I Started A Joke

Texas Girls Must Receive Anti-Cervical Cancer Vacine

2007-02-02T23:39:00.000-05:00

AUSTIN, Texas — Bypassing the Legislature altogether, Republican Gov. Rick Perry issued an order today making Texas the first state to require that schoolgirls get vaccinated against the sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer.

By employing an executive order, Perry sidestepped opposition in the Legislature from conservatives and parents’ rights groups who fear such a requirement would condone premarital sex and interfere with the way Texans raise their children.

Beginning in September 2008, girls entering the sixth grade — meaning, generally, girls ages 11 and 12 — will have to receive Gardasil, Merck & Co.’s new vaccine against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV.

Perry also directed state health authorities to make the vaccine available free to girls 9 to 18 who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover vaccines. In addition, he ordered that Medicaid offer Gardasil to women ages 19 to 21.

Perry, a conservative Christian who opposes abortion and stem-cell research using embryonic cells, counts on the religious right for his political base. But he has said the cervical cancer vaccine is no different from the one that protects children against polio.

“The HPV vaccine provides us with an incredible opportunity to effectively target and prevent cervical cancer,” Perry said.

Wishin' And Hopin'

2007-02-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

Just finished watching Grey's Anatomy. Such a good episode! It was neat that Ellis Grey came out of her Alzheimer's for a little bit, but it was sad when she went back into. I felt bad for Meredith.

The whole thing with the cancer patient's blood being toxic and making all the doctors sick was interesting. I never quite understood what caused her blood to become toxic, but it was a good storyline all the same.

George and Callie got married, and Christina finally accepted Burke's proposal. How cute!

Teachers See "Freedom Writers" For Free

2007-01-24T17:21:00.001-05:00

AMC Entertainment Inc., the nation's second-largest theater chain, said Tuesday it will offer free tickets for teachers wanting to see the movie "Freedom Writers," starring Hilary Swank.

The offer is good from Friday through Feb. 1 for teachers in grades kindergarten through 12th who show a valid school identification or pay stub.

The Paramount Pictures movie, released three weeks ago, stars Swank as an idealistic English teacher who goes into a Long Beach, Calif., high school and tries to overcome racial intolerance among her students.

AMC and Paramount said the offer was a way to honor teachers.The movie, showing at 2,286 locations, has earned $26.5 million in box office so far and came in fifth this past weekend, according to Media By Numbers LLC.

Most Women Now Live Without a Husband

2007-01-16T16:39:00.000-05:00

AOL News -- For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results.

In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.

Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples became a minority of all American households for the first time, the trend could ultimately shape social and workplace policies, including the ways government and employers distribute benefits.

Several factors are driving the statistical shift. At one end of the age spectrum, women are marrying later or living with unmarried partners more often and for longer periods. At the other end, women are living longer as widows and, after a divorce, are more likely than men to delay remarriage, sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom.

In addition, marriage rates among black women remain low. Only about 30 percent of black women are living with a spouse, according to the Census Bureau, compared with about 49 percent of Hispanic women, 55 percent of non-Hispanic white women and more than 60 percent of Asian women.

In a relatively small number of cases, the living arrangement is temporary, because the husbands are working out of town, are in the military or are institutionalized. But while most women eventually marry, the larger trend is unmistakable.

“This is yet another of the inexorable signs that there is no going back to a world where we can assume that marriage is the main institution that organizes people’s lives,” said Prof. Stephanie Coontz, director of public education for the Council on Contemporary Families, a nonprofit research group. “Most of these women will marry, or have married. But on average, Americans now spend half their adult lives outside marriage.”

Read the whole article here.

Love Is In The Air

2007-01-02T11:19:00.000-05:00

Last night, I stayed up and watched the Fiesta Bowl with my boyfriend. I like watching football, so I had a good time. Even for people who DON'T like football, I think it would've been impossible not to get wrapped up in last night's game! Talk about exciting...Boise State beat Oklahoma in overtime.

Ian Johnson, the running back who ran in the two-point conversion for the win, proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend Chrissy Popadics right after the game. How cute! Good thing the team won!

Cold Weather Dating Ideas

2006-12-22T15:47:00.000-05:00

1. Flirt with Frosty
Bundle up, grab an old scarf and a couple of carrots, and join forces to make a snowman (or, if you're feeling forward, a snow couple). Remember, it's not about the Michelangelo-level artistry of the end product; it's about the snowball fight that one of you will start in the process. Tumbling down in the snow together laughing your heads off? There's no better movie-moment flirting move this whole season.

2. Trip the lights fantastic
Hop in the car, turn up the heat and take yourselves on a tour of your community's most outrageously Christmas-lit homes. (You'll switch on the holiday spirit, and share in the delight that you're not the ones who have to take all those lights down.)

3. Throw a gingerbread house party
Find ginger-blueprints online or in any Christmas-season homemaking magazine. Bake the "walls" in advance; invite (depending on your status) single or coupled-up friends over to decorate with frosting and candies. If you're single, get other stag-comers to bring other available ginger-folks. After all, M&M'S make more than friends.

4. Get into the kitchen
Fixing your super-special individual Cornish game hens and risotto this and truffle that? -- Well, surely it's delicious. But it kind of misses the comfy, homey, wintry point ... and it's a big production that can be a bit intimidating for both chef and guest. So, instead make something easy, hearty and mellow together -- Chili? Stew? Onion soup with sexy gooey cheese? -- That'll warm both stomachs and hearts.

5. Couch-surf
Cold outside? Take your date to the beach right in your own home. Rent an assortment of fun-in-the-sun flicks -- 'Beach Blanket Bingo', 'Blue Lagoon' (or, depending on your sense of humor, 'Jaws') -- and enjoy a day at the celluloid shore ... with no sand in your suits!

6. Hit the ice
Nothing's as romantic as gliding arm in arm around a frosty rink or pond ... except maybe helping each other up when you slip. If you're really worried about your skating skills, or that bad knee, grab a sled and hit the mini-slopes.

7. Visit the tropics
Why wait 'til you're "serious" enough to travel together, or worry about getting to the airport? Instead, tour the local botanical garden's steamy south-of-the-equator or white-hot desert flora exhibits and greenhouse the winter blues away.

8. Meet for a hot drink
Martini, schmartini: Rendezvous at a bar that serves good Irish coffees, hot toddies and other wintry spirits. With any luck, you two will still be raising glasses together when margarita season rolls back around.

You Gotta Be The Book

2006-12-02T19:02:00.000-05:00

I was in the bookstore today and came across a book by Jeffrey D. Wilhelm called You Gotta Be The Book that's all about getting kids interested in reading. I was leafing through it and it really hooked me, so I ended up buying it. I think this is going to be a GREAT resource for me; even though it's geared for teaching adolescents, I think it'll be great for teaching kids of any age.

Most Students in Big Cities Lag Badly in Basic Science

2006-11-18T16:29:00.000-05:00

A least half of eighth graders tested in science failed to demonstrate even a basic understanding of the subject in 9 of 10 major cities, and fourth graders, the only other group tested, fared little better.

