Drowning in a Pool of Shadows - Bottom

You want to stop, but you keep heading in a downward spiral until there's nothing left but a heap of lies and deceit.
The addiction controls your every waking thought and action.

Your mind is bent on it.
You drive those closest to you away. No one is on your side.
Everyone is against you.
In a way, you want people to pity you. To feel sorry for you. When they don't, you instantly turn against them.

You're a pitcher in a game of you against the world.
It's a game you can not win.
Repeatedly, you try again and again to defeat the inner demons.

You tell yourself that this will be the last time.
You justify using because of insignificant, minuscule things like having a good day at work.
You're wrong and you know it.
Will you do anything about it? Maybe you will and maybe you won't.
It all depends on that persons will to strive for a better life.
How do I know these things? These have been ripples in a pool of everyday life for me these past five years. Memories of a happy childhood have faded away. You look at pictures and old home movies of happy times and wonder if they ever happened. How can someone as miserable as me have such great days in my past? Could this alternate life of taken place in some other existence besides the morbid world I know now? Do I strive to be miserable? Do I want and need chaos in my life? Why, when things are going good do I feel the need to climb right back into a dark hole? Why watch my dreams wash away in a stream of illusions when I have so much valuable time left in life? Why destroy and abuse the relationships of those dearest to your heart? You take something as beautiful as a Maui sunset and throw it away for a handful of pills. What forces someone to do these things? Could it be that I'm so used to being alone that it's actually comforting to me? I guess only time will tell.

Cloud Computing and the Benefits of Online Distance Learning

Online distance learning is growing at an incredible pace.

Academic faculty and students have understood the importance of acquiring and implementing online classes and courses to improve upon the existing academic setting and start getting more students compared to 'brick and mortar' classrooms.
Moodle, Sakai, etc.
are used on a large scale to organize classes over the internet.

These Learning Management Systems are Cloud-based, which means they are freely accessible from any corner of the globe.
Cloud computing has brought in revolutionary changes in the way all kinds of businesses functioned in the pre-cloud computing days.

Cloud-based solutions come with some great advantages such as: · Round the clock accessibility from any remote location · No buying or installing of any software or hardware on your PC · Huge space to capture and store numerical data and text-based information · Cost-effective, with no set up, activation or subscription charges Educational administrators are formulating plans for a successful adoption of the Cloud platform to offer more distance education programs to students residing in far off places.

Let's have a look at the advantages of adopting distance learning by K-12 and higher educational institutions.
Accessibility for Those Residing at Distant Locations Anyone from any place can enroll into an online course and start receiving education instantly.
For example, a non-US person interested in pursuing a course in Healthcare Management can easily enroll into Georgetown University's online "Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner" class without even coming to the U.
S. No Wasting Time and Money on Transport Students don't need to spend money and such other resources for attending classes every day.
They can sit comfortably at home with a PC or laptop to join in a class as soon as it starts. Flexibility to Study Cloud-based distance education offers tremendous flexibility to study from a convenient location with access to an internet connection. It offers you the convenience to study at your own time and submit assignments or projects online.
Many teachers tell their students to maintain a personal blog to submit homework and projects on the same.
Teachers, at their pace, can go through the tasks and grade them accordingly. Self-paced Learning You can quickly browse through learning materials you have already studied before, and concentrate on areas containing new information.
You can join conversations with the teacher on the bulletin board discussion and seek clarifications on spot. You can learn at your own personal speed and intensity, without having to keep pace with fellow students.
Easy Accessibility to Those with Restricted Mobility Physically challenged people (deaf and dumb or visually impaired), injured, and the elderly can easily enroll for a class online overcoming their mobility issues.

Online distance education also offers flexibility of continuing studies for those with family responsibilities such as: parents with young children or working students.

Home Tutoring - Opportunities For Online Tutors

Opting out of the conventional school system and educating children at home is a growing trend, though not without its critics.

Although much home tutoring is carried out by parents, some families enlist external help and employ online tutors as a supplement to their own teaching.

Home tutoring is a popular option for families when: Learners have failed to thrive in traditional schools Children are unable to attend school because of illness or disability or because they live in a remote area Families are temporarily living abroad Parents reject the educational philosophy underpinning locally available services Online tutoring has a clear role to play in the home tutoring arena. Though some parents who homeschool are dedicated to accomplishing the task by themselves, and according to their values, many are also open to using online tutors.
One of the criticisms of home tutoring is that learners are not exposed to the wider world in the way that ordinary school-goers are. Online tutoring goes part way to addressing that problem.
Online tutoring and online learning communities fulfil several of the functions that conventional education offers.

In addition, people in today's world are busier than ever, and not all parents have the time to devote themselves to their children's education full-time.
Some parents may seek additional help in particular subject areas, or for help in teaching children with different abilities.

Online tutors can play an important role in all these scenarios. Home Tutoring Online Although some parents devise their own curricula (sometimes within broad guidelines set by the state), many rely on the internet for assistance with courses, curricula and resources.

For people seeking online teaching jobs, the home tutoring domain is one worth taking notice of, especially if they have allied experience in this field. Online teaching jobs can be found in course development and materials provision, and in offering online tutoring support to accompany those courses.
In the United States (and some other countries), checks are carried out to ensure that homeschooled learners are progressing suitably and that their education is of an appropriate standard.
Online tutors may find opportunities here, in assessing homeschooled children's knowledge and preparing them for checks and tests. Homeschooled learners planning to get into university often benefit from assistance from online tutors with test preparation (such as SAT and ACT).  For children who are homeschooled in another language, online tutors can assist with English language teaching and English language proficiency testing.

Educators in search of online teaching jobs should be aware that home tutoring differs in some respects from online tutoring, as a supplement to traditional education.

Online tutors who are conversant with the issues and challenges that home tutoring presents may find that it is a rewarding avenue to travel.

Google Apps - Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is an enormous leap in the technology used by mankind which is understandable and usable by even a lay man with no computer knowledge. That is the success of this feature which is highly scalable when provided with a robust network. In this concept, information on a network is stored in a cloud (A virtual place) and can be accessed and updated by authorized users of the same network. The Google app for cloud computing is Cloud Connect.

Installation This app is installed by installing a cloud connect plug-in software on Microsoft Windows and running it.

Once it is installed all the existing data on the system can be integrated with Google apps and can be stored on the cloud.

Using Cloud Connect The basic file types in this implementation are Microsoft office files (.

doc,.

ppt,.xls).
We can see the cloud connect being implemented in the following scenario.
User1 opens up a.

ppt to start a presentation.
Simultaneously user2 connects to the cloud and opens up the same a.

ppt to edit the presentation. The same file can be edited simultaneously by different users using cloud connect.
At the end, all the updates made by both the users are saved. This is an ideal way of working since two users from different locations can work on a single project without hindrance.

Version Control In the above scenario, for each change in the document, that each user makes is saved as a different versions of the same file.
This enables the user to access the a.

ppt presentation in any of the previously saved state.
Benefits Cloud connect enables: • Single sign-in for all apps on the cloud.

• Easy synchronizing of data on the desktop with the cloud • Offline updating with intelligent synchronizing options • Data security Installing private cloud using cloud connect saves both cost and the resources spent otherwise.

This concept goes a long way in increasing productivity and efficiency, as quoted by one of the businesses implementing cloud computing. Another quote in favour of this service says that it gave a 307% return on investment and that the company broke even in 7 months. Applications of Cloud Connect The different key domains where cloud connect can be used are: • Education - The teaching material i.

e. drawings, pictures, text, charts and graphs can be stored in the cloud and can be accessed by the teacher as required.
Also it helps in easy recollections of subjects learnt before.
• Business - All the public documents, HR policies, Project presentations and mail archives can be stored in the cloud to be retrieved as and when required by the employees and also can be shared with the required individuals without having to send attachments via mails, back and forth. • Government Policies - Government agencies require all their data to be confidential and secured in a private cloud.

• Non-Profit - They work better with the presence of a cloud which stores all the voluminous information of individuals who are benefited by non-profit organizations.

Everything You Need to Know About Making The Perfect Tie-Dye Shirt

What you will need: -Tulip 12-Color Super Big Tie Dye Kit (Others are available, but this is the best brand with the most colors) -Pack of white t-shirts -Grocery bags -Rubber bands (The kit supplies rubber bands, but you might need more) All of the supplies can be found at Wal-Mart.
First, wet your shirts one-by-one, but not soaking wet.
Wring them out and put them into separate grocery bags.

Make sure no holes are in the bags. Second, take out the shirt and place it onto a flat surface.

Choose the design you would like your shirt to look like.
Most people go with the spiral choice.

The best way to do the spiral, is to place the shirt on the table completely flat, with the back facing up.

Decide where you want your spiral to begin.

You can use a butter knife to start spinning, but I use a flat head screwdriver. Place said screwdriver or butter knife on the desired point.

make sure you put enough pressure so you have a grip on both sides of the damp shirt, but not so much that you poke a hole through.

