February 8, 2010

Cat Nap

We have a rule in our house that if a cat is sitting on your lap, you are excused from any household duty. The exception is when the cat clawing at you to get down but you're holding on for dear life because you want to avoid a chore.

If THIS cat, sits on your lap, though, you may never get up again.

Doctor casts new light on cat that can predict death Read More Here

@Mama_Crazy submitted this link.

Dunking now an Option

I just may have to start using ketchup again!

(No, this isn't the most serious new story of the day, but not everything needs to be serious, I hope.)

New ketchup packet allows for dunking or squeezing Read More Here

@Mama_Crazy submitted this link.

Middle School Shooting

Anyone who has followed me on Twitter for very long has gotten a glimpse now and then of my life as the father of a middle school boy. Unlike some professors, I don't separate my online life into different identities. For better or for worse, my students, family, running buddies, and anyone else who happens to keep track of me for one reason or another gets all of me - at least until they decide they would rather have none of me, which is okay. Today my little guy walks into school for the first time having a girlfriend. (She asked him at a Superbowl party last night.) He also has a good chance to make the track team at try-outs this afternoon. Since he hasn't had the easiest time in school socially (bullies, etc.) this is a real step forward for all of us.

How tragic, then, to read a story such as the one linked here. May none of us ever have to experience what this poor family and school are going through.

Teen Dies in Ala. Middle School Shooting Read More Here

@Allyd90 submitted this link.

Flying into the Future

So I was sitting on the runway about to take off for a trip to Atlanta last weekend when this story was brought to my attention. Is this good news, or is Skynet now one step closer?

Air today, what tomorrow? Read More Here

@ziatia submitted this link.

Mona Vinci

Years ago when I was teaching Utopia to a class of freshmen at Furman University, I had a clever student use the Mona Lisa as the starting point for her essay. To this day, I use that paper as an example of creating an engaging hook to draw a reader into an essay he or she would otherwise skip. What's so interesting about the Mona Lisa? Click through for one part of the story.

Did Leonardo paint himself as "Mona Lisa"? Read More Here

@mistymorningk submitted this link.

February 7, 2010

Halftime

A short message intended for my current online students - Welcome to Week 5! No, I don't have your papers yet, so I can't give you your grades :-)

January 28, 2010

I'm Going to Earn that Degree if it Kills Me!

Well, it just might!

Teacher, 100, gets degree a day before dying Read More Here

@Docmoe86 submitted this link.

What Depths

The tragedy of the earthquake that devastated Haiti is beyond comprehension, yet an order of magnitude beyond lies the sickness and depravity that is any human being who would seek to profit by compounding the sorrow.

Traffickers targeting Haiti's children, human organs, PM says Read More Here

@TGwynRN submitted this link.

Your Kid is Fat

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a pretty good indication of how healthy a person is with regard to their weight. There are exceptions, of course, for particularly muscular individuals, but the truth is found there more often than not.

I'm not sure how significant it is that this particular doctor is recommending schools record BMI aside from the fact that she happens to be married to the governor. Perhaps the next headline will read "Wife if N.H. Governor Against Smoking." Still, if she can use her spot in the public eye to get people to stop over-feeding their kids, good for her!

Wife of N.H. governor backs obesity screening Read More Here

@jotrekas submitted this link.

January 27, 2010

Headline: Obama Doesn't Quit

President Obama delivered his State of the Union Address this evening, but Obama's own state of mind was more along the lines of what pundits were discussing. The President has not had the success he expected and hasn't delivered on the campaign promises that got him elected. Well, did we really expect anything different from a politician?

Embattled Obama declares in speech Read More Here

@Mama_Crazy submitted this link.