The outcome of those tests, part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, often called the nation’s report card, showed that student performance in urban public schools was not only poor but also far short of science scores in the nation as a whole.

Half or a little more of the eighth-grade students in Charlotte, San Diego and Boston lacked a basic grasp of science.

In six of the other cities — New York, Houston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Atlanta — the share of eighth graders without that knowledge was even higher, ranging from about three-fifths in New York to about four-fifths in Atlanta. By comparison, the corresponding share for the nation as a whole was 43 percent.

Among the 10 cities, only in Austin were the eighth graders who lacked a basic understanding in the minority, and just barely there.

“It’s a national disgrace,” said Rodger W. Bybee, director of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, which develops and evaluates science curriculums and promotes the teaching of science. “We as a nation should be able to do better than that.”

Detroit Shock: Finals Bound

2006-08-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

An attitude adjustment made all the difference for the Detroit Shock, the newly crowned Eastern Conference champs.

Rebounding from a nine-point loss to Connecticut in Game 2 of the conference finals, the Shock were dominant from the opening tip Sunday night and routed the Sun 79-55 to earn their second trip to the WNBA Finals. They'll take on defending WNBA champion Sacramento in a best-of-five series beginning Wednesday.

I'm With Stupid

2006-07-28T10:34:00.000-05:00

Seven Unwritten Rules for Professional Women

2006-07-19T11:50:00.000-05:00

1. Build Successful Relationships.
In a word -- network. It is crucial to understand the importance of developing and maintaining industry contacts you can rely on, whether it's for information about a specific project or the inside scoop on an open position. Attend seminars and professional meetings in your field. Besides learning some good information, these gatherings help you raise your visibility among your peers.

2. Exert Influence and Convert Others to Your Ideas.
Develop the confidence in yourself to get people to see and value your ideas. Knowledge is power. "Do your research," Kopelan advises. "Know what is happening in your industry." The more you know about a particular subject, the more comfortable and confident you will be discussing it and offering your opinions.

3. Take Initiative.
If you are interested in a particular high-profile client at your office, find out how you can be a part of the project team. Or learn the specifics of a particular issue so you can be your office's "resident expert."

4. Manage Difficult Conversations.
Women often tend to shy away from confrontation. But if you learn how to diffuse an awkward situation, you will appear strong and levelheaded under pressure -- two good traits for potential senior managers.

5. Promote Yourself.
Only you really know everything you have achieved. Now just make sure the right people also know what you have accomplished.

6. Know How to Ask for What You Want.
This goes along with managing difficult conversations and promoting yourself. You shouldn't feel hesitant about asking for something you need or have earned.

7. Establish Work/Life Harmony.
This challenging area often gets the misnomer "work/life balance." Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to balance these two important parts of your life equally. Instead, strive for a harmonious coexistence between the two.

What Kopelan found in talking to the Fortune 500 hiring managers is that these organizations want to see women advance and succeed, but until women understand the important role these unwritten rules play in business, "they're diminishing their chance at achievement," she warns.

Ex-Teacher Goes To Jail For Nude Photos

2006-07-15T18:51:00.000-05:00

MCMINNVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A judge ignored a former teacher's sobbing pleas for mercy Friday and sentenced her to seven years in prison on charges that she sent explicit photos to a young teenager while on probation for having sex with him.
When Pamela Rogers, 29, was released after serving 198 days in jail, she was under orders not to contact the student or his family or use the Internet. But authorities say that even after appearing in court on a charge of violating her probation in April, she continued talking with the boy and sending him text messages and sexually explicit photos and video of herself.

"You have done everything except show this court that you wanted to rehabilitate yourself," Warren County Circuit Judge Bart Stanley said. He revoked Rogers' probation and ordered her to serve the rest of a seven-year prison sentence that had been largely suspended.

Officers led Rogers away after she stood before the judge handcuffed and shackled. She cried as she asked for mercy and apologized to her family, the teen's family, her relatives and friends.

"I have humiliated myself. What I did was wrong," Rogers said. "I am willing to do anything to rehabilitate myself."

Rogers, who has been in jail since April, presented evidence in a hearing Friday, including a clinical psychologist who said she was a sex addict. She apologized tearfully and was led away in handcuffs to a women's prison in Nashville.

Former 'American Idol' Contestant Indicted

2006-07-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

A former "American Idol" contestant accused of videotaping sexual encounters with two teenage girls has been indicted on child pornography charges.

Daniel James "DJ" Boyd, 27, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to charges of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

A trial date was set for Sept. 18. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.

Boyd, a contestant on the popular TV talent competition two years ago, was arrested last month in West Valley City after a 14-year-old girl contacted police. He has remained in the Salt Lake County Jail since his arrest.

The Salt Lake County district attorney's office has also charged Boyd with unlawful sexual activity with a minor and unlawful supply of alcohol to minors.

He is scheduled to appear in district court July 25 for a preliminary hearing on those charges.

Olympian Shannon Miller Divorces Husband

2006-07-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

After a prolonged negotiation, former Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller is divorcing her husband of seven years, Boston eye surgeon Christopher B. Phillips.

Miller, 29, filed for divorce from Phillips, 33, in May 2004, but financial disputes dragged the case out more than two years. The divorce is expected to become official in September, reports the Associated Press.

The two married in a lavish ceremony that featured many of Miller's teammates from the 1996 U.S. squad that won the team gold medal in the Atlanta Games. The couple, who lived in Oklahoma City and a Houston suburb before moving to Boston, have no children.

Phillips alleges that his wife had an affair with a married male athlete and that she threatened to accuse him (Phillips) of abusing prescription drugs if he failed to meet her demands during the divorce proceedings.

"I've been put through the wringer over this," Phillips said. "It's been a very bitter and terrible divorce. ... She has really, really hurt me."

Miller denied the accusations, calling them "lies and innuendo surrounding an emotional divorce. … The worst thing I ever did to my ex-husband was to put unleaded gas in his car and not premium. With gas prices these days, do you blame me?" Miller wrote in an e-mailed response to questions posed by The Oklahoman newspaper.

"We all have choices to make in life. I have chosen to be happy by leaving this painful experience in the past. I hope Chris is able to move on as well," she said.

Miller said she plans to finish law school at Boston College and "continue pursuing my life's passion of working with children."

Phillips said he would like to return to Oklahoma at some point. He now works at a Boston hospital and attends law school at Suffolk University.

A Wedding Can Make A Gal Crazy

2006-07-06T12:54:00.000-05:00

There's a show on E! that I'm watching right now, called "Last Bride Standing." I've never heard of it before, so I don't know much about it, but these brides have to stand outside in a circle with one hand on the one-of-a-kind wedding dress they are trying to win. Whoever is the last one touching the dress wins it. The women are allowed 5 minute breaks, but there are hours between the breaks. Every couple hours or so, the "host" offers them special offers they can take (a cake, a 5 night stay at a castle in France), but then they are out of the contest for the dress. So far the women have been standing for 25 hours. One girl gave up and took the 5 nights at the castle, another girl was disqualified because she took her hand off the dress. All of the women look tired, one of them keeps crying, and I think she might give up now and take the cake that they're offering her instead of the dress.