Start spinning until all excess parts of the shirt are a part of the spiral.
Then, put rubber bands into sixths on the shirt.
So now your shirt should look like a pizza put into sixths.
Flip the shirt over to the front, and now you're ready to put the dye on it.
When you do put the dye on, if you want more white than color in your shirt, don't put as much dye.

If you put so much until it bleeds through the bottom, then your shirt will have less to no white at all.

Put your finished shirt into one of the grocery bags, tie, and wait until the next day to rinse and wash.

I know the kit says to only wait 6-8 hours, but if you want your shirt to be more intense, and not fade, then I suggest you wait a full day.

To make the sun bursts designs, lay the shirt flat, pinch points you want a different color and rubberband them at the ends to make them look like mini mountains on your shirt.
Then dye the tips of the "mountains". Now dye the rest of the shirt a different color.

Leave for 24 hours, rinse, wash, dry, now it's ready to wear.
To make stripes, lay your shirt flat, start at the end on the shirt, and roll it upward.
Then, rubberband it to separate the different colors you're about to put in it.
Then dye.
Last technique I will teach you will be the bulls-eye design.

Lay your shirt flat, pinch the middle and lift the shirt, rubberband the tip, then work your way down. How many sections you rubberband, will be how many colors to use. I hope this was helpful, because I've went to many different sites to learn how to tie-dye, and always came up short, or had to buy something. I thought this would be a simple step by step article teaching you to make a successful, perfect shirt.

When Should My Child Begin Music Lessons? A Comparison of Waldorf and Suzuki Philosophies

I am a trained Waldorf early childhood teacher and have also completed training as a "Music Together" teacher (a music and movement program for preschoolers and their parents) through the Center for Music and Young Children in Princeton, NJ.

In addition, I am a Suzuki parent and a strong supporter of Suzuki music education. I have been interested in comparing the similarities and differences between Suzuki and Waldorf pedagogy ever since discovering how much they share in common.

In spite of the number of similarities in approach, one fundamental difference between the two approaches is regarding the age at which a child should begin formal music instruction. Suzuki students are encouraged to begin instrumental lessons as early as age two or three.

On the other hand, students in a Waldorf school do not begin lessons with string instruments until third or fourth grade.

My personal opinion is that Suzuki, for many children, starts too early, and that Waldorf schools may start too late.

Based on my research and observation, I believe that age seven is a more appropriate age for most children to begin private music lessons -- for many of the same reasons that make seven the ideal age for a child to begin formal, academic learning at school, according to Waldorf philosophy.
In Waldorf pedagogy, formal academic learning does not begin until, ideally the age of seven. This comes after a period of intense growth during the first seven years of life, after which, according to Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, the child's "etheric" or life forces are freed up for more cognitive pursuits.
As a child of seven is better able to sit and focus on formal "lessons" than a younger child, so a child of this age would be better able to focus on formal music instruction, and to be capable of practicing.

I have questioned many different music teachers - Suzuki teachers, traditional music teachers and Waldorf music teachers -- on whether there is a great advantage to starting children on an instrument as early as three- to five-years old and, by and large, most teachers I've talked to seem to agree that children who start when they are older (say, seven or eight) are not at a disadvantage; they are usually able to catch up quickly with the children who have been taking lessons since they were much younger.
Within a few months of starting cello, I observed that my seven-year-old caught up to the same place as another seven-year-old boy in his class who'd been playing for a full two years.
My child, I would say, has fairly average musical ability. He is musical, but not precocious.
I think it is unnatural for a child under seven to be asked to sit down and practice an instrument daily, no matter how short or playful the practice session.

I feel strongly that children under seven should be moving, playing and engaged in their imagination without the pressure or stress of practicing, or worse, performing.

They are learning an enormous amount -- taking in the world through their senses, developing their imaginations through play and the experience of life.

This short and precious period of childhood should be free from the pressures of performing and feeling the need to please others.

On the other hand, most Waldorf schools don't start teaching strings until third or fourth grade. I worry that this is too late.
Recent brain research indicates that there is a musical learning "window" of opportunity that closes around the age of nine (similar to the "window" for language acquisition). Based upon my research and observation, I believe that it is more difficult, though certainly not impossible, for children to become proficient at an instrument if they start after the age of nine.
Waldorf students are, of course, learning to play the pentatonic flute, and often the soprano recorder, before the age of nine, which is absolutely beneficial and helps to develop the student's musical ear.
There are many Waldorf teachers who would argue that learning to play a stringed instrument or the piano would be inappropriate for a child under nine. I do not agree with them.
My own experience with my children has been entirely rewarding and positive, having started them with music lessons at ages seven and eight. I also recommend waiting until a child begins to show an interest in learning to play an instrument before offering private music instruction.

Children are much more likely to be self-motivated when there is a genuine and personal interest in learning to play an instrument. I have observed very few children who have expressed an interest in learning to play an instrument before the age of 5-7.
Of course, there are some children who really are musically precocious and may, in fact, prove to be prodigious musical students.
If your child is relentless in demanding to learn a particular instrument, I would advise listening to them and taking advantage of his interest. If you decide to pursue music education for your child under seven I would highly recommend - no, I would BEG you - to find a Suzuki teacher.

A good Suzuki teacher, like a good Waldorf, teacher, teaches out of imitation and in a playful, imaginative way. The emphasis should be on the process, not on the product.
Another similarity between Suzuki method and Waldorf education is that children are taught to play beautiful music by memory and ear before they are able to read music -- just the way Waldorf students are able to recite beautiful poetry by heart before they are able to read or write.
Learning to play music precedes learning to read music, just as in human development learning to speak always precedes learning to read and write. Learning to read music should not be attempted before the child is able to read language. Readers of Dr. Suzuki's book Nurtured by Love, will come across much philosophy that is similar to Rudolf Steiner's. (It is interesting to note that both lived in Germany during the same period of time.
) Dr. Suzuki emphasizes that it is far more important for a child to strive to become a beautiful person on the inside, than the most technically proficient musician.

By nurturing beautiful feelings in the child, beautiful music will be produced. The most important thing one can do musically for a child under seven is to expose them to lots and lots music, especially the human voice.
Sing to them and with them all the time! Sing even if you think you can't -- your child will not be critical, and will appreciate your effort more than you can imagine. I think it's also of great benefit to let children hear live music being played so that they learn that music is something that human beings make, and are not just mechanical sounds that come out of an electronic box.

Research indicates that that listening to music (and lots of different kinds and tonalities) early in life is what develops a child's musical ear. So that even if a child doesn't begin formal music instruction until age nine or later, by having been exposed to many types of music and different qualities of tone, that child will still have developed musically during her early childhood.

Sera Jane Smolen, Ph.

D.
, a cellist who has also taught music in a Waldorf school and wrote her thesis on a comparison of Waldorf and Suzuki methods, once told me that no world-class musician (that is to say, the Yo Yo Ma's and the Emanuel Ax's of the world) ever started music instruction later than the age of five.
This statement is likely to give many parents pause. But then she asked me, "Is our goal to raise world-class musicians, or Martin Luther Kings?" Do we offer our children music lessons because we want to produce a prodigy, or do we do it to nurture a love of music in child who may fulfill Dr. Suzuki's vision of bringing about world peace through music? © Sarah Baldwin, M.

S.
Ed.

, 2009 Resources: Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love: The Classic Approach to Talent Education, Suzuki Method International, 1986. For more information on Suzuki music instruction, or to find a teacher, visit http://www.suzukiassociation.

org/.

Playhouses for Girls - Making a Smart Choice

Kids love playhouses. Boys love them.
Playhouses for girls are always a hit.

Playhouses are a universal favorite and they have strong appeal across almost all age groups.

In other words, playhouses are one of the smartest toy investments you can possibly make.
They're one of the few things your kid is actually likely to use, they reduce clutter by doubling as toy storage and they have the added benefit of keeping children occupied and out of the living room for extended periods! It's no wonder they're always a popular seller.

That popularity has encouraged many different manufacturers to releases playhouses.

If you're buying one for your child or children, you may want a few tips for making the best possible selection.
Here are a few recommendations that apply to choosing playhouses for girls.
First, don't forget that the pattern and colors of the playhouse will be important to girls. That doesn't necessarily mean you need to fall into the "everything must be pink" way of thinking, but it does mean that you might want to think twice before choosing a playhouse that features a design more traditionally associated with boys. A dark, foreboding castle is more likely to appeal to a boy than a girl is. A playhouse designed to look like a western fort is more likely to trip the trigger of a boy, as well. Now, if your daughter happens to be a budding adventurer who's well on her way to slaying a dragon or a budding Annie Oakley who'd just love to roam the prairie on horseback, don't worry about those traditional preferences.
If she is a more traditional gal, however, you'll want to find something with "girl appeal" or, at the very least, something that avoids male stereotypes.
Second, think about the size of the playhouse. Playhouses for girls need to be big enough for the children to actually use them in some capacity.

You might be fine with one of the many smaller playhouses for girls on the market if the recipient is likely to use it only to curl up on a beanbag with a book. If she's more likely to transform it into a home or workspace in which to play with her friends, you'll need to invest in a larger unit that offers more flexibility. Finally, consider the construction of the playhouse.
Playhouses for girls come in many different forms.
Budget-conscious buyers can find easy-to-erect playhouses made of heavy-duty cardboard.

