The Hammer," has a reputation for yelling and shaking his fist in commercials while using ridiculous phrases you can’t get out of your head.

3. Bruce Flint

   When all else fails, rap about it! That’s what Dallas lawyer Bruce Flint did, and the rap video came out looking like a crappy version of Grand Theft Auto.

4. Denvil Crowe

   Bald-headed actor? Check. Flaming background? Check. Tone-deaf singer? You got it! That about sums up this quality ad from attorney Denvil Crowe.

5. DivorceEZ

   You know when an ad starts off with, "If you and your spouse hate each other like poison," it’s got to be good. This no-nonsense lawyer makes it "EZ" to get out of the "hellhole you call a marriage," all while sounding 100% jaded.

6. Brian Loncar

   Here’s another personal injury lawyer overdramatizing a commercial for no apparent reason. He might be known as "The Strong Arm" in Texas, but here he just looks like a nutcase who crashes cars for the hell of it.

7. Bernstein & Maryanoff

   This ad is almost as bad as the fit of Bernstein’s shirt. Before he sues any insurance company, we hope he takes down the tailor who let him walk out like that.

8. J. Michael Gallagher

   If ruining your spouse’s holiday with divorce papers sounds delightful, then J. Michael Gallagher is here to take your call. And don’t just pick up the phone; fight over it like the miserable couple in this terrible ad.

9. Brown & Grouppen

   This walking, talking trio of "good guys" is as cheesy as it gets. If only they had done a group high five before entering the sun-blinding courtroom.

10. Barry Glazer

    Calling all urination victims! Attorney Barry Glazer is here to stop insurance companies from "urinating on your leg and tell you it’s raining." We don’t know what his urination obsession is all about, but it makes for an awesomely bad ad.

Taken From Criminal Justice Degrees Guide

10 Tips for Cell Phones Before Traveling Overseas

We’ve all seen people on TV and movies casually using their cell phones as they travel to various countries around the globe. No big deal right? Not until you get your monthly statement. Post-vacation cell phone bills are the stuff nightmares are made from. Many of us are very dependent on our cell phones and can’t imagine going on vacation without them. While traveling abroad with your cell phone is totally doable, it does take some careful preparation. Here are 10 tips for cell phone users before traveling overseas.

1. Plan ahead – The most important thing to do before you travel with your cell phone is to plan ahead. You need to start working on this at least 2 weeks before you leave. It takes time to collect the information you need and make the necessary arrangements. Depending on what type of phone and calling plan you have plus what countries you’re traveling to, the steps you need to make can range from fairly simple to extremely complicated.
2. Call your provider – The first step in the process is to call your provider. It helps to check plans online and get as much information as you can first, but a thorough phone conversation needs to take place. Be sure to establish a good dialogue and get clarification on anything you don’t quite understand fully. Never assume anything or you may end up regretting it later. Don’t hesitate to ask questions even if they seem trivial or redundant. It’s impossible to ask too many questions and no question is too stupid to ask.
3. Check bandwidths – Different countries use different bandwidths and only one or two of them are compatible with bandwidths used in the United States. First you need to find out what bandwidth your phone is operating on and then check to see if it’s available in the country you’re traveling to.
4. Get phone unlocked – Most cell phones sold in the U.S. are locked so that you can’t use them with other carriers or networks. Before you travel you’ll need to get your phone unlocked to accept an overseas plan. This process can be complicated and time consuming, so this emphasizes the need for planning ahead.
5. GSM phone – If the phone you currently own is not a GSM or “world phone” you may want to consider buying one if you plan on traveling a lot. These phones have the ability to interface with both foreign and U.S. based cell phone networks.
6. Check plans carefully – In order to use your cell phone overseas, you will need to switch to an international phone plan or be faced with expensive roaming charges. Be sure to check each plan available very carefully to choose which one will work best for you at the lowest cost. The amount of calling time you’ll need along with other features will determine what plan to choose.
7. Check data plans – It’s important to realize that calling plans and data plans are two different things. You may have unlimited voice usage, but have huge roaming fees for texting and emails. Also be aware that even if your iPhone is turned off it’s constantly checking messages and downloading updates while racking up tons of roaming fees in the process.
8. Don’t switch too early – When switching to an international plan on your phone, be careful not to implement it too early. One phone call from the airport prior to departure can cost a fortune if you’ve already set you phone to work from another country. Call your provider to switch it for you at arrival date and time.
9. International charger adapter – Don’t forget that other countries have different electrical systems and the phone charger you have probably won’t work overseas. Be sure to purchase an adapter that will be compatible wherever you’re traveling or you won’t be able to charge your phone.
10. Change SIM card – Instead of changing calling plans, you may want to just get a prepaid SIM card to use while you travel. These could be less expensive than changing plans depending on where you’re going and how long you’ll be there. The downside is that you’ll lose all the contact information on your current SIM card.