It's one of those shows that you think is kinda dumb, yet you can't stop watching.

Sex And The City

2006-07-01T14:30:00.000-05:00

Vegging out watching Sex and the City.

Miranda: Women don't care. We care about nice arms, great eyes, a big dick... I've never once heard a woman say: "He had such a big full scrotum."

Kidman, Urban Wed

2006-06-25T13:55:00.000-05:00

It's official! Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are officially married.

And they're a good-looking couple, to boot!

Britney To Have Baby Girl?

2006-05-05T19:02:00.000-05:00

The word on the street is that chubby Sean Preston Federline is going to have a little sister. In Touch weekly claims that BritneySpears and Kevin Federline are expecting a girl.

Spears is already decorating a room in her Malibu mansion for the baby, though she is not due until October. A source for the magazine says that, in terms of the nursery décor, “[Britney] is going with pink.”

The new baby may not get to enjoy her Malibu nursery for long. Star magazine claims that Spears is considering leaving Los Angeles for her home state of Louisiana.

An insider told the tabloid, "Los Angeles has worn [Britney] down. She says every mistake is magnified a thousand times, and she's sick of being judged all the time."

And living in Los Angeles also makes it difficult for Spears to keep her husband in line. "It's like Kevin's head is on a swivel when a pretty girl walks by,” the source said. Federline, however, is not enthusiastic about his wife’s plan. "He told her, 'Send me a postcard,” claims the source.

Rosie O'Donnell Joins The View

2006-04-28T19:02:00.000-05:00

Rosie O'Donnell has been named Meredith Viera's replacement on the daytime talk show "The View." Viera will leave the show to replace Katie Couric on "The Today Show." Couric is moving to the evening news on CBS.

Overstock.com, A Hidden Wonder

2006-04-23T15:43:00.000-05:00

I checked out Overstock.com today, which is like a lesser-known version of Amazon.com, and was able to win the complete box set (6 seasons) of Sex And The City for $35 + $15 shipping. That is an unbelievable deal!!!!

I can't wait till it comes!

SNL Confronts Lindsay Lohan

2006-04-20T11:59:00.000-05:00

The cast and crew of “Saturday Night Live” are still on their mission to save Lindsay Lohan, reports Life & Style Weekly. According to the tabloid, Lohan was again confronted by her Mean Girls co-star Tina Fey about her reckless lifestyle when she hosted “SNL” last weekend.

An insider claims, “They brought up everything - nothing was off-limits. Tina told her she was wasting her gift of acting,” but Lindsay “didn’t want to hear it.” The source says that Lindsay’s partying kept her from fully interacting with the cast as she was too tired to do run-throughs the week leading up to the show. Lohan instead “just complained and lay around in her dressing room,” says the source.

“SNL” star Kenan Thompson wasn’t afraid to go on the record about his concerns for Lindsay. He told Life & Style, “You just gotta say, ‘Sometimes you shouldn’t be doing that; you gotta drop that.’”

Charges dropped in teacher sex scandal

2006-03-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

State prosecutors decided Tuesday to drop charges against a former Tampa teacher accused of having sex with a 14-year-old middle school student.

The decision means Debra Lafave won’t go to trial and the victim won’t have to testify.

Prosecutors announced the decision hours after a judge rejected a plea deal that would have meant no prison time for Lafave. “Quite frankly, if the allegations against the defendant are true, the agreed-upon sentence shocks the conscience of this court,” said Marion County Circuit Judge Hale Stancil.

Lady Vols' Parker dunks twice in easy win

2006-03-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

Candace Parker of Tennessee slam dunked her way into NCAA history with a feat that even fans of underdog Army had to appreciate.

The 6-foot-4 Parker became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game Sunday, jamming one-handed on a breakaway just 6:12 into the second-seeded Lady Vols' 102-54 victory against a Black Knights team that was making its NCAA tournament debut.

Then, for good measure, Parker ensured her place in history by becoming the first to do it twice in a college game with another one-hander on the baseline. She finished with 26 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

The first came when Parker took an outlet pass from Sidney Spencer, causing the large contingent of Lady Vols fans to begin buzzing at the possibility that after dunking several times in pregame warmups, Parker would try it on the fast break.

She did, beating Army's Margaree King down the floor, elevating and throwing it down with her right hand as the fans at Constant Convocation Center erupted.

It was the second college dunk attempt for Parker, who missed against Auburn on Feb. 23. She became the fourth woman in college history to dunk in a game, joining Georgeann Wells of West Virginia (twice in 1984), Charlotte Smith of North Carolina (1994) and Michelle Snow of Tennessee, who did it three times in the 2000-01 season.

The play gave the Lady Vols a 15-14 lead against the pesky 15th-seeded Black Knights, who were adopted by most of the fans at Tennessee rival Old Dominion's home arena, and it spelled the beginning of the end of Army's whirlwind NCAA tournament experience.

Eye Color

2006-03-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

Your Eyes Should Be Hazel

Your eyes reflect: Intellect and sensuality

What's hidden behind your eyes: Subtle manipulation

What Color Should Your Eyes Be?

Love: 10 crazy scientific facts

2006-03-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

By Laura Schaefer

1. It’s like looking in a mirror! It turns out we all have a little something in common with Narcissus—the mythical fellow who fell in love with his own reflection. Scientists at the University of Liverpool recently concluded that our brains favor people with familiar faces. The research team asked over 200 participants to view a number of digitally altered human faces. They found that subjects preferred the features they found the most familiar—whether that means his or her own visage or that of a family member. This may explain that common phenomenon of couples looking like they could be siblings.

2. Manner, schmanners: Go ahead and stare. Another new study says that when a woman walks into a room, she is considered more attractive if she turns her eyes directly toward a certain man. Men would rate the same woman as less desirable if she doesn’t make strong eye contact. In this study, conducted at Dartmouth University, lead researcher Malia Mason had male participants sit and view a series of faces of fashion models, digitally enhanced to either be gazing toward or away from the participant. The study authors asked the viewer to rate the likeability of each model and found that those who turned away were seen as less agreeable. The study’s researchers went on to suggest that a woman’s gaze can be a powerful arousal cue and that our impressions are largely formed by nonverbal communications such as eye contact. So start locking eyes, ladies!

3. You’ll know it when you see it. A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania reveals that regardless of what people say they are looking for in a dating situation, they don’t need a lot of time with or information about a person to tell if they’re interested. Single people’s behavior suggests that individuals know “it” (a person who appeals to them) when they see it—almost instantly. Lead researcher Robert Kurzban and his colleagues studied data from 10,000+ daters. They found that men and women assessed potential compatibility within moments of meeting, using primarily visual cues such as age, height, and attractiveness. Says Kurzban, “Somewhat surprisingly, factors that you might think would be really important to people — like religion, education, and income — played very little roles in their choices.”