There are many easy-to-build plastic and resin models, too.

Do-it-yourselfer parents may want to consider more involved wooden structures that require an ability to wield a hammer.

That decision will be a matter of intended use, how long the playhouse is likely to remain an item of interest and the budget of the individual shopping for the playhouse.
With a little effort and forethought, you can find the perfect option among the many available playhouses for girls.
If you're cognizant of pattern, size and construction, you're sure to make a smart choice.

The Game of Life: Success Skills for Teens

Sam was an athletic 17-year-old with deep brown eyes and wavy blond hair.

His good looks and natural charisma made him popular with the students at his high school, but several of Sam's teachers had reported to his parents that he was not living up to his potential, and that he could be an outstanding student if only he would apply himself.

His parents tried to encourage him, but because Sam heard their input as lecturing, their words went in one ear and out the other.
There were a variety of reasons that Sam was not living up to his potential: his self-discipline was underdeveloped, he had some relationship problems, and he lacked important success skills.
A major problem was that he simply gave up too quickly. For example, Sam played sax in the school jazz band, but when he had trouble learning to read music, he dropped the class.

He would make distorted statements to himself like "I'm just not cut out to play an instrument" when actually he had musical talent.
He had the talent to succeed in school as well, but he just wasn't interested. Sam had a strong interest in three things: weight lifting, track, and football.
He decided to try out for varsity football. When Coach Allen saw Sam's strength, agility and running ability, he believed football was just what Sam needed.

Coach believed that if students could master the necessary habits and drills of the game, and play their best, they had the potential to become good players in the game of life.

The sport could be football, soccer, golf, swimming, dance, a martial art, basketball and many other sports.
Typically, playing a sport requires good grades, so football could help Sam develop his academic potential as well. The important thing was to develop positive coping skills and become a team player.

Coach also believed that becoming a good team player could help Sam develop some exceptional relationship skills. Success Tool 1: Learn to Manage Frustration Sam, like many kids, lacked good frustration tolerance, which is an important life skill that can help create success. Because he didn't complete the challenging things he started, he didn't feel good about himself, and sometimes he took it out on others.
This behavior affected his relationships with his friends, who started avoiding him.

In order to overcome his frustration, Sam needed to learn to hang in there when the going got rough by doing the following: Change the way he thought about frustration. He learned to think to himself "Hey, I can manage this frustration" and "I can tolerate some discomfort.

" Break each challenge into manageable 20-minute steps, taking breaks to do something different between the steps.

Breathe deeply and focus on his task. Frustration tolerance is like developing a muscle -- the more you exercise a muscle, the stronger it becomes.
Sam needed to develop a stronger ability to contain more frustration. With more emotional muscle, he could improve his mood from his completions and get more done. The only way to develop strong frustration tolerance is to practice, practice and practice.

Start with five-minute steps, and gradually add more time.

When a task gets too frustrating, take a short time-out to do something different, and then get back to your task. It's important to breathe deeply and focus on the steps right in front of you.

Most people leave the present moment and give up because they imagine that it's too difficult, but Sam became skilled at bringing his mind back to the task in front of him.
He learned to say encouraging things to himself like "Come on, we can do this" and "I can tolerate some discomfort." Success Tool 2: Persist When You Want to Resist Sam started out the football season with his usual high motivation -- he felt like he could become the top player on the team.

During his first game, he scored two touchdowns against a mediocre team and basked in the crowd's applause and his teammates' praise.

But several weeks later, Sam ran into his familiar old problems when he faced the opposing team's incredibly strong defense.

Every time Sam tried to gain some yards, he would get tackled to the ground by the other players, and he was soon haunted by his emotional reactions.

He became frustrated and over-reactive, and he started swearing at several players and himself.

After the game he felt discouraged and thought to himself, "I'll never be a good player," which is an example of the distorted, pessimistic thinking that made him want to quit rather than persist through the challenges of the game. Sam was too hard on himself -- he was using perfectionist standards and needed to learn to turn mistakes into learning experiences.

Coach Allen saw the problem and talked with Sam about getting a stronger interpersonal defense system.
In his fatherly way, Coach said, "Son, you need to let this stuff roll off your back and push through the challenges with some determined thinking.
" However, this was not easy for Sam.

When it looked like he was going to quit after another discouraging game, Coach decided to have a talk with him. Deep into this discussion, Coach learned that Sam's dad had an alcohol problem and was not giving Sam fair and firm limits at home. Without these limits, Sam had learned to take the easy way out instead of developing the important character trait of persistence.

Sam talked about how his dad would take away his computer privileges for poor grades, but then his dad would get drunk and give the privileges right back.

As a result, Sam was not learning to persist when challenged or even to stick with his homework assignments, which are necessary for success in life. Sam said he missed having a positive relationship with his father, who left him wounded and longing. This explained a lot to Coach, who reminded Sam that even though he had problems at home, he could still learn strong success skills and develop great relationships.
A key to persistence is recognizing that there is a point when athletes feel defeated and want to give up.

This is theexact moment when you need to hang in there and clear your mind and take some deep breaths, reach within yourself and generate emotional muscle with some motivating statements, strive even more to become a stronger person, and continue practicing your drills and discipline habits so you can play even better at the next game. Coach understood a few things about relationship therapy and knew that Sam wanted help, and he said, "I'll work with you and help you, but it's going to take hard work and time to become a good player." Coach told Sam that perseverance is the ultimate tool in the game of life.

They discussed how Sam could use these skills with his homework and in his relationships with friends.
He started to feel good about doing better in school and developing positive relationships skills.

Success Tool 3: Learn to Master Procrastination Procrastination is the postponing of steps that could lead to a desired goal and a sense of accomplishment.

Since persistency is closely connected with breaking the procrastination habit, Coach wasn't surprised to learn that Sam had been a 5-star procrastinator.

Sam excelled in putting off the series of steps that could lead to positive achievement and a sense of empowerment.
His mom reported that his bedroom looked like a disaster zone: his dirty clothes were strewn all over the floor, and his sheets hadn't been washed in weeks.

His unfinished homework assignments were piled in messy stacks, which led to a series of incomplete grades in school.

When he thought of doing a task that seemed boring, he would often say "I'll get to it tomorrow," but tomorrow turned into months, and Sam began to feel like a loser.
He clearly needed help, and Miss Perkins, the school psychologist who specialized in adolescent therapy, was able to provide a road map to help Sam master his habit of procrastination. First, he kept track of how he sabotaged the completion of steps toward his desired goals. Sam recognized that his biggest enemy was his addiction to Facebook. He would think about completing a homework assignment, and to his credit he would often go to his computer and get started. But when a subject started to feel boring, he postponed working on his assignment and found himself going back to his Facebook page.

Somehow he managed to spend five hours connecting with friends and listening to his favorite bands on YouTube. Miss Perkins taught Sam that it was important to break down a task into 20-minute segments.

This involved doing some thinking ahead of time and laying out the exact steps he was going to take to complete a goal. They also blocked out five "procrastination days" on his calendar -- he needed to complete one 20-minute task on each of these days no matter what he felt. He could be down, depressed, annoyed or sleepy, but he had to practice working through those feelings while getting the steps completed. Sam could complete his homework assignments during these times.
Essentially, Sam just had to get the steps done, even though they seemed boring, because this is part of any goal worth achieving.

He had to learn to talk himself into doing things, saying things to himself like "Come on Sam, you can do this.
Anybody can spend 20 minutes completing tasks" and "I am an initiator and I get things done.
" These statements became like mantras to Sam and helped him cultivate the habits that would help make his football season a big success.

He learned that the small steps, taken daily, add up over time and build the momentum to break through to higher levels of functioning. Miss Perkins asked Sam to keep track of how he felt after the completion of each task.
Initially, he did not feel much better, but within a week, he was noticing some slight sense of improved energy.

Gradually, Sam began to feel like a different person.

He felt a growing sense of empowerment, and his funk days decreased.
He began to see the results of his efforts and this motivated him to keep going with his new behavioral changes. He learned to enjoy breaking tasks into small steps, and this really helped him move forward. Sam was on track toward developing an amazing relationship with himself.
He learned to support himself with positive self-talk, and he practiced getting things done while tolerating some discomfort.

After several weeks, Sam reported, "Hey, I feel a sense of accomplishment and positive energy when I get stuff done.

" He also said he felt empowered as he increasingly postponed spending time on Facebook. Procrastinators postpone doing what they don't want to do, and Sam learned to put off what he did want to do.

After six months, Sam had cut his Facebook time in half, and the time spent there was much more rewarding.
Best of all, Sam was handing in his assignments on time, getting good grades and starting to feel a growing sense of confidence.

His one 20-minute block of time per day had naturally expanded to three blocks per day, and when he was finished he could enjoy a guilt-free day.
Success Tool 4: Develop Good Relationships with Others Good relationships are our most valuable resource, and Sam still needed to work on his relationships with his teammates and friends.