It’s always a good idea to get advice from friends who travel to help you anticipate problems you may not think of on your own. Listening to their horror stories will provide you with priceless information. By learning from other’s mistakes and carefully planning ahead, you can increase your chances of having a pleasant trip with little or no cell phone hassles.

Taken From Phone Service

25 Facts You Should Share During Blood Donor Month

January is a time of year when fewer people donate blood, which is a shame because it’s the month dedicated to blood donors. The Christmas season has passed, and no doubt our shared sense of the holiday spirit has faded. But one revealing fact or statistic might be all it takes to convince a friend or family member of the importance of giving blood and spur them to action. Here are 25 of those for you to share.

1. Blood is always in high demand

   According to the Red Cross, every two seconds someone needs blood in the U.S. So since you started reading this article, anywhere from 8 to 12 or more people experienced a need for blood.

2. For a yearly total of…

   So doing the math, that factors out to 4.5 million Americans who need a blood transfusion every year.

3. And a daily blood need of…

   Hospitals and emergency rooms need about 44,000 donations-worth of blood every day.

4. A little goes a long way

   Just one pint of blood can save up to three lives by separating out red blood cells, plasma, and platelets and giving one to each of three different patients.

5. Only 38% of the population is eligible to donate

   In 2007, it was discovered that only 111 million Americans can donate blood, as opposed to the previously-believed 177 million, because of increased safety measures.

6. Are you eligible?

   If you’re over 16, healthy, and weigh at least 110 pounds, you can give blood. (And let’s face it: if you’re American, you’re over 110 pounds.)

7. AB donors wanted

   The AB blood types are the rarest in the world. AB-positive blood is especially crucial for donations because its plasma can be universally transfused and is often administered to emergency patients.

8. You have blood to spare

   An average adult has up to 12 pints of blood in his or her body. The average donation size is about 1 pint.

9. Loyal donors are not frequent donors

   Although donors are allowed to donate every two months, the average repeat donor only gives blood 1.7 times per year.

10. Buddy, can you spare a platelet?

    Through a process called apheresis, donors can donate specific parts of the blood like plasma or platelets. The advantages are that donors can donate this way every month and give more platelets per donation than they could otherwise.

11. Donated blood doesn’t last long

    Blood’s shelf life is believed to be up to six weeks, but recent research indicates patients who receive blood older than three weeks could suffer harmful side effects. This would basically mean twice as much blood would now be needed from donations.

12. …And neither do donated platelets

    Platelets have a shelf life of just five days. And with cancer rates ever increasing, the demand for platelets has grown dramatically.

13. Cancer patients need a lot of blood

    While many operations require high amounts of blood for transfusions, these are one-time events. Cancer patients, on the other hand, can require up to eight platelet transfusions each week.

14. You won’t catch something

    When you donate blood, there is no danger of catching AIDS or any other infectious disease. All equipment is used once and then thrown away.

15. Excuses, excuses

    People often cite a fear of being weak the rest of the day after giving blood. However, a healthy adult should not have an affected daily routine.

16. Piecemealing plasma

    About 1 in 500 people is born with a malfunctioning immune system. To keep these people healthy for one year, it takes 130 separate plasma donations.

17. Accept no substitutes

    Trials are ongoing to discover a safe substitute for blood to give to soldiers or car crash victims, but so far the tests have been disastrous. There is still no replacement for good old human blood.

18. An added bonus

    If the knowledge that you’ve saved three lives isn’t enough, when you donate blood you are treated to a free mini-physical.

19. You can donate plasma often

    Thanks to apheresis, plasma alone can be donated twice every seven days. Plasma replenishes after 48 hours in a healthy body.

20. United, we donated

    After the events of 9/11 in New York, half a million Americans gave blood to be sent to victims.

21. Selling your body

    As broke college kids are already aware, some donation centers will pay donors for blood or plasma. Usually your reward will be about $25, which isn’t bad for an hour of work.

22. Donate to yourself

    One way to introduce people to giving blood is to have them give it to their future self. Donating blood for your own use later is called autologous blood donation and you don’t have to worry about the blood being a match.

23. Worried about that ink?

    If you’re worried that a recent tattooing or piercing disqualifies you from giving blood, never fear; you are still eligible as long as the work was done with single-use equipment.