4. Listen up. The next time you call up a potential love match, pay special attention to how they sound. Researchers at the University of Albany had 149 men and women rate the attractiveness of a series of recorded voices on a scale from 1 to 10. The researchers also gathered information about the sexual histories of the people whose voices they recorded. They found that the voices found to be the most appealing belonged to people who had sex at an earlier age, had more sexual partners, and were more prone to infidelity than those rated as having less appealing voices. So know that what’s a seductive voice to you may be linked to a person with a bit of a past…

5. I couldn’t help it baby, it’s in my genes. There may be a genetic component to infidelity, says a professor at the Twin Research Unit at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London. This is based on the fact that if one twin exhibits infidelity, the other twin strays 55% of the time. In the general population, the number is 23%. The tendency to remain faithful is a component of personality, the scientist elaborates, which is governed both by a number of genes and societal factors.

6. It’s official. Love makes us crazy. For one, it causes serotonin levels in the brain to drop, which may lead people to obsess about their lover. (The levels of serotonin, a chemical produced by the body, are also low in people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder.) Next, it ramps up production of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to slightly higher blood pressure and possible loss of sleep. Finally, a scientist at the University of London has found that when people look at their new loves, the neural circuits that are usually in charge of social judgment are suppressed. All in all, love kind of leaves you obsessive, stressed, and blind. And we love it.

7. Why broken hearts hurt... A recent UCLA study suggests the psychological hurt of a break-up is just as real as a physical injury. Two areas of the brain that respond to physical pain also become activated when a person is dealing with social pain, such as being dumped. The study’s authors used an MRI to monitor brain activity in participants while they played a game simulating social rejection. The researchers believe that the pain of being rejected may have evolved as a motivating force that led humans to seek out social interaction, which is crucial for the survival of most mammals.

8. Blushing is best. If we take our cue from apes, rosy cheeks are crucial in the dating game, says a new study. Scientists at Stirling University in Great Britain have found that primates prefer mates with red faces. A rosy glow might also act as a similar cue in humans, say the British researchers, sending a message of good health. They speculate that it could explain why women use blusher.

9. Kiss this way. Did you know there is a “right” way to kiss? People are more likely to tilt their heads to the right when kissing instead of left, says a report published recently in the journal Nature. A scientist from Ruhr University in Germany analyzed 124 pairs of smoochers and found that 65 percent go toward the right.

10. Meet for drinks before dinner. Researchers at NYU and Stanford have discovered that hungry men prefer heavier women. By staking out a dining hall, scientists had hundreds of students fill out questionnaires about their preferences in a mate. Men who filled out the questionnaire just before they entered the hall described their ideal woman as an average of three or four pounds heavier than men interviewed after they ate. Incidentally, researchers did not find the same change in women’s preferences, so guys: Go ahead and schedule that drinks date for before or after dinnertime.

10 Ways To Wow A Woman

2006-03-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

By Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro

Try these creative gestures, all guaranteed to impress the lady in your life and win her affections.

In the recent past, men were considered ill-mannered but handsome beasts, and since little was expected from them, an out-of-the-blue bouquet would send a lady into convulsions of delight. Nowadays, it takes a lot more than a wrapped notion to wow a woman. Etiquette, style, general knowledge, compliments, cleanliness, and a decent music collection are individually endearing, but to truly bowl a lady over requires something special. Why not astound yours with one (or more) of these 10 big, thoughtful, exciting ideas:

1. Surprise, surprise. Men are spontaneous, but advance planning is often a weakness. Pull off a surprise party with a full cast or plan a cozy weekend getaway (reservations made, bags packed, time off secretly arranged with her boss), and she’ll be in awe of your efforts. A man, a plan, a B & B…arrivederci.

2. Plucking heart strings. When the ordinary is tinged with personal touches, the results will make her blush. If you have perfect recall of the relationship’s mini-highlights (what she was wearing when you met and so forth), give voice to those memories, especially in front of her friends, and you will cause a jolly uproar. Similarly, a hardcover always makes a fine gift, but when you’ve tracked down a first edition of her favorite children’s book that she mentioned last week, so very much the better. Who knew a dusty old Babar book could earn you major points?

3. Paging Dr. Love. Attraction and a naughty imagination are never amiss, but a bedside manner is more than just kisses between the sheets. Amaze your gal by playing doctor and nurse when the flu hits. Hang around to fetch tissues, ginger ale and soup, and don’t turn squeamish during the sneezing and sniffling phase. She will not soon forget the damp washcloths for the forehead, trips to the pharmacy, or just being there after the contagious period, to watch a Hugh Grant comedy and play unlimited rounds of Yahtzee. (And let’s face it, a Hugh Grant movie IS ALWAYS a romantic comedy, right?)

4. Supersize it. A dozen tulips are nice, but what about ten dozen? A weekend getaway is lovely, but what about being whisked to Paris? Going overboard, when used quite rarely, will leave your honey utterly gob-smacked, as the British would say. For Casanovas without credit cards, get creative without the cash flow: Take scissors to construction paper for a thousand cutout hearts, gather up roadside wildflowers and strew the petals about her bed, or deliver a love note a day for one week to profess your smitten-ness.

5. Kidding around. The ultimate masterstroke in this arena of wow-ing a woman is demonstrating a knack with kids…she’ll go gaga when you goo-goo. While waiting for your Pad Thai to arrive while out for dinner, chat up the moppet at the next table; remark, “Cute baby” when strolling past the strollers at your local park with your date, and so on. This super-husbandly trait always brings down the house.

6. Knight in shining Amex. A magnanimous showing of sacrifice and support wows her and confirms your commitment to a budding relationship. Even when unsexy, mundane crises are afoot, reach in with a helping hand. For instance, a well-off chap might wordlessly supply a loan to pay off a costly brake job that threatens his lady’s commute and checkbook. The penniless can help a damsel in distress, too. When she has night school, offer to walk her pup without complaint. Taking on her temporary troubles as your own impresses mightily.

7. Ode to joy. A syrupy note on Valentine’s Day is standard, but it’s the unexpected declarations of love (no, not during the second date) that astound. During a teary moment at the next wedding ceremony you two attend, punctuate the moment with your own poetic whisper in her ear. Likewise, sweet nothings on the dance floor will make her weak in the knees. Gushing love letters or IM’d e-ffections (for no particular reason) showcase your inner romantic. You’ll know you’ve done right when she proudly recites excerpts to her sis and best girlfriend. Confessing your true feelings can make quite the indelible impression.

8. Slick moves. Hidden talents like diving-board flips, limbo flexibility, crossword-puzzle expertise, card tricks, nimble guitar-playing and athletic prowess will elicit the “I had no idea!” awestruck grin. Besides those skills touted on your professional résumé, work on a few moves that draw comparisons to 007 or the Fonz.

9. Meet the parents: Be the rare bird that charms the pants off her usually hyper-critical, nitpicking parents. Can you ace the battery of trials and the impossible scrutiny of her closest friends to earn a resounding wow? Like passing the Mensa test, your relationship IQ must include the forethought to win over her inner circle. Brush up on their likes, dislikes, favorite wines (come bearing a bottle), and most recent travel adventures before sitting down with them, and you’ll have plenty of conversational fodder.