He practiced making affirming statements like "I can bring up difficult topics with my friends, and we can become a tighter team" and "I do not have to be critical because a positive approach works best for the team.

" Because solid relationship skills are essential to success in life, Sam needed to learn to listen to the other person's side of the story, ask good questions in order to understand a teammate's perspective, express his views in a way that invited good teamwork instead of being bossy, and use more expressive "I" statements rather than judgmental "you" statements when talking to teammates and friends.

For example, the statement "I want us to work well as a team and support each other" is more constructive than "You guys complain too much and mess up our chances to do well." Success Tool 5: Use Realistic and Forward-Moving Thinking When Sam felt that he wasn't doing well, he regularly made negative statements to himself, which only made things worse. With the help of Miss Perkins, he learned to replace the negative statements with positive, proactive statements.
Sam learned to repeat forward-moving words in his head such as "I can do this and won't give up on myself," "I am a talented athlete" and "I am going to get A's and B's this semester.
" This was part of his good mental game.

He quit his habit of making distorted statements such as "I'll never be good at getting things done" or "I am just a failure at life.

" "Never" and "failure" are distorted words and were just fueling his feelings of low self-esteem.
His forward-moving mantra became "I won't give up on myself until I master this play. I will do it day by day." Sam also learned to expect to make mistakes because they are part of life and provide learning experiences.
By staying focused on his plays and improving the weak areas in his game, rather than getting stuck in self blame, Sam found that each game became an opportunity for growth.
He also learned to take the time to give credit to his teammates to keep team spirit high.

With time, Sam encouraged his teammates even when they made mistakes, which made him even more popular.
Success Tool 6: Set Motivating, Measurable Goals Sam had vague goals regarding football and life.

When asked about them he replied, "I just want to win.
" Coach Allen thought Sam needed to have specific goals that could be measured and that could motivate him.
After some serious thinking and help from Coach, Sam decided on the following three goals: Hand in my homework on time.
Improve my running speed and my ability to secure the ball when getting hit from various angles. Use more "I" statements than "you" statements when communicating with others.

Success Tool 7: Visualize Success As the season was coming to an end, Coach Allen felt really terrific about Sam's growth.
He admired how Sam was able to talk through his feelings rather than overreacting.
Coach could also see that Sam had become a better team player and was growing in popularity among his peers.
He had really improved his relationship skills, which would contribute to his success later in life.
He also noted the significant improvement in persistence.
However, Coach spotted one additional skill that could really help Sam, if he was motivated to practice it. That skill was visualization.

Coach told Sam that Olympic athletics, and many highly successful people, use this skill.
He knew that Sam loved to score touchdowns and how the high of one touchdown would keep him at peak performance at school, at home and on the playing field for at least two weeks.

Here is the road map Coach taught Sam to increase the probability of touchdowns.

Of course, these skills can be used in many other areas of life, and the more vividly you imagine the goal, the higher your probability of success.
Coach Allen told Sam to do the following: Find a quiet room and relax while taking several slow, deep breaths.

Imagine you are out on the field. Feel the ball in your hands, your helmet against your head and the cool air on your face.
See the other players, the end zone and the many rich details of being out on the playing field. Visualize the entire scene as true to life as you can.
Let yourself see, hear and feel as much as possible to get the best effect. Then imagine yourself running across the field for an 87-yard touchdown.

Feel your feet hitting the ground, hear the guys trying to catch up to you and focus on how you are moving ahead, outrunning the others. Feel your heart beating and your adrenalin rushing as you run into the end zone. Remember that your body does not know the difference between something deeply imagined and something actually practiced. Sam decided he would give the visualization a try for several weeks.

He woke up 15 minutes early so he could practice visualization while he was still relaxed from a deep sleep.
As he practiced, he became good at really getting the feel of the moves while visualizing. His efforts paid off; the last game of the season was a monumental success for Sam. With his new toolbox of practiced skills, he scored two touchdowns against a challenging team. As he did his hip-hop jig in the end zone, he let himself really feel the excitement of the ultimate natural high -- a touchdown that grew out of hard work, tenacious practice of new tools, and good teamwork.
The crowd roared their approval for Sam's achievement.

Several weeks after the last game, Sam told Coach Allen that he had a new goal: to attend college and play football.

Sam now had a goal and a vision that was truly his own, and this made all the difference in the world!

Get Your Engineer CE Online

Getting your required engineer CE has never been more convenient.
All the classes required to keep up-to-date on laws, regulations, hazardous materials and safety procedures are available online.

You can study the course, log the proper number of study hours, pass the test and gain a certificate all without leaving the comfort of your own home. Internet based training has radically changed the way we think about continuing education.

Rather than being an intrusion into our busy lives, the flexibility of online training lets us fit it easily into our existing schedule.
Training becomes convenient and enjoyable. Most of us have very full schedules as we try to juggle work and home life.

Not only are our personal calendars full, but so are the calendars of every member of our family. The strain of trying to juggle family conflicts alone is immense. Adding training for engineer CE into this can prove to be the straw that breaks the camel's back. But what if there was a way to do training not on a rigid schedule, but rather as an 'on-demand' service that could start and end the moment you tell it to? You are in luck - there is training just like this available to you today from internet training providers.

Continuing education is necessary to ensure that you stay compliant with State regulations and laws.

Engineer CE will help you stay on top of emerging trends and keep your knowledge fresh.

Taking this training online means the training works for you at a time and place that is convenient. You can log on at any time in the day - the 24 hour day.
There is no time, day or night, that the training is not available.

This means that you can work the training into the schedule without upsetting the delicate balance of the multiple household calendars.
Self study has been proven to be highly effective for students.

When you control the pace of your own study you will score higher on tests and retain the information for far longer than traditional classroom study.

Online study allows you to fit training into busy schedules and helps you to manage your own efforts. Log the required number of study hours for your engineer CE from the comfort of your own home.
Take courses for career development.
Stay compliant with State regulations and laws.
Log on and discover the convenience of internet based training today.

5 Top Strategies For Lowering Summer Camp Program Costs

Winter's grip has lightened.
Spring school break has already passed.

Every kid scratches and itches to finish this year's schooling and be released into the summer! But, for parents 2014 summer camp realities are already here. Choices Galore.
Besides sifting through the menu of camp program possibilities.

.

.

from outdoor amps with wilderness focus such as Outward Bound or National Outdoor Leadership.
.

.
to team sports camps like summer tennis camps, lacrosse camps summer golf camps summer cheerleading camps and more.

.
.
to arts and academic programs including summer acting camps, summer dance camps, summer art camp...
to special need amp programs including ADHD summer camps and even weight loss summer camps combining healthy living and moderate exercise.

Paying The Tab - Cost Saving Tip #1. "Early bird gets the worm" may be the operative cliché to describe what parents need to do, which is pick your summer camp program as early in the year...
or even register in the previous year if possible.

What do you get? Not guaranteed, but most camps reward early registrants with significant contract discounts of up to 15% or more.
Why the discount? It's all about business, money, knowing their future amp program revenue stream, so that their summer camp counselor jobs levels can be determined and the right kids selected.
Picking your camp program early may also "save money" not because you'll get a discount, but that you'll save real money and a lot of headaches if you fail to get your child a camp spot, and then have to scramble.
..
you could end up literally spinning your wheels and paying 50% more in some make-do situation.

Cost Saving Tip #2 - Think Locally For Great Programs And Lower Overall Costs. The greatest cost factor "variable" may be travel and transportation costs.

Living in Maryland and then sending Johnny to Montana's Glacier Park wilderness may sound cool.
.
.
but you're looking at serious money.

Yes, you want the "experience of a life time" for Johnny.

.
.

but money doesn't grow on trees so if you decide on a distance camp.

.

.
then you must hustle onto the Internet travel sites and buy your ticket as early as possible, before the "prime time" season rates lock in. Simple solution? In virtually every State and region.

..

across America and Canada.

.
. families can select from a wide range of cool, exciting, challenging summer camp programs, all within 1-day's drive distance.
Ask For Scholarship Aid - Cost Saving Tip #3.
If you have modest means.
.

. if you're a single parent..
.

if both parents work full time and can't afford either time off or extra money, then you need to ask your target camp whether they'll accept your child at a discounted price! The key here is to "offer" something in exchange for a lower price.

All camps' owner-managers try to lower costs while eking out an income over the short summer months period.

Be direct. Ask whether your child can join the camp, but.
.

.

also work for the camp. Cleaning up, preparing food, chopping or carrying wood, doing laundry, drying dishes, whatever. It's all about creating a value-exchange that means something for your family and the residential summer camp.
Controlling "Sundries" Expenses - Cost Saving Tip #4.

Day trips...

canteen snacks costs.

.

. rentals..
.
any of the normal "temptations" on hand could represent a significant "hidden cost" that parents need to investigate.

Refunds And Sick Child Early Departures - Cost Saving Tip #5.
Reputable camps will have clear standards for assisting families who pay "early deposits" then have a change of mind.