24. Be like Dean

    Dean Willis of Jacksonville, Florida has donated 100 gallons of blood since 1975 and saved over 2,000 lives.

25. This is their chance to think about it

    Nearly one in five people say their main reason for not giving blood is they "never thought about it."

Taken From Medical Billing and Coding

10 Colleges Growing Their Own Food

Like Cypher enjoying a juicy steak in The Matrix, ignorance is bliss when it comes to our food. For years we have been eating products without knowing where they came from, how they were grown (or created), or how they got to us. But lately it has been really hard to stay ignorant. Michael Pollan and Food, Inc. have shown us the ugly truth of how unsustainable and unhealthy our food practices are. College campuses, historically on the forefront of social change, are leading the way toward a greener America. Of the many schools across the country enacting some kind of green activities, here are 10 colleges growing their own food.

1. College of the Atlantic: In 1999, two COA alumni donated a 73-acre farm to the school. Since then, Beech Hill Farm has been providing the campus with fresh, organic produce while educating the community on sustainable farming. Atlantic students can conduct their own studies or final projects on the farm, or spend classes in organic gardening on its six acres of certified-organic farming land. At the Beech Hill farm stand you’ll find plenty of fresh veggies like artichokes, herbs, and carrots to stock your dorm-room fridge.
2. Green Mountain College: They don’t call it Green Mountain for nothing. At this liberal arts school in Vermont, students come to Cerridwen Farm to learn how to harvest hay without tractors, drive oxen, butcher livestock, and shear sheep, not to mention grow organic produce. Food growing began at Green Mountain in 1997 with a half-acre garden, but today the four-acre farm provides food for the campus dining halls and reuses food waste from the very same halls as compost to grow more produce. The farm also produces its own pickles, eggs, honey, and coming soon, milk.
3. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine: Here on the shores of Sebago Lake in Standish, students are tackling the issue of sustainability on two different fronts. Their one-acre garden was started in 2008 to contribute food to both the school cafeteria and Catherine’s Cupboard, St. Joe’s food pantry. The farm also raises turkeys, chickens, and sheep. To keep the dining halls supplied with fresh bok choy, herbs, radishes, and peas through the New England winters, the school grew vegetables in two “hoop houses” and in the basement of the marketing building under grow lights.
4. Deep Springs College: Very little of the college experience at Deep Springs is typical. The student body is 26 men (although women will soon be admitted for the first time). This school in the California desert was founded in 1917 to make young men well-rounded citizens, with manual labor supplementing their academics. Today the school grows 350 tons of pesticide-free alfalfa, most of which it feeds to its 300 head of cattle that are herded by student cowboys. The men also work the school’s garden and farm, tending a fruit orchard, a greenhouse, 100 rows of vegetables, and a chicken coop.
5. Wilson College: The Fulton Center for Sustainable Living is the heart of green activity at Wilson College in Pennsylvania. The Fulton Farm covers seven acres and is devoted to environmental sustainability. That means no pesticides or fertilizers and minimal use of non-renewables. Like many schools, Wilson participates in a CSA (community supported agriculture) to train locals about green farming and provide them with organic food options. The farm also supplies the dining hall on campus with whatever crops are in season. Cherry tomatoes are a particular student favorite.
6. Duke University: Duke is a newcomer to campus agriculture, but its first year was a very successful one. Students built the project from the ground up around the slogan “One Year, One Acre.” The year was 2011, and the one acre produced 5,000 pounds of produce. Volunteer students did it all with only one piece of machinery: a rototiller that they plan to stop using as they strive to become even more eco-friendly. As it is, they use no harsh chemicals on their crops, which they grow year-round. There are leafy greens in the spring, tomatoes and watermelon in the summer, and pumpkins and acorn squash in the fall before they move the operation into the hoop house for the winter.
7. Warren Wilson College: Warren Wilson has been green since before Al Gore was a twinkle in his father’s eye. Students from the school have run a farm in the Swannanoa Valley of North Carolina since 1894. The crops rotate among alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and grains that are fed to the farm’s hogs and chickens. They also boast 100% grass-fed cattle. On campus, students tend a three-acre organic garden of veggies, fruits, and flowers, plus an apple orchard and three hoop houses, with the help of two Belgian workhorses. Because the school requires 15 hours of campus service per week, the garden is never short of workers.
8. Berea College: Berea is another college that has been growing food for more than a century. A 1.5-acre garden was set up on campus way back in 1871. Over the years, tobacco was dropped as a crop, the garden expanded to five acres, and in 1998 it became fully organic. Today the main crops are mushrooms, herbs, greens, and honey. For a small fee, members of the community can rent plots in the garden to grow their own food. On the nearly 500-acre Berea College Farm, students raise corn, soybeans, wheat, grass, turnips, and hay, which is used to feed the cattle, goats, and pigs the farm also houses.
9. Cornell University: The Dilmun Hill Student Farm has been Cornell’s place for sustainable, organic farming for more than 10 years. Student volunteers seek to engage the student body with the farm as much as possible, putting on work parties so that students can try their hands at farming, and by providing Cornell Dining with fresh produce at certain times of the year. Cornell also produces food in the lab through its hydroponics and aquaponics programs. Working with a local high school, a professor from Cornell oversees the growth of up to 8,000 pounds of tilapia grown through sustainable aquaculture methods.
10. Rutgers University: At five acres, Rutgers claims to have the largest organic student-run farm in the country. That’s not really the case, but it’s no lie that sustainability is alive and well at Rutgers. The farm was started in 1993 as a CSA operation. Students grow everything from chard, kale, fennel, and eggplant to herbs like catnip, chamomile, and chives. Much of the farm’s produce is donated to low-income families and charities. Under the Garden of Eden campaign, students involved with the farm spread the message of organic food on campus. Each Wednesday, lettuce grown by students is available for purchase in the Neilson Dining Hall.