10. Love me tenderized. How well done is your medium-rare? Preparing an extravagant multi-course meal (not ordering out pre-made gourmet and slyly transferring it into shiny serving bowls) replete with all the trappings is a wow-able moment. And, yes, you can do it: Following a recipe taps every man’s inner do-it-yourself expertise. Allow her to sit back and breathe in the romance and gourmet ambiance: laser-printed menu, chilled Champagne, fresh table linens, slender candles, snazzy presentation, followed by after-dinner liqueurs, first-rate wooing, and fiery seduction. Honorable mention for those who actually get a smooch while sporting a “Kiss the Chef” apron.

School board OKs teacher's return as a woman

2006-02-28T20:02:00.000-05:00

EAGLESWOOD TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A New Jersey school board will allow Lily McBeth to return to the school where she taught for five years as a man.

To students at Eagleswood Elementary School, she used to be Mr. McBeth. The retired sales executive was married for 33 years and had three children before having sex-change surgery last year. She re-applied for her job as a substitute teacher under her new name.

Some parents object to McBeth's return to the school. One father predicts it will be "chaos" when the students learn of her gender-changing surgery. But a school board attorney says she is a good teacher who's gotten favorable reviews in the past.

McBeth calls the school board's decision "magnificent" and "democracy in action."

Is The Best Bathroom In Michigan?

2006-02-26T13:32:00.000-05:00

All Seasons Bistro, in East Lansing, Michigan, has been named for having one of the top five bathrooms in the country. The restroom was cited for its streak-free mirrors, old-world floor tiles and fresh paint job. "This is one of a few public restrooms I would allow myself, my wife and children to use and not worry about it," the nominator said.

To vote for this bathroom, go to http://www.bestrestroom.com

20 States Ask for Flexibility in School Law

2006-02-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

By Diana Jean Schemo, New York Times

The federal Education Department has agreed to review requests from 20 states to alter significantly the way they measure student progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. The move comes as the number of schools across the country deemed substandard under that law grows by the thousands.

The requests, which Education Secretary Margaret Spellings invited states to submit last November as part of a pilot project, would allow states to judge schools by tracking the progress of individual students over time.

Currently, schools must show improvement in successive grades of students, with more of this year's fifth graders, for example, proficient at reading and math compared with last year's fifth graders.

States have long sought such a change, contending that it is fairer to measure the improvement in individual students than in different groups of students.

The states that have applied to make the changes for the current school year are Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

Six more — Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Dakota — have asked to apply changes next year.

Only 10 states will be permitted to make the changes in assessing this year's test results. The plans must still be reviewed by a government-appointed panel and receive approval from federal officials, expected by May, to move forward.

The department's willingness to consider the requests is the most recent in a series of steps Ms. Spellings has offered, amid growing legal and political challenges to the law, to give states more flexibility in complying with it.

Under the outlines they submitted, many states are also suggesting that they be permitted to count students as proficient in reading or math even if they are not, so long as they are on track to reach proficiency within two, three or four years, depending on the proposal.

These states, along with some education advocates, contend that schools whose students are struggling should receive credit for improving their achievement, even if they have not reached proficiency, because it is unrealistic to expect them to do so in a single year.

In the 2004-05 school year, the share of high-poverty schools that failed to make enough yearly progress under the law jumped by 50 percent, to 9,000 from 6,000 the year before. There are 50,000 high-poverty schools in the United States, for whom failing to make enough progress sets off a cascade of extra attention, as well as eventual punishments, including the possible closure of the school.

In inviting the proposals, however, Ms. Spellings said the department would not compromise on certain "core principles" of the law, including the requirements that all students reach proficiency in reading and math by 2014, and that schools break down student performance by race, ethnicity, income, disability and gender.

Ross Wiener, policy director at the Education Trust, a nonprofit group in Washington that helped write No Child Left Behind, said that after years of criticism of the law the proposals that states submitted were their first opportunity to say how they would measure adequate yearly progress, the linchpin of the law.

"It really brings into relief, this question, this issue that has been simmering" around the law, Mr. Wiener said. "How much growth is ambitious enough that you're being fair to kids versus what's fair to schools and school systems?"

Lou Fabrizio, accountability services director at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, said his state's proposal would offer a second and third chance to schools that initially failed to meet federal guidelines.

If the rate of progress students were making showed they would reach proficiency within four years, they would be counted as already being proficient, for purposes of judging school performance.

Under North Carolina's proposal, Dr. Fabrizio said, the number of schools deemed failing to make adequate annual progress last year would have dropped by 13 percent, to 810 schools from 932.

Women's Hockey Team Gets Bronze

2006-02-21T17:19:00.000-05:00

The women's ice hockey team did pretty well in Torino--bronze medal! Sweden picked up the silver, and Canada got the gold.

Titanic Is Most Successful Romance Movie

2006-02-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

Titanic is the highest grossing romance movie of all time, newly released figures reveal.

The 1997 film won eleven Oscars and took a staggering $813 million (GBP450 million) at the box office - almost double its nearest contender, Disney animation The Lion King, which earned $476 million (264 million).

The top ten, as compiled by hollywood.com, is as follows:

1: Titanic - $813 million (GBP450 million)
2: The Lion King - $476 million (264 million)
3: Aladdin - $325 million (GBP180 million)
4: Ghost - $315 million (GBP175 million)
5: Dances With Wolves - $270 million (GBP150 million)
6: Armageddon - $267 million (GBP148 million)
7: Pretty Woman - $262.5 million (GBP145.5 million)
8: Jerry Maguire - $216 million (GBP120 million)
9: Terms of Endearment - $214 million (GBP118 million)
10: What Women Want - $210.5 million (GBP117 million)

Wildcats Retire Jersey For First Female Hoopster

2006-02-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Arizona will retire the jersey of the late Shawntinice "Polkey" Polk in a ceremony following Saturday's Pac-10 basketball game here against Stanford.

Polk, who wore No. 00, complained that she wasn't feeling well when she arrived at McKale Center on the morning of Sept. 26, 2005.

She collapsed in front of the team trainer and was taken to nearby University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

The two-time all-conference center would have been a senior this season.

A pulmonary blood clot caused the death, according to the Pima County medical examiner's office.

Polk, 22, is the Wildcats' career leader in blocked shots (222) and double-doubles (44) and is the program's No. 4 all-time scorer with 1,467 points.

Polk is the first woman's basketball player to have her jersey retired at the school.

Arizona men's players who have had their jerseys retired are Mike Bibby (10), Sean Elliott (32), Jason Gardner (22) and Steve Kerr (25).

American Hedrick Wins Gold

2006-02-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

Last night, I watched American Chad Hedrick win the 5000 meter men's speed skating event. He did a great job. Way to go, Chad and the USA!

Congratulations Kelly Clarkson

2006-02-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

I was so happy (and surprised) that Kelly Clarkson won two Grammy's last night!

Sandra Oh

2006-01-17T16:18:00.000-05:00

Grey's Anatomy actress Sandra Oh was so funny last night during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes.