Make sure that any deposit moneys will be refunded in whole or in part before you make payments. Also, families may save significant money, in the event that your child become ill while at camp, by ensuring that the camp refund policy covers sickness early departure without penalties.

Citizens of Tomorrow

Children of today are citizens of tomorrow.
Here are some dos and donts.

1.

Treat your parents with respect.

They are the ones who brought you into the world. 2.
Do not do anything to hurt your brother or sister now or ever.
3.

Keep a simple work routine at school and after school.
4. Do not keep company of bad friends. Bad friends are friends who drink, smoke and gamble.

5.
Always complete your home work the same day it is given.

6.
Do not spend time before television watching all kind of marketing shows.

7.
Do spend time to learn about English Grammar/Literature, Maths, Sciences and so on.
Engage yourself in useful discussions that improve your learning of academic disciplines. 8.
Do not spend time watching adult shows or do not spend time at parties with other friends.
Helping your mama or your daddy out with their chores is much better than spending a drunk night with other teens. 8.
Smile at your friends.
Do not take favours from them without helping some of your other friends.

9.
Do not borrow with a big heart, always give with a big heart first. 10.
Do not think that another person is here to make your life miserable. Ask what you can do to help him out of trouble.

11.
Have some plans for your career growth.

Make distinct plans for your career and what you would like to achieve.
Remember today's children are tomorrows treasures. Make sure you grow up to do some good deeds in the world for yourself and for others who live near you.

Organizing Child Products

We are not born organized.
Being organized is a skill that some of us are better at than others. We learn to be organized.
We practice being organized, to stay organized and get better at it.
Why organize? Basically it is be able to know where some thing is so that it may be used repeatedly.

Lets examine some of the ways to organize your child and there items. A toy box is a good place to keep toys organized. Bookshelves are for books. Clothes should be kept in a closet or set of drawers.

School supplies should be in or near a desk. Teaching your child to be organized is the first step to being organized. Having a place to put things is essential.
A child will quickly learn where to find things through searching and repetition. The difficult part will be to get the child to return the "things" to where they originated.
Some items such as dirty clothes may not go to back to their original location.
Through example and repetition these skills will be valuable to a child throughout there lifetime. Some of the products that will aide you as the parent are discussed.

Baskets may be used for small items that are to be relocated.

A toy box is an excellent place to organize toys.

There are many varieties of toy box styles available.
A toy box with drawers is a good choice.
Toy boxes with shelves are also available.

There are designs for a toy box that includes see through bins.
Toy organizers also come in many designs that include; plastic bins, trays, stocking compartments, flush back display, 2 sided display, clear containers, movable shelves, storage cubbies, and coat lockers.
These toy organizers are generally at toddler height and can be mounted on wheels for roll away convenience.
Stack on shelves are a more economical way to achieve organization.

A small desk or chair is a good place to store school supplies. A baby changing station with compartments can keep infant supplies organized.

Bookshelves that display the book titles will help keep books organized.

A well organized toy box can store any excess school supplies.
Reusable labels are very helpful when organizing.
So start teaching your child as soon as possible to be organized. Children start learning almost immediately after birth.

A good toy organizer is an excellent product to start with. As the child grows and more items are accumulated, more products may be needed.

Organizational skills will be with a child forever.

Making a Big Step to Build Your Website

For your company to grow, you need to put up a website. It may seem like a small step but it's not. It requires your full attention and co-operation to pull it off.
Single out your team Look for professional web designers with a good and clean record in their work. Examine their portfolios and explain to them the goals and expectations of your website.

If you are carrying out a big project, then you will need a larger team to assist in making the work easier and more efficient. Make a budget and stick to it Base your budget on the expenditure you will use in building your site to avoid overspending.

This also helps in purchasing only important items for your website.
You should also learn to follow the budget to the latter and never stray from it.
Come up with inspirational ideas This is a vital step in building your website.
Take your time to go through other sites whether or not they are in the same field as the one you want to start.
As you do this, don't forget to note crucial details such as the functionality, logo, navigation, layout and style.
Note down the sites you like or dislike, things you like about them and your experience while visiting the sites. Is the site confusing? Do you like the content? Visit most of your competitors' sites as well to avoid similar branding of your products and have a clear understanding of the target your site should reach. State your proposed goals Both short-term and long-term goals are vital in building your site and expanding your business.

You and your team should come up with these goals and decide on how to undertake each one of them.
Who will be in charge of the management of the website? Outline your site's target Your website's goal is to attract your target market and attract frequent visitors by understanding their language.

Knowing your clients very well helps you have a site that is able to answer all their questions pertaining to your products. These questions can assist you: Who is your target market? What are their age brackets? Young or old? What information do they need? What is their inspiration? Where do they reside? Do they visit your site at home or at work? What do they expect as they go to your website? How do they use your website? Select a unique domain These days, an available memorable domain is very hard to find.

It takes time to come up with a name for your brand or products.
The name has to say something about the brand, so it should be a unique one. Be patient and don't get frustrated because you still haven't decided on the correct name.

Get help and suggestions from your working team or close acquaintances. After some time, you will finally find a perfect name for your brand.

Gaining an Online Nursing Assistant Education

There are numerous nursing assistant career positions for students to choose from when looking to enter this exciting field.

Accredited online educational training programs are available to offer students the chance to pursue the career they long for. Gaining an online nursing assistant education can be done by enrolling in an online school or college and gaining the knowledge needed to enter the workforce.

Not all training in this field can be completed online due to hands on learning being necessary for obtaining all skills.

Students can start by researching various programs and looking into what it takes to pursue a career.
*Education will prepare students to carry out a number of tasks.
Online training will prepare students to become professionals who help take care of a variety of patients.

Duties can include assisting patients and clients in eating, bathing, dressing, activities, and more. With accredited educational training students will also learn to take vital signs, change bandages, chart patient history, coordinate testing procedures, and many other relevant tasks.
In order to become a nursing assistant students will need to choose their desired career and complete various coursework. *Careers in this area are plentiful, allowing students to choose from a number of exciting positions. Accredited online training can be completed to pursue careers as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), Patient Care Technicians, Nurses' Aides, Home Health Aides, and more.

By enrolling in a nursing assistant program students will be able to train for a position in a variety of places.

With the proper education students will be able to seek employment in hospitals, clinics, physicians' offices, home health, assisted living facilities, and many other places where this kind of work is needed.

Training for any of these careers will require students to complete the required training and coursework. *Coursework for nursing assisting will vary by desired career and the length and level of education obtained.

Training can last anywhere from six weeks to two years depending on the desired career and area of specialization.
Courses may include the study of subjects like nutrition, anatomy, CPR, medical terminology, sociology, medication administration, charting, dementia care, psychology, basic nursing skills, medical ethics, physical therapy, and many other topics.

With an accredited online education in these areas students will be ready to carry out a number of tasks related to their career area.

Obtaining skills and knowledge in these areas will provide students with the means to seek employment.

When looking to gain an online education, students should make sure it carries full accreditation prior to enrollment.
Accredited online nursing assistant schools and colleges can give students the quality education they need and deserve.

Full accreditation is provided by agencies like the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission ( ) to online learning programs that qualify. Students can ensure they will gain the skills they need for a successful career by obtaining an accredited education.

Researching available online programs will help students learn more about the one that fits their individual needs and goals. Start by enrolling in a program today.
DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.

org. Copyright 2010 - All rights reserved by PETAP.

org.

Things You Should Know - The Lottery System

People who dream of becoming millionaire just couldn't stop wondering if there's a system involved in lottery.

Some believe there is and some just don't. But if you think about it, each number that comes up from the lottery machine seems to follow a system or pattern.
Just like how numbers are sequenced in Abacus or how the key characters are arranged in a computer machine. So it's not impossible that lottery also follows a systematic process.

This possibility is being recognized by many mathematicians and Engineers.

Above all, these people are the expert when it comes to numbers. This is why they came up with various derivations of lottery system involving Math formulas.
Lottery System calculator and other lottery system can be utilized to increase your winning chances, thus reducing the money you could be wasting due to wrong number choices.
So how does this lottery system works? To start off, first, you have to choose what lottery you want to play as the system varies per lottery game.

Then just launch the lottery software and enter some random numbers which the calculator uses to generate new number combination.

Just like other computer games, as you go along with the process, you will learn some cool techniques which will help you more in an actual lotto games.

These lottery system software are now available online.

There are also some that comes in a package for a good deal.
But you must bear in mind though that these systems will not work on their own.
Just like normal calculator or computer machine, it needs human operation for its potential to be utilized properly.
As you use these software, you will learn more techniques and skills, not just in winning the lottery, but also enhances your Math ability.

So these software are truly beneficial.

Taking Control of Your Kids Energy

I am taking psychology 101 in college right now and am learning an incredible amount. There is one thing I have learned about that I think you will be very interested in. There are some tools we can use to control (to a certain extent) your kids energy without yelling at them, talking to them, begging or pleading.
In fact my professor told us he was using these techniques on us (and they were working), but we didn't even know it.
The actual details behind it are little complicated to explain, but I'll outline the basics in this post. This might sound a little confusing for a moment, but I'll explain it all.