Taken From Online Colleges

10 Ways to Condense Your Kids Clothing Needs

Isn’t it amazing how our kids keep growing and growing? It’s often hard to keep up with their clothing needs. There are often so many sales and so many cute items that it’s truly hard not to over buy. You know the kids are going to get three to six months of use out of these clothes so why buy them more than they really need. Plus, in this economy we all need to find ways to save a buck where we can. Check out 10 ways to condense your kids clothing needs.

1. Take inventory: Go through the clothes that you already have for your child and see which items fit and which items don’t. Take the items that they have out grown to a resale shop or donate them to a worthy cause.
2. Assess how your child dresses: Don’t buy a bunch of dresses if you have a tomboy who doesn’t like to wear dresses. This may seem like common sense, but for some reason people love to buy pretty dresses and then they hang in the closet with the tags on them. Or they are worn once for that special occasion and that’s it.
3. Buy separates: Instead of buying a bunch of dresses you need to buy separates so that you can mix and match tops and skirts. You can also wear the tops with jeans or other pants. A dress is one outfit, but if you buy three skirts and three tops that can be mixed and matched then you can get nine outfits out of those items.
4. Buy basic colors: When buying pants or skirts think about buying basic colors, black, blue and brown. Those will go with a lot of different things you may already own. The more combinations that you can make the better off you will be.
5. Don’t buy outfits: Stores are great about putting together outfits, like pink and green striped leggings with a matching pink and green top. This is a one trick pony. You might be able to wear the top with jeans, but otherwise you can wear the pants with that one top and that’s it. Plus it’s such a bold color choice that you don’t want to repeat it in the same week.
6. Teach them to wear things more than once: The biggest thing that they can wear more than once is pajamas. There is no need to have seven pairs of pajamas. They can get up in the morning and fold them up and put them under their pillow for the next night. Having three to four pairs of pajamas should be plenty.
7. Add leggings to an outgrown dress: Do you have some dresses that are getting too short but they fit otherwise? Just add a pair of leggings and you can still get some more mileage out of those dresses.
8. Jeans, jeans, jeans: Most of the time jeans can be worn more than once in a week so teach your child to hang or fold them up after the first wearing unless they know they got a stain on them. Jeans are very versatile and can be worn dressed up with a nice shirt or sweater or worn with a T-shirt.
9. Buy basics: Buy a sweater in white so that you can take those short-sleeved dresses into Fall and Winter. Buy a white shirt that will go with anything or under any sweater to make an outfit warmer for winter. Black pants are always a good idea because they can be worn with any shirt and can be dressed up or down depending on the circumstances.
10. Take pictures and make a fashion book: Boys are especially bad about grabbing the shirt that is on the top in their drawer and wearing it over and over. For boys you might want to hang shirts so that they can all be seen. With girls, make a fashion book. Take pictures of all of the separate pieces and then mix and match them in a fashion book to show the different outfits that can be put together. Even young children can pick out an outfit and pull the pieces out of their closet and put a matching outfit together. Accessories for girls are also great to stretch a wardrobe. A great colorful scarf can be added to a basic black or brown top and you have a completely different look that how you wore it last week. Accessories are cheap and this is a good place to allow your kids to follow the trends, but not break that bank.

Taken From Nanny