Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:30:11 +0000

Sixty five years ago today, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 — better known as the GI Bill. It’s been heralded as one of the most important pieces of legislation to ever come out of Washington. This single measure alone helped build the middle class for which post World War II America was renowned. It did it by puting a college education and home ownership within reach of millions of veterans returning home after the war.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:39:07 +0000

Puns--at least the good ones--offer a win-win situation. They simultaneously make you think and make you laugh.

Here are a few that you might enjoy.

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. (It's amazing to think that in another generation, kids raised in a paperless high tech world, may not even know what this pun means).

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:20:00 +0000

If you have a teen age child or know someone who does, high school is likely to be an important topic. If so, you may find it helpful to turn to the latest report on the top 1500 high schools in the U.S. The public schools are ranked according to a ratio which takes into account such factors as the number of Advanced Placements relative to the number of graduating seniors. All of the schools on the list are in the top 6 percent of public schools measured this way.

First on the list? A school aptly titled Talented and Gifted in Dallas Texas. For the complete list, go to http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:37:35 +0000

English is said to contain more words than any other language on the planet. (Mandarin Chinese comes in second with about 450,000 words.) And this week, our mother tongue added its millionth word--Web 2.0! The term refers to the second, more social generation of the Internet. Given that over a dozen words are added to our language on a daily basis, it seems fitting that the landmark word identified this week deals with something that is so representative of the modern age.

The arrival was announced by the Global Language Monitor, a Web site that uses a math formula to estimate how often words are created. Of course, claims like this do not go unchallenged.

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:51:24 +0000

The figures about high school graduation rates in the United States are more than disheartening. The estimate is that approximately twenty-five percent of our nation's youth do not receive high school diplomas. it is a figure that is troubling at every level--for the students, for their families, and for the nation.

Against that background, the achievements of a high school in North Carolina are exhilarating.

Mon, 25 May 2009 17:51:50 +0000

Tom Sticht, a well-known consultant in adult education has offered, for Memorial Day, an interesting piece about our history. It deals with the Civil War when the Union Army initiated the practice of enlisting freed African-Americans.

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:28:11 +0000

In this troubled time, it's wonderful when the words of our elders light a way to a brighter path. That's what the poet Maya Angelou has done in an interview with Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.

And, her reply was that it was 'exciting.'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

But she also said this: 'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:00:08 +0000

Robert Oliphant, a lexicographer, is interested in using the current economic downturn as a means of encouraging high school freshmen to increase their word knowledge and ultimately have an edge when seeking a job. (A lexicographer, by the way, is one who analyzes the components underlying the words--the lexicon--of our language).

Encouraging students to use electronic dictionaries, he urges them to become conversant with the "high tech workplace American English vocabulary system. For example, using the field of anatomy, he offers 375 terms ranging from 15 letter words such as cerebrovascular and parasympathic down to

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:28:46 +0000

President Obama recently got into a tight spot when he referred to his poor performance in bowling as making him eligible for the Special Olympics. Now from China comes a spectacular event that shows just how accomplished Special Olympics can be.

If you go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgHmSdpjEIk you will see an awesome dance, called the Thousand-Hand Guan Yin. Considering the tight coordination required, their accomplishment is nothing short of amazing. But it is even more amazing when you realize that all 21 performers are deaf. Relying only on signals from trainers at the four corners of the stage, these extraordinary dancers from Chinese Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe deliver a visual spectacle that is at once intricate and stirring.

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:23:30 +0000

In contrast to much of the world, Australia is vast in area, but relatively sparse in population. So back in 2004, the then treasurer Peter Costello urged his fellow country men and women to procreate for their nation. He encapsulated his plea in the statement "one for mum, one for dad and one for your country." But he did not rely on words alone. He had a stimulus package to offer--$3000 per baby.

The results? Amazing.

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:23:08 +0000

We all "know" that we regularly face phenomenal changes in so many aspects of life. But here are a few facts that illustrate just how profound and wide-ranging the changes are:

The 25% of India's population with the highest IQs is greater than the total population of the US (meaning that India has more honors kids than America has kids).

If you are one in a million in China, there are 1300 people just like you.

The top ten in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.

The US Department of Labor estimates that today's learner will have 10 to 14 jobs by the time they are 38 years of age.

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 22:55:34 +0000

For some time, the issue of mercury in vaccinations has been of major concern. It was brought to the fore by parents of chilren with autism who reported that the disorder appeared after their children received vaccinations containing mercury.

But concerns are not limited to the issue of autism. Many parents are worried about the role that vaccines play in affecting their children’s health. And the analysis of new vaccines indicates that their concerns are justified.

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:08:59 +0000

The roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi.
I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian.
She was only a whiskey maker but he loved her still.

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:01:23 +0000

A new report from England has found that 1,300 girls who received the cervical cancer vaccine last year have experienced adverse side-effects. The vaccine is given to those who are quite young--12 and 13 years-since it is deemed to be most effective if given before any sexual encounters have taken place.

A total of more than 700,000 girls were vaccinated last year. Many have called for the suspension of the program. But supporters of the vaccine are claiming the adverse effects are within an acceptable range. The definition of acceptable though is worrying--with the reported symptoms

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:56:29 +0000

Though Google is used by vast numbers of people, most are unaware of just how much can be done with this amazing tool. For example, if you want to:

Find the email in the haystack
Get the latest weather forecast for Hyderabad, or anywhere else on Earth
Translate your website into 13 languages with a single line of code