Located in the base of our Brain is our Pineal Gland, as lights begin to fade this gland is told to secrete a hormone called melatonin (you've probably heard of this hormone before).
As melatonin levels build up we begin to feel sleepy, however if more light starts coming into our eyes our melatonin levels will go back down and we will become more awake.
Ok.

.

.
that is confusing, so how does it apply? Basically, the dimmer the lights are the more tired we will feel and if they get brighter we will feel less tired.
I get it! Tell me how it applies to my ministry? - When transitioning from a high energy time (like games, or praise) to a calmer time (like teaching or more intimate worship) you can dim the lights and the kids energy will dim a little also.
- If the kids are starting to get sleepy during the lessons, or look like they've gone into their own little world you can help wake them up and give them enough energy to listen to your teaching by increasing the light levels.

- Make Game time and praise times have even more energy by increasing the light levels in the room.
I think you get the point.
Lighting has a HUGE control over the energy of our kids (it's not the only factor, but it is the main one). Be sure that all your lights are adjustable so you have more control over their energy.

This is an awesome way to help guide the children in your ministry.
One of my Role Models, Pastor Mike from Shepherd of the Hills, confirmed this for me.

He told me that in every room he has a lot of adjustable lighting.

Also, in my Podcast with Randy Triplett from Creative For Kids, Randy told me that often we don't have enough lighting in our Children's Ministry.

So don't take it from me, take from those two experts, this is extremely important. Understanding how the Brain works defiantly can empower you as a Children's Ministry Leader.
Here is what you should do: Explore this idea, see how lighting effects your kids.

Kids' Building Blocks

There are many toys on the market today that can promote various skills for children. These are good investments, as kids will be able to grow while they are having fun. Kids' building blocks are among the more traditional toys that children enjoy playing with while also supporting their abilities.

In a world where video games and computers rule, it is nice to still provide your children with basic toys that they can use to foster many different skill sets.
A child's creativity can be heightened when they are allowed to play with building blocks.
Since there are many different blocks in various shapes and sizes, the kids can build a variety of structures. They may choose to create a castle, store, or house. Some block sets also come with wheels so that those using them to create cars. This would allow the children to put together an entire town made solely from blocks.

This creativity allowed with kids' building blocks also promotes divergent problem solving skills. These abilities allow children to find multiple ways to solve a problem.

With blocks, there is always more than one way to build whatever it is the child wants to create.

For example, he may choose to use one large rectangle block for the side of a building, or two smaller square shapes. If presented with the request to building a tower, there are many different ways the blocks can be placed to create the structure.
Building blocks shared amongst children can also support cooperative play. Kids need to be able to work together even when playing. Block sets typically come with enough pieces for two or three children to have enough to build whatever their hearts desire. Compiling the blocks into one stack to create a large object is beneficial for the kids, as they will learn that teamwork is important to reach a common goal.

Physical abilities such as motor skills and eye-hand coordination are also encouraged by building blocks.

Motor skills are necessary in order to pick the blocks and place them together to create an object.

Fine motor skills are typically what are being worked here.

However, gross motor skills will also come into play when it is time to clean up the blocks and place them back where they belong.

Eye-hand coordination is also endorsed, as the children need to be able to put the blocks where they need to go when building with blocks. As you can see, many different skills can be promoted with the use of kids' building blocks. Many children love to sit down in the floor with a pile of blocks and let their imaginations run wild.
What they do not know is that they are supported a wide variety of abilities that are need to be endorse as they children grow up.

Free Websites That Teach Science and Learning

Plenty of websites out there claim that they have the better curriculum for no cost at all.
But that's not always the case, because some of them aren't as good as the other websites.
Here is a compilation of several websites that teach you all about learning and science for free. But remember there's only so much that you can get for a free education.
So these methods aren't exactly the recommended idea. Anyways, here they are the best websites for learning and teaching.

1. Scitable is the first website that you may want to check out when considering online science learning.

This site is a classroom source and a easy way to learn about science and evolution.
Use it for any of your learning needs.
2.
iTunes U is a must use for online learning needs.
Here you can browse lectures, powerpoints, and presentations, from over 700 colleges nation wide. With this you will have a wide variety of options for your online learning needs, and for free.

Use it for anything that is troubling you, you're bound to find an answer somewhere on here.

3. Lastly we have the ultimate space science website for you to visit and learn from.
Once you enter Space.com you won't have to go anywhere else when it comes to planets and solar systems around us. This truly is a fantastic site to use for easy learning and astronomy. Use these website for your needs, and you'll have no more need for looking around.

Twitter in the Classroom

Here are two reasons to bring Twitter into your classroom: 1) to study twitter itself as part of a media literacy unit, and 2) to use twitter as a collaborative tool: 1.
Examining Twitter in the classroom to see how social media tools are changing the way the world communicates. Social networking (web 2.
0) is changing the way the world communicates.

Here are some real-life examples involving Twitter to stimulate media literacy discussions: First of all, CNN reported a story on Steve Tucker, a wheat farmer from Nebraska who has more people following him on Twitter in his online community than people who live in his physical community.

(They interviewed him using Video Skype.) He tweets using his cell phone from the middle of nowhere. Also, Twitter and social networks are changing the way news gets reported. For example, people in Tehran were able to use their cell phones to tweet what was happening during the Iran election and subsequent demonstrations.
Next, politicians are using social networks to communicate with and mobilize their voters.

At the time of writing, 15,797 people were following Prime Minister Harper's Twitter account (twitter.
com/pmHarper) and 1,654,168 people were following President Obama (twitter.com/BARACKOBAMA) Finally, identity theft can happen on social networking pages.
Well known celebrities and personalities are being impersonated and slandered by people who create false accounts in their name. For example, St.

Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa sued Twitter in June 2009 when someone impersonated the Cardinals manager.
Twitter now offers verified accounts for high-profile twitter accounts, including Ashton Kutcher (twitter.
com/aplusk), Ellen DeGeneres (twitter.

com/TheEllenShow) and Britney Spears (twitter.

com/britneyspears).
According to Twitterholic, Kutcher, DeGeneres and Spears have more followers on Twitter than CNN (twitter.com/cnnbrk) 2.
Using Twitter in the Classroom as a collaboration tool Similar to blogs, wikis, and Google docs, twitter is another digital medium that helps people (including students) collaborate and communicate.
Here are some paper-and-pencil examples of teaching strategies in the classroom: 1) Think, pair, share is a common teaching strategy that provide students with an opportunity to independently try a problem as well as get feedback from their immediate peers and entire class. 2) Having students write responses on post-it notes can be a great paper-and-pencil tool to help students become more precise in their answers.
Writing on a post-it note can be less intimidating than a larger piece of paper. 3) Posting examples of student work on the wall allows students to see what excellence looks like 4) Timely feedback allows students to self-correct and guides their learning.
Twitter is a neat "little" collaboration tool that allows you to do the same teaching strategies online.

You could create individual or group Twitter accounts for your students.

A class account follows all of the students so we get a live feed of ideas which you can then project using a data projector.
1) It's kind of like using classroom clickers (i.
e. SMART student response system), but instead of being limited to multiple-choice answers or numerical responses, you're texting in short messages.

In the computer lab, you could ask a question in response to a text (printed or media) and have students respond on Twitter. 2) Think, Pair, Share using Twitter: Think - composing a response on twitter and submitting it.

Pair - Seeing what other people are tweeting and revising your tweet based on their feedback.

Share - have students turn off their monitors and have a whole-class conversation about the question. 3) Students can post responses to a question on Twitter which can be read by their peers allowing for immediate feedback.

Responses are limited to 144 characters which is the digital equivalent of a post-it note. Integrating technology into the curriculum helps prepare students for the real world, validates this genre of literacy, and can motivate / interest students in a way that traditional paper-and-pencil tasks do not.

Essence of High Quality and Creative Children's School Supplies

Don't you get that excitement when your child starts going to school? Witnessing the beginning of your child's education is one of the most unforgettable moments in your life as a parent. It is very normal to feel excited with your child when a new school year is about to start.
It is not just an obligation to give your child education because it may be a basis of what kind of future your child holds.

For this reason, it is also essential to not only support your child but provide enough encouragement in making him or her enthusiastic about schooling as well.
This may mean giving the appropriate education and school materials that your child will be eager about.
Children school supplies have been specifically designed to make every child love the idea of going to school and at the same time, have functional items used for school.

When school is about to start, these items can be seen everywhere and creative designs apparently make attractive school stuff for children.
Some of the most popular designs that would make your child enthusiastic about may include any of the following: · Disney Toy Story · Disney Mickey Mouse · Disney Princess · Disney Winnie the Pooh Characters · Disney Pixar Cars · High School Musical · Pirates of the Carribean · Sponge Bob Squarepants · Dora the Explorer · Nickelodeon's Camp Rock Children school supplies have been manufactured with various designs for girls and boys of all ages to make use of.