"I feel like someone set me on fire... I don't remember any of your names!"

Dating: Positive Thinking

2006-01-16T21:18:00.000-05:00

Very interesting article in the most recent issue of Newsweek magazine about a woman who decided to accept every single date proposal, regardless of how she thought the date would go or what she thought of the person. She ended up going on 150 dates, including a homeless man, several non-English speakers, 10 taxi drivers, two lesbians and a mime.

She ended up meeting a divorced playwright 25 years older than her with two children, and they married in 2003.

She wrote a memoir of the experience, "The Year of Yes," which is now in bookstores.

How to raise a child who loves to write

2006-01-06T19:09:00.000-05:00

Writing comes naturally to children -- they love marking things up and expressing themselves. Here are seven ways to help your preschooler hang on to her love of writing :

Keep the pressure off

To raise a writer, give your child every opportunity to put pen to paper, chalk to sidewalk, paint to easel, and marker to poster board, but make sure it's all in fun. Your preschooler is just beginning to understand how words are used to convey thoughts, and is still developing the fine motor skills needed to form letters. Your goal, at this stage, is to encourage her so she'll realize that writing is an activity with its own unique rewards.

Experiment with writing tools

Let her try all different types of writing implements -- crayons, chalk, pens, pencils, paints. Keep in mind that she may have an easier time using "fat" crayons or pens than skinny pencils. Even dough and modeling clay are writing tools -- you can roll them out and form rope letters (this helps develop her motor skills as well). Keep these supplies in a drawer she can reach easily.

Experiment with surfaces

For starters, white paper is a must. Big pads of newsprint are inexpensive, and children love having a big surface to fill in. But don't forget about chalkboards, sidewalks, and dry erase boards. If you're concerned about the mess, set up a kid-size table outside or in a section of your kitchen or playroom where the splatter won't matter. And buy water-soluble markers and erasable pens for easy cleanup.

Model good writing habits

Let your child see you writing on a daily basis: making to-do lists, writing e-mails or letters, keeping your own journal. Young children are copycats: If you love to write, chances are your child will learn to share your enthusiasm.

Use the computer

Log on and let your child compose words on the computer (depending on her age and dexterity you may have to help her). Feel free to let her click the keyboard even if she's too young to spell actual words. While she's not actually crafting letters with her own hands when she types, she's still practicing writing. She's learning that letters combine into words and phrases that convey thoughts.

Be enthusiastic

Show an interest in what your child writes or draws, even if it just looks like scribbling to you. Be specific: Saying "You're really learning how to write your name" is much more meaningful to your child than "You are such a good writer!" And remember to compliment her on the process of writing as well as the result. That is, say things like, "You really take your time when you write," or "I can see how much care you took with this word."

Play games that promote good writing

Dating: How to have more fun

2005-12-28T11:23:00.000-05:00

By Laura Gilbert

Sure, relationships take work... but are you toiling too hard? Below, five grueling habits to ditch.

Take a break from... “improving” your honey
You’re a gym bunny, he needs to lose ten pounds (okay, 20). You alphabetize everything from your CDs to your spice rack, she’s a super-slob who couldn’t see the floor even after an hour of picking up all those shoes and magazines tossed about. When opposites attract, you can’t assume that your flawed little angel even wants to change. And by trying to convert your sweetie to your viewpoint or lifestyle—well, that’s setting both of you up for a whole lot of mood-killing arguments. Unless your sugar asks for help learning to balance a checkbook or pick out fresh produce, accept that your mate’s way of doing things is — shudder — good enough for your mate.

How to handle it: Remember, you started seeing this person for who he or she was. If his or her habits are driving you up a tree, your decision isn’t how to fix the things you dislike, but whether you want to keep dating. It’s a tough call, but it’s the one you’ve got to make.

Take a break from... immersing yourself in their interests
It is super-sweet that you learned to scuba dive so you could go on boating expeditions with your pumpkin. It’s admirable that you scour a website on dogs so you could make chitchat about your date’s boxer. But everyone’s got a breaking point, and the honest truth is, it’s OK to hate Radiohead even though your date loves ’em. It’s OK to pass on joining your partner’s book club.

How to handle it: Adopt this perspective: You two are a romantic match, not study buddies, so give each other room to enjoy your respective hobbies, alone, and you’ll avoid clocking tons of hours doing things you just don’t like doing—and getting pretty resentful to boot.

Take a break from... mapping out the “Where are we going?” love chart
Finding out that you’ve been promoted to “my boyfriend” or “my girlfriend” or that your sweetie could envision having kids with you are important milestones in a relationship. But checking every five seconds to see if “you still like me” or always asking about long-term plans doesn’t guarantee a wedding’s on its way. In fact, that kind of constant status report actually shows an insecurity that may wind up destroying what’s otherwise a great bond.

How to handle it: So stop asking your cutie how they “feel about things” and focus on how you do — and if you’re having fun, sit back and enjoy it. This is what you’ve been waiting for!

Take a break from... trying to get along with all of their family or friends
By now we’ve all realized that, for bad or good, every person comes with a posse. Yes, you want to get in good with your sweetie’s inner circle, but that doesn’t mean you have to charm and win over every single acquaintance of his or hers. So feel free to “have other plans” when your his college roommate comes into town for a wild ‘n crazy night or to politely excuse yourself for the bathroom when her great-great aunt goes on and on about her hemorrhoids.

How to handle it: Your time is much better spent schmoozing the people who matter most to your date — like parents, siblings, or best friends — and hanging with the people in his or her inner circle that you genuinely like.

Take a break from... overanalyzing every little thing
There are Big Issues that need to be worked through: Fear of commitment, lack of trust, concerns about how much time you’re spending together. Then, there are little issues that we turn into Big Issues by reading into them, often with bad results. Did her last email to you seem curt, and not even address the two paragraphs you wrote about how you’re falling for her? Or have you ever enlisted a pal to help you dissect the tone and word choice of a voicemail message your sweetie left you saying he can’t make it to happy hour?

How to handle it: Don’t kill yourself trying to analyze whether your relationship’s on the rocks; maybe your partner’s just busy at work and would love nothing better than to spend time lavishing attention on you. Look at the big-picture pattern. If this is a person who is dependable most of the time, but now and then is late or has to blow things off for work, so be it. If this is a person who blows you off on the night of your best friend’s surprise party that you planned for months, or can’t come see your team compete in the finals of your after-work soccer league, um, you probably don’t need us to tell you that there are bigger issues at work here. Don’t sweat the little stuff; do tackle the big relationship flubs.

Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated

2005-12-20T16:27:00.000-05:00

By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - Barbie, beware. The iconic plastic doll is often mutilated at the hands of young girls, according to research published Monday by British academics.

"The girls we spoke to see Barbie torture as a legitimate play activity, and see the torture as a 'cool' activity," said Agnes Nairn, one of the University of Bath researchers. "The types of mutilation are varied and creative, and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving."

Researchers from the university's marketing and psychology departments questioned 100 children about their attitudes to a range of products as part of a study on branding. They found Barbie provoked the strongest reaction, with youngsters reporting "rejection, hatred and violence," Nairn said.

