Young Love

Two star-crossed lovers ran afoul of the law and their parents when they tried to elope. The young German couple discussed their options and sneaked out of their homes before dawn. They were headed for the warmth of Africa and brought along his sister. They made it to the express train to the airport before the 6 and 5 year old couple were nabbed by the Man.

They didn't think they would worry their parents because they didn't intend to be gone very long. The just wanted to get married and stroll along a warm beach. They were prepared packing their swimming attire.

To allay their disappointment at being caught, local police gave them a tour of the police headquarters.

Improving Standarized Test Scores

From a Boston Globe article

If You've ever had to take a test in a room with a lot of people, you may be able to relate to this study: The more people you're competing against, it turns out, the less motivated and competitive you are. Psychologists observed this pattern across several different situations. Students taking standardized tests in more crowded venues got lower scores. Students asked to complete a short general-knowledge test as fast as possible to win a prize if they were in the fastest 20 percent completed it faster if they were told that they were competing against 10 people rather than 100. Students asked how fast they would run in a race for a $1,000 prize if they finished in the top 10 percent said they would run faster in a race against 50 people rather than 500. Similarly, students contemplating a job interview or Facebook-friending contest said they would be less competitive if they expected more competitors - even if "winning" only required finishing in the top 20 percent. The authors conclude that competitiveness was curtailed because the larger the group, the more difficult it is to compare oneself directly to others.

Garcia, S. & Tor, A.,
"The N-Effect: More Competitors, Less Competition,"
Psychological Science (forthcoming).

To improve scores in test like the PSSA the students should take them in groups of 10 with immediate scoring and rewards. That should be easy enough if the test was given on computer instead of filling in circles with the ubiquitous No 2 pencil. Their state wide relative score wouldn't be available but their small group standing would and that according to the study drives increased performance. Study should test the effects when the class brain or two are in a group with some of the duller knives in the drawer. Would anyone bother to try to do their best? Seems for this to work the group should be made up of people with similar potential.

Save On Auto Payments

when you need tips to survive in hard economic times go to the worker's paradise.

Welcome Back

A new year what could possibly go wrong.

The Devil Must Be Wearing Ice Skates

because the Huffington Post published an article yesterday demanding an apology from Al Gore on his alarmist rhetoric on global warming.

Mr. Gore has gone so far to discourage debate on climate as to refer to those who question his simplistic view of the atmosphere as “flat-Earthers.” This, too, is right on target, except for one tiny detail. It is exactly the opposite of the truth.

Words On Dead Trees

There are other sources of information other than the interweb. Lifehacker explores the quaint use of books.

Free is always good so maximize your use of the public library.

13 book hacks for cheap or inexpensive sources for books, fun things to do with the ones your have and how to bind your own masterpiece.

Out in '09 Brandywine Heights Area School District

in Brandywine Heights Area Place For Learning District.

A new £4.7m primary school in Sheffield is facing criticism for dropping the word "school" from its title after governors decided the term had "negative connotations".

The headteacher of Sheffield's Watercliffe Meadow, Linda Kingdon, said the south Yorkshire school, which is due to open on Monday, will instead be called a "place for learning".

"We decided from an early stage we didn't want to use the word 'school'," she told local newspaper the Sheffield Star.

"This is Watercliffe Meadow, a place for learning. One reason was many of the parents of the children here had very negative connotations of school. More

If this is a trend we are so going to have to use much longer buses.

Year In Review

Helping Critters Everywhere

Seeing eye dogs have been around for a long time but now there are a host of animals that give aide and comfort to people. Great article on miniature seeing eye horses(plus they live for 30 years. minus while house trained they still make " pony don't" ever couple of hours) therapy parrots that help talk the owner down from violent psychotic episodes,monkeys to help with panic attacks. For pets that aren't fully trained by answering a few questions correctly,there are web sites that issue official looking cards good enough to cower hesitant store and restaurant owners.

As safety and health concerns grow local ordinances along with transportation rules are coming into conflict with the American Disability Act. Can't be too long till some student wants to bring in his therapy lion to school or somebody sues to bring his comfort great white shark to the next dancing and dipping.

Word for the Day

Since this is the penultimate day of 2008.

Penultimate
Pronunciation [pi-nuhl-tuh-mit]
–adjective
1. next to the last: the penultimate scene of the play.
2. of or pertaining to a penult.
–noun
3. a penult.

Main Reason For Errors

amused2 inquired about some small errors that on rare occasions sneak onto this page. One of the main reasons is a wide based calico cat that is usually obstructing over half the screen. She is protesting the internet portrayal of cats in a derogatory manner.

Photo Of Why Education Is Important

A pro-Palestinian demonstration in Manhattan showing an examples of a homonym. However this was in NYC could just be a nut protesting drinks made from the liquid extract of plants that just wandered into the wrong demonstration.

2008 Ad of the year

Created by an Illinois furniture company

Trade Gift Cards

As people head out to the malls to return or trade in gifts what do you do with gift cards from stores that have nothing you want , no convenient brick and morter store or you just prefer good old cash. One solution would be to visit Gift Card Exchange where cards are exchanged, sold or can be purchase at a discount.

Help With The Stuggle

A new movement has been born Friends of the Five Day Weekend. Like all successful political movements it has been endorsed by real celebrities. Among the first in this case is 19 year old Heather Duffy actor/singer/political theorist.

While it has lots of potential including full employment, can't help but think as couples spend more interrupted time together the divorce rate would soar.

“I would also change the weekends to workdays, and have the whole week as a weekend. "Then I'd be a popular politician wouldn't I?” - Heather Duffy on what she would do as President.

Movie Advisory

Don't have an official review of Marley & Me but word on the street is that while a good movie it might not be as appropriate for the under 12 set as the ads make it appear to be. Seems to have some mortality and morality issues people weren't aware of going in. Of course some people were caught by surprised by the Titanic when the ship sank. Biggest fear is that the movie will do to the Lab what Lassie and 101 Dalmatians did for the collie and the Dalmatian. Turn a great breed into one where every dog is his own grandpa. Labs while not for the faint hearted or the small of space have to be one of the greatest kid dogs ever made. Beat on them, dress them up, pull their tail they just sit there and grin at the attention.

Paying For Grades

A controversial subject but does a pay for grades program actually work? According to a new study seems to be a qualified Yes. Really depends on the student, some have goals firmly established others not so much. These less motivated students seem to benefit more from immediate rewards. In some Texas districts teachers with high achieving students are also rewarded with up to $10,000 in bonus rewards.

Tinkering In The Garage

This country has a long history of tinkerers creating whole new industries from just piddling around in a spare room from Bell, Edison, Ford, Gates, Jobs, Wizinak. Now would be Dr. Frankensteins using cast off or home made equipment are working with with genes and DNA creating new life forms. Next year the hot Christmas present for your favorite geek kid won't be a chemistry set (Adult Version ) but a gel electrophoresis chamber, or DNA analyzer.

One of the more useful experiments is being done in Cambridge, MA where a marine biologist, ,between saving whales from errant golf balls, is trying to use squid genes to create glow in the dark tattoos. Before you become too concerned about global warming read more on how we are all going to die a horrible death due to some pandemic unleashed by that nice quiet kid next door.