Since toddler and pre-school marks the beginning of education, it is important to make it fun and enjoyable by kids. School items like pencils, erasers, pencil cases, crayons, markers, bags, and other stuff have been made colorful and appealing to a child's taste.
Everyone, whether parents, children and what not, is well aware that Disney and Nickelodeon are the most watched and influential channels for children. Because of the powerful impact of media to kids around the world, manufacturers have produced a variety of items with Disney and Nickelodeon characters. Common school stuff designed with Tinkerbell, Hannah Montana, Mickey Mouse, Spiderman, and other cartoon characters are the following: · Pencils · Erasers · Colored Markers · Colored Pencils · Crayons · Pencil Cases · Notebooks Parents and teachers should know the importance of children school supplies in a child or student's education.

Along with school curriculum and educators, the quality of school supplies affects one's education.
Although there are some not-so necessary items, these still fall under school supplies: · Gel Scented Pens · Stationery Sets · School Bags · Lunch Boxes · Stamp and Roll Markers Nevertheless, the school supplies that you choose to buy for your child should be sufficient quality so they won't be easily be damaged.

High quality education materials are essential to also avoid children to be distracted when it breaks especially during a class or study time. Low quality school items may interfere with your child's progress. Considering this, you should always consider not only the appealing feature of any of the school supplies, but also, the quality of the materials.
Don't settle for weak pencils, thin papers, and other low quality materials that could only result to unwanted distraction when they break.

7 Practical Tips for Buying Girls School Shoes

As a mother of three girls aged 8, 6 and 2, I know how difficult it can be to choose the right girls school shoes that keep everyone happy. The shoes you choose need to meet all the criteria that you as a mother would want such as durability, cost and function. At the same time they must appeal to your daughter's sensibilities and what they believe is the 'in thing' at school if she is going to wear them willingly! If this pressure of buying the 'right' footwear were not enough you are then faced with the prospect of actually having to find and buy the shoes in the shops. This can mean having to trek through shops to buy school shoes just as every other mother seems to be out doing the same for their precious daughter! All too often the whole episode is a stressful experience fraught with potential arguments, re-opened family disputes and hours spent feverishly parading around the busy shopping malls or high street with a stroppy daughter on tow! So as a mother and footwear expert I've come up with a few tips which will hopefully make your shopping experience a whole lot easier!! So, read and take on board the following 7 tips and hopefully buying your daughters school shoes will be a much more rewarding and less anguished experience! 1) First Of All - Know What's Acceptable At Your School - Many schools have restrictions on the colour and sometimes the style of shoes which are acceptable so please check with the school before you do anything else!  2) Get Your Daughters Feet Professionally Measured and Fitted - Girls will wear their school shoes for far longer periods than any of their other shoes - usually around 8 hours a day, five days a week.
It is therefore really important that they fit correctly, not just for comfort but from the point of view of foot health now and later in adulthood. Note: being measured and fitted is not just for Primary School children.

Did you know that none of the bones in a child's foot are fully developed until they are 18 years old? Up until then the majority of your daughter's foot is made up of cartilage so ill-fitting school shoes can do permanent damage to their feet which in turn could cause major foot and back problems later in life.
So, having their feet correctly measured by a trained shoe professional and then having their shoes fitted can make all the difference. Of course buying well-made shoes with adequate support should be your objective and will help prevent problems now and in the future. Your trained shoe professional should be able to advise you here.
3) Always Allow Room For Growth - It is imperative that you allow room for your daughters feet to grow and for their little toes to move.

As a general rule there should be a thumb's width between the end of the longest toe and the end of the shoe.
Hush Puppies shoes are great for this as they use their fit-right fit-left system of foot beds to ensure that their shoes fit each foot correctly.
The foot beds are removable so you can stand your daughter on the foot bed outside of the shoe and then measure the distance between the end of their largest toe and the front edge of the foot-bed quite easily.

  4) Choose Shoes With Adequate Support - Girls shoes should be styled to hold the shoe on the foot.
So choosing a ballet pump style is simply not good enough for your daughter and is going to offer very little support or shock absorption with the thin sole.

If your daughter insists on a more lightweight shoe then you could compromise with a Mary Jane style that is similar but has either a Velcro or buckle strap for added support.
  5) Choose Leather Shoes Whenever You Can - Girls school shoes come in a variety of materials but the benefits of choosing a leather outer and linings far outweigh their cheaper synthetic alternatives.
Leather is much harder wearing so will last longer.
Leather linings allow feet to breathe and so reduce sweat and the chances of smelly feet at the end of a long day! 6) Finally, Choose Your Shopping Days Wisely - The last week or two of the school holidays are the busiest time for school shoe shopping.

So, try to go a few weeks before children go back to school. You'd be very unlucky if they outgrew their new shoes in this short space of time! Also, try to go on a weekday if you possibly can. Even better go after work.
It's much quieter than at the weekend. Oh, and don't forget to take some school socks with you - getting fitted in the correct socks is imperative! Don't forget that when out shopping girls are often in their flip-flops or sandals in the summer! 7) Consider Buying School Shoes On-Line - If you can find a reputable on-line shoe shop then you can potentially do all your shoe shopping from the comfort of your own home and avoid the stress of locating shoes in the shopping malls.

Also, if you find a smaller company you sometimes find that you can build up a relationship with the owner who will get to know your daughters feet well and will be happy to offer advice on an ad-hoc basis long after you buy your first pair from them.

However, do make sure they have the right qualifications and credentials and be sure to sound out their advice at least initially. Also check they have a clear method describing how to measure your daughters feet. They should also be happy to communicate directly with you and offer advice on different brands, measuring and fitting.

Finally, do ensure they have a clearly defined returns/exchange policy before you give them a try!  I hope this has given you some food for thought and some ideas on how best to search for girls school shoes.
Do spend time researching this subject and look carefully for a professional supplier who offers more than just cheap and cheerful shoes. Seek expertise and quality shoe brands - the long term health of your daughter may well depend on it!

What The End of Net Neutrality Could Mean For You

The FCC has passed a proposal that opens the debate concerning the future of the Internet. The proposal will be debated in Congress and elsewhere, and calls for preserving open access to the Internet by banning the largest broadband providers, like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and others, from blocking any websites.

It also opens the door for these providers to cut deals with content providers, such as Amazon and Netflix, to have preferential treatment by creating a certain type of fast lane for their customers.
While the largest content providers would realize a competitive advantage for this fast lane access, it would potentially harm those lacking the resources to jump on this Internet super highway.

Their content would move at a slower pace and, in theory, make their product less desirable. This would also end what is called "Net Neutrality", or free and equal access to the Internet, a concept that all Internet traffic should be treated equally by broadband providers.
Many argue that the end of Net Neutrality would create a sort of open season for large content companies to provide users with "fast" and "slow" Internet connections. They believe these companies would charge a premium for the faster service while somehow penalizing those who only want the less expensive slower service.

Some even believe the content providers would slow down their non-premium connection to the point where users would be forced to pay extra to maintain standard quality.

The most vocal opponents to this change in Internet access appear to be young people, entrepreneurs and consumer advocates, many with good reason.
Open access to the Internet has enabled many technology start-ups to gain traction with limited funding. It has helped young entrepreneurs and smaller companies level the playing field with other larger competitors as they position themselves for growth.
Creating different levels of broadband use could create an information dam between large enterprises and smaller companies, as many try to gain a foothold with new innovative ideas and products.
In question as well will be differentiating between large users and small users of broadband.

For example, will large retailers who send out vast amounts of data to consumers be charged at the same rate as say a financial firm who needs high speed access to conduct equity transactions? Still another group desires more change. They would like to overhaul the current system by reclassifying broadband as a utility like your telephone service or electric company. This would make the Internet subject to even more intensive government regulation.

Companies such as Google and Microsoft would probably use their vast resources to fight any potential change in access that would negatively impact their ability to provide services at current levels. Any potential new law or legislation could face legal scrutiny and be tied up in the courts for years.
Yet many of the largest content providers seem to have a plan for some type of change to the current system and are poised to pursue it. A change that may not be in the best interests of the average business owner or average consumer.

Safe and Educational Play With Wooden Blocks

Children love to play.

At their young age, they don't care much about the world around them.
All they understand are their needs and their happiness.

Well, parents are happy to oblige because childhood is a short-lived moment.

So parents let their children be themselves and enjoy their play time. A day care center, for one, is a fantastic place for children to stay and play.

They are often equipped with safe and educational day care supplies and equipment that children will surely have fun with.

One of the best items that children can play with is a set of wooden blocks.

Wooden blocks encourage children to be creative. These blocks can entice them to build anything their imagination can think of. By carefully stacking them, children can create a fortress, a tower or a building that can serve as a temporary home for their dolls and teddy bears.
They can also make pillars, arches and fun obstacles which their toy cars can hurdle on. There are also wooden blocks that are puzzle units which are fantastic play material for the kids. Through wooden block puzzles, children will be able to learn how to solve problems and distinguish the parts from the whole.
These are great items that help develop the logical thinking of the children.