"The meaning of 'Barbie' went beyond an expressed antipathy; actual physical violence and torture towards the doll was repeatedly reported, quite gleefully, across age, school and gender," she said.

While boys often expressed nostalgia and affection toward Action Man — the British equivalent of GI Joe — renouncing Barbie appeared to be a rite of passage for many girls, Nairn said.

"The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown," she said.

Nairn said many girls saw Barbie as an inanimate object rather than a treasured toy.

"Whilst for an adult the delight the child felt in breaking, mutilating and torturing their dolls is deeply disturbing, from the child's point of view they were simply being imaginative in disposing of an excessive commodity in the same way as one might crush cans for recycling," she said.

Manufacturer Mattel, which sells 94 million Barbies a year worldwide, said the doll remained the "No. 1 fashion doll brand."

Mattel U.K. said that despite the findings of "this very small group of children, we know that there are millions of girls in the U.K. and across the world that love and enjoy playing with Barbie and will continue to do so in the future."

Girls' Night Out … With Your Guy?

2005-12-16T18:39:00.000-05:00

By Kathleen Jacobs for Lifetimetv.com

Is there anything better than spending downtime with your best girlfriends, chatting, shopping, cooking and more chatting? Yup. Doing the same with your man. Sharing activities that you enjoy helps you get closer, says Karen Sherman, Ph.D., and author of "Marriage Magic." But sometimes that's easier said than done. You can't just immediately dive into "full-on-girly" things together, advises Tina Tessina, Ph.D., and author of "How to Be a Couple and Still Be Free." Slowly introduce him to the things that may initially freak him out. In order for him to appreciate getting his nails buffed at the salon, you might want to ease him into the spa experience with a massage at home. Read on for more ideas on showing him how girls just want to have fun.

Watch a chick flick
If you've had enough of his favorite action films packed with high-speed car chases and rapid gunfire, set aside some screening time for a romantic comedy in which a man fights to keep the woman he loves. "These movies are actually heroic films, and men appreciate that," says Maria Grace, Ph.D., and author of "Reel Fulfillment: A 12-Step Plan for Transforming Your Life Through Movies." Although your guy may put up a stink at first, he'll ultimately relate to the male characters -- especially since they get the girl in the end. Good rentals to start with: "The Wedding Singer," "40-Year-Old Virgin," "Singles" and "Say Anything." "These movies bring up a lot of relationship issues and really validate what is meant by true love," she says. "We all know women would rather have a man listen to them than buy them diamond earrings." And these so-called chick flicks repeat this message loud and clear.

Share a nosh
Getting him into the kitchen can be difficult, but it's worth it. "The whole idea of cooking together is to work on a common goal," says Maria Liberati, author of "The Basic Art of Italian Cooking." Make it easier on him (and you) by changing into some comfy clothes; that way, you won't fret about spills. Set a fun mood by blasting some upbeat music. Liberati suggests trying a simple but tasty pasta dish, such as linguine with clams, or one of his other faves. "Use the freshest ingredients you can find," she says. "Food should be a treat for the senses. Opening up a box of mac and cheese will not provide the same experience." Give your co-chef tasks that he can get into, like chopping up veggies or grating cheese. Intimidated by the stove? Skip ahead to dessert and serve vanilla ice cream. Have him drizzle on some Limoncello, an Italian liqueur, on top. Congratulate each other on your teamwork as you trade bites.

Grab a drink and gab... at home
Having cocktails with the gals isn't actually about the drink-ini itself. It's about the talking -- and listening. Want to lure him into conversation? Kick-start the dialogue with a topic that excites both of you while you prepare a glass of something out of the ordinary. Try a Tinteretto, suggests Liberati. Mix 1/3 cup chilled pomegranate juice with 2/3 cup Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), and stir gently so you don't make too much foam. Serve in champagne flutes. This is sure to put you in a relaxing mood, and maybe he'll open up or let his sillier side show -- just like your girlfriends do.

Catch a craft fair
Is you-know-who mall-phobic? Then you know he's never going to get pumped up for marathon shopping or bargain hunting. You'll have to try a different tack, like a craft fair. From handmade furniture to the ubiquitous chess sets, there are lots of examples of craftsmanship your guy can appreciate here. This type of "shopping" is great because he doesn't have to sit on his duff watching you try on outfit after outfit, adds Dr. Sherman. And walking around outdoors should appeal to his action-oriented side.

Mosey through a museum
If his typical weekend afternoon involves sitting in front of the TV or catching the game, you'll want to be careful about choosing which art exhibit to visit. "Don't start with the abstract stuff -- start with nudes," says Dr. Tessina. "Or find a museum that has more artifacts or tools." The key, she says, is to find objects that peak his interest. "You'll get more out of it if you ask him what he thinks, even though you may be dying to talk about how you feel," adds Tessina. And when he looks like he's had enough, call it a day. "When you're taking someone out of their usual arena, you have to introduce him to these activities in small doses," she says.

Paw over old pics
Talking about special moments with your friends -- like the crazy night you all danced on the bar in Cancun on spring break -- can be a blast. Guys aren't always so nostalgic, unless they're talking about touchdowns, home runs and three-pointers. The solution? Get out the visual cues, aka photo albums (or even videos), to relive the romance and the fun. "The reminiscing, the sharing of stories, is going to bring back memories of your connection and bring on that warm, fuzzy feeling," says Sherman. It could be just the thing to remind you of what brought you together -- which should come in handy the next time you hit a rough patch in your relationship.

Remember, the key to having a good "girly" time with your guy is to keep in mind that he isn't going to flip over all the things you relish. "Not everything is meant to be shared," says Robin Gorman Newman, author of "How to Marry a Mensch." Besides, it would be boring if you both liked the same things, so it's important to be able to appreciate the other person's interests and passions. And who knows? Maybe in exchange for watching an action flick, he'll agree to a spa vacation!

Teacher Tells 1st Graders There's No Such Thing As Santa

2005-12-14T18:15:00.000-05:00

A music teacher in Richardson, Texas told his first grade students that there's no such thing as Santa Claus. I can't believe he'd do that! In my opinion, Santa is something that only parents should deal with. It's just not a teacher's business to decide whether a child should believe in something like that or not!

The elementary school as been getting angry phone calls from parents since Monday, the day this occurred, so now the school district is issuing a "Pro-Santa" statement.

The district announced that the offending teacher had heard from Santa Claus himself -- who assured the teacher that "the spirit of the holidays is alive and well." And Santa asked the teacher to pass that message along to students.

A district spokesman said the teacher won't face any disciplinary action. I can't believe it!

Narnia Comes Out Today!

2005-12-09T13:15:00.000-05:00

The Chronicles of Narnia comes out today! I'm so excited! I haven't read this book in so many years! I'm going to go see the movie tonight, and then re-read the book this weekend.