What is good about wooden blocks is that they are practically safe for children to use.
Unlike their plastic counterparts that often get recalled due to their unsafe paints and some lead contamination, wood doesn't encounter similar problems.
They are also highly durable and can last many years.

Tips on Web Support for Referencing for New Age Learners

Webcasting through functions such as Elluminate and Instant Presenter is a tool that provides voice and video (webcast) support within a standard web browser. Users can watch or listen to the video, chat, vote on questions, and share the microphone with the anchor, providing a rich interactive experience with inclusion of desktop sharing, presentation tools, and graphs of votes. You need to leverage on the use of social bookmarking sites such as FURL that allow websites to be tagged, added to the personal webpage, and then shared with others.

This provides a quick and effective way of referencing.

Using them, you can form a learning group together with your friends and build up a collection of web resource to support your studies.

The assistance would be amazing. This principle of tagging and sharing is also the concept behind a collaborative web browser called Flock, which encourages peer supported learning.

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a simple way to distribute a list of headlines, update notices, and web- based contents to a wide audience. Web 2.0 promotes student-centered learning.

As a reader, it also allows you to become the producer of knowledge, enabling you to share your work with other audience.
Such interactive Web 2.
0 technologies increase creativity. You can write, film, and publish. It may be in audio or video.
It is collaborative and can be used to create learning networks and communities of interest.
E-pals project is considered to be the world's largest online classroom, providing many opportunities and can be used for both formal and informal purposes. Typical Web 2.0 technologies such as Wikis, which are interactive web pages that allow you to create and edit content using any web browser led to the phenomenal growth in blogging.
They provide you with a tool using which you can share your personal experience and knowhow with the world. Wikis allows collective information gathering and editing in a fairly simple way without requiring complicated HTML coding knowledge.
Podcasts, which are chunks of audio content designed to support face-to-face sessions which may be accessed anytime, anywhere is yet another innovation in Web 2.
0 tools. As per your needs, you can download the audio files onto a standard MP3 player.

As a new-age learner, you need to find your own ways to use these technologies for your smart referencing.

To make your learning hasslefree using your PC or laptop on internet, you can sign in for a remote repair support that is available 24x7 at an affordable cost.

All About Contractors/Surety Bond

The Construction companies that are in the quest of major projects both public and private understand the basic prerequisite of bonds. They have always been around in some way or the other.

Some are very pessimist about bonds and consider them redundant.

Some of the firms take bonds as the foundation for the firms to right of entry to bid on the projects. Suretyship Suretyship is like a financial guarantee. This financial guarantee is in the form of credit wrapped.

This bond is basically to make sure that the principal performs its obligations to the obligee. If during the events the Principal is not successful to execute its obligations, then this bond comes into the picture and provides the monetary allowance to allow the recital of the obligation to be concluded.
Difference between Surety bonds and Insurance The major difference between the surety bonds and Insurance is the Principal's guarantee to the surety. As you are aware that in insurance, the one who holds the policy pays the premium and receives the benefits that is subject to terms and the conditions.
Loss estimation is also a very major difference.

Insurance policies tend to utilize their loss estimation to settle on the suitable premium. They make sure that the suitable premium also capitulate a good amount of profit.
Types of surety bonds Bid- These bonds is responsible to provide guarantee to the project owner.
This guarantee states that states that the contractor is submitting the bid in good trust, and he aims to execute this contract at the bid price and is capable to get hold of required performance bonds.
Performace- This bond is responsible to provide the economic protection from the surety to the obligee. The obligee here means the project owner.

This is required when the contractor is not capable of performing their obligation that were under the contract.
Payment- This bond provides the Obligee with the assurance suppliers of the material and sub-contractors will be paid by the Surety. This will happen in the event if the Principal defaults on his payment obligations to those third parties.
Underwriters The underwriters in surety have a compound and on-going responsibility.
These responsibilities are assessing the principals looking for a bond.

Warnings The main purpose of the surety bonds is to filter out those contractors that may be good but may not have full knowledge of all the aspects of their venture to take on the projects. The surety underwriters are always on the watch out for the warning signs.

These sings may be before or after issuing the bond. • Some points to be noted down that might concern bond writers are:- • Bad management of project and the accounts • Swift Expansion • The issues in the quality with the sub-contractors • Shortage of labor and supplies • Cost • Delays related to disastrous weather disastrous weather

Regular Practice Is A Simple Way Parents Can Help Their Children Learn Mathematics

Arithmetic is one of the starting points for learning mathematics. But children start to learn about numbers, the foundations of Arithmetic, once they are a few months old and certainly once they begin to speak.

One, Two and Three are words and concepts which are common to English and Arithmetic.

Almost all children know the difference between one or two chocolates, especially if they are only given one and a friend two. It is often said that children don't know the concept of zero or none, I suspect this is untrue "If you don't eat your tea you'll get no afters" is something that any child can understand - even worse "There's none left your brother ate it all.

" So your children will build up an understanding of numbers and counting from everyday life before they even go to school.

You can improve their learning by talking about numbers and asking simple questions.

How many bags of chocolates will I need to buy if you have three friends round and you have one each? This may be simple stuff but it's the repetition of simple questions that builds knowledge and makes it second nature.

Arithmetic and mathematics is about using symbols to come up with answers without counting physical objects.
To be any use maths has to give us the same answers as we would get from actually counting real objects (cups, ice creams or bars of chocolate).
This suggests a simple strategy: Start just counting physical objects Then write corresponding arithmetic down whilst counting physical objects Finally just write down arithmetic.

If your children get stuck with just the arithmetic: either go back to physical objects or encourage them to use their imagination to "see" physical objects How many years does it take to be able to speak and read? Maybe only one or two years to say "mama, dada and cat" but probably at least 15 to be able to read and recite Shakespeare.
How many years does it take to learn to play the piano or be great at sports? Again probably 10 or 15 years.

This isn't to say that progress can't be made after a year or even a week, but success takes time and practice.
Practice to learn the skills in the first place and then continued practice to maintain them.
Even world class musicians continue to practice and practice the basics such as scales, for without regular practice skills and knowledge tends to fade away.

Many people expect success to come quickly and easily, only to get disappointed and give up when they find this doesn't happen. In many ways the key to success is to be able to continue to practice without undue expectation, over time success will come.

At school learning times tables is seen as a key milestone. When people talk about learning times tables they really mean being able to recall times tables facts quickly and accurately. This requires: practice to learn and understand in the first place regular revision or practice to keep skills up and knowledge fresh "Little and Often" is a great technique for learning,a few minutes every day means that sessions are not so long as to be boring and not so far apart that what has been learned gets completely forgotten by the next session.

So what does this actually mean? Just spend a few minutes every day asking times table questions. Five minutes should be ample. How about on the way to school? Does it have to be every day? No, but it does have to be regular and once you start missing days you don't have to miss too many before your sessions aren't regular anymore. Five minutes may not seem a lot, but in UK the school day is about 6 hours long with about 1 hour taken for lunch and breaks.
That leaves 5 hours or 300 minutes.

If there are 20 pupils in the class and the teacher shares their time equally between the pupils that is only 15 minutes of undivided attention each.
I'm sure parents wouldn't think it strange to teach their children how to count why do they think it is strange to help them learn their times tables? Rather than be a teacher why not be a practice buddy?

Bed Tents For Kids - Powerful Allies in Ending the Go-To-Bed-Fight and Making Sleep Time Fun

Most parents are far too familiar with the problem of their kids fighting when they are sent to bed.
It's bad enough at night-time, but getting them to take an afternoon nap is even worse.
And the worst thing: The more you fight, the more they fight back, making it almost impossible to get them to sleep. The trick to end this fight is simple: Make them want to go sleep.

Give them something to look forward to, make sleep times adventures.
Bed tents for kids can do wonders. Here are 3 major benefits of bed tents, 3 major reasons why they work: It's something different Greater feeling of privacy and security Less distraction Benefit 1: They are something different Kids love adventures.
Sleep tents are something different from the boring bed.

Tents are adventurous, something kids love to be in.

They let their fantasy go wild and will earn them their peer's admiration. That makes going to sleep interesting and something to look forward to. Benefit 2: They offer a greater feeling of privacy and security Children might feel a bit lost in their big room. Bed tents for kids create a comfortably small room and offer more privacy than a bed.
Your child feels safer and less observed in his little "hide-away cave".

That's great for kids who are easily scared in the dark by the objects around them.

Your child's stuffed animals can give security all night without falling out of the bed.

Benefit 3: They result in less distraction Especially for afternoon naps, the interesting world around often distracts your child and prevents him from sleeping. A bed tent locks unwanted distractions out.

Your child can listen to soothing music or play with some toys until he eases off to sleep. If your child likes to read herself to sleep in the evening, simply hang up a lantern or torch and she can enjoy her favourite book secretly.

Remember: The key to end the go-to-bed-fight is to make your child want to go sleep. That's why bed tents for kids work better than standard beds - They are more interesting.

If you have enough space, you can even let your child have a bed tent and a bed and give him the honor to decide where to sleep. "Do you want to sleep in your bed or tent tonight?" often works better than "Go to bed!"