Follows the exploits of the four Pevensie siblings--Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter--in World War II England who enter the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of 'hide and seek' in the rural country home of an elderly professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs, and giants that has become a world cursed to eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Under the guidance of a noble and mystical ruler, the lion Aslan, the children fight to overcome the White Witch's powerful hold over Narnia in a spectacular, climactic battle that will free Narnia from Jadis' icy spell forever.

Student Bloggers Disciplined For Threatening Teacher

2005-12-08T16:02:00.000-05:00

CHICAGO - Three Chicago high school students were disciplined after posting obscene and threatening statements about teachers on an online Web log unrelated to the school.

School officials said the three boys are seventh- and eighth-graders in an advanced placement program at Taft High School.

NBC5's Lisa Tutman reported Thursday that Chicago Public School officials say that this is more a matter of threats of violence than it is an issue of freedom of speech.

While computer usage is very much a part of daily life in high school, Tutman said, the entries in question have landed the bloggers in hot water.

One of the online entries from last month referenced cutting a teacher's throat. An entry posted this week by one of the students apologized for what was written.

The postings were found on a blog, short for Web log. Blogs are popular Internet sites where virtually anyone can log on and write their opinions on any subject. Taft students told Tutman that blogs are very common among them.

"I keep in touch with kids at Taft," student Orlando Colon said of his blog usage. "I've met a lot of new people here, you know, just through the Web site ... you know, you meet up with people you might not of even thought came to your school."

School officials say that the blog postings in this case crossed the line by including vulgar, profane, obcene and threatening messages directed at a specific teacher who was indentified by name in the postings.

"I think that shouldn't do that," a fellow student said. "It's not right to the teachers and it's hurting the teacher's feelings."

"They're stupid for doing that. It's not right to hurt someone's feelings," another student, Salina Quiles, said.

Although the incident did not happen on school grounds, Chicago Public Schools spokesman Mike Vaughn said the district's law department determined the school may discipline the students, despite objections raised by some who say their First Amendment rights are being violated.
Officials claim the messages could have impacted safety at the school.

"I'm really in favor of freedom of speech, in general, you know. I believe we need to be able to say whatever we need, but threatening someone's life? I think that crosses the line," said Joan Lipschutz, the Taft school nurse.

Students told Tutman that they heard that the some of the offenders had been suspended, but Vaughn would not detail the students' punishment, citing confidentiality issues.

In any case, Tutman said, student bloggers say the event won't stop the blogging among them, although it may make them think twice about what they post.

Make the Holidays More Romantic

2005-12-06T18:13:00.000-05:00

Get in the Spirit

With all the craziness of the holiday season -- from shopping to decorating to baking -- it's easy to put romance on the back burner. Instead, try one -- or more! -- of these ideas to add some festive fun to your relationship.

Serve your man a steaming cup of hot chocolate -- with extra marshmallows -- when he comes in from shoveling the snow. Or better yet, join him outside to play in the snow.
Arrange for a romantic sleigh ride through the streets of your city or a nearby field. Cuddle up under the blanket to keep warm.
Celebrate crossing items off your holiday shopping list by stopping for a steaming cup of flavored coffee and some conversation.
Fill each other's stockings with sexy gifts like massage lotion and lingerie. Carve out some time to actually use them!
Share a hot bubble bath on a cold winter night. For extra bubbles, sip champagne while you soak.
Start planning a trip somewhere warm. Whether you actually go or not, it's fun to fantasize about escaping the cold and lying on the beach.
Hang mistletoe in a spot you have to pass frequently -- and don't go by without a smooch!
Rent classic holiday movies like It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol (or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, if you want a laugh), build a fire in the fireplace, and share a cozy evening at home.
After decorating the house and Christmas tree, turn off all the lights, and admire your handiwork in the glow of the tree lights.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. You'll get to spend quality time together, plus you'll realize how fortunate you really are.
Bake your husband's favorite Christmas cookies -- and ask him to be the "chief cookie-tester."
Put on a CD of holiday music in the car and drive around your neighborhood to check out the lights and decorations. Pick your favorite and vote on the "most over-the-top" display -- every neighborhood has someone who really goes to town!
Mark the end of the old year and the beginning of the new by opening a bottle of wine and reminiscing about the events of the past year and sharing what you hope for in the coming year.
Get creative (and silly!) and compose your own Christmas letter to friends and relatives. Challenge your mate to see which of you can come up with the funniest, most outrageous letter -- and then don't send it out!
Play secret Santa and leave each other little gifts (movie tickets, candy, a CD) in unexpected places like a briefcase, the car, or on his pillow.

Boys Suspended For Writing About Teacher

2005-12-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

SANTA ANA, Calif. - In classroom journals, two star football players wrote in graphic detail about brutally killing their high school English teacher, covering her in gasoline and lighting her ablaze.

The two boys, Scott McKnight, 17, and Sam Smith, 18, were not criminally charged, but were suspended and face expulsion. An Orange County Superior Court judge was scheduled to rule Friday on whether the full journals should be sealed or open to the public.

Those boys better be expelled!

Harry Potter Trivia

2005-12-01T17:35:00.000-05:00

Try your hand at this Harry Potter trivia game.

Not to brag, but I did very well!

Pregnant teacher fights firing by Catholic school

2005-11-22T17:36:00.000-05:00

An unwed, pregnant Catholic school teacher has been fired for failing to “convey the teachings of the Catholic faith by his or her words and actions.”

Oh please. If teachers were forced to not have sex until they were married, there wouldn't be many teachers!

Attorney Cassandra Stubbs made a very good point:

“The school used her pregnancy as a marker. How do they determine if male
employees engage in premarital sex?”

As the pregnant teacher, Michelle McCusker said,

“I don’t understand how a religion that prides itself on forgiving and on valuing life could terminate me because I’m pregnant and choosing to have this baby.”

In Celebration Of Harry Potter

2005-11-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

You are Harry Potter! You are brave and mischevious and
are very protective of your frends.

Which Harry Potter character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Speaking of Harry Potter, I'm going to see the new movie today! Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

Four Memory Tricks

2005-11-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Nothing helps you get ahead quicker than a good memory. Whether you're trying to remember the name of the guy you just met, a state capital, or complex sets of business data, these simple tricks can help you improve your memory skills.

1. Start by chunking. According to psychologists, it's especially hard to make your brain recall long lists of separate pieces of information. To make it easier to remember a long list of almost anything, break the list into small and manageable groups, or "chunks."

For example, you might find it hard to remember all of the original 13 British colonies in the United States. But if you break them into small groups based on common traits, such as the region each colony belongs in, it's much easier. First, just concentrate on learning which colonies belong in which region. When you know each region, you know the whole set of 13.
Mid-Atlantic

Delaware
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Southern
Maryland
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
New England
Connecticut
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
New Hampshire

2. Use mnemonic devices. These are memory improvement techniques, and are sometimes quite elaborate. One common device uses words or abbreviations to compress lists of information into shorter bits that are easier to remember. Here are some common examples:

Names of the Great Lakes
H-O-M-E-S; Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior
Colors of the spectrum
R-o-y G. B-i-v; Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet
Order of operations in mathematics
Please Explain My Dull, Awful Subjects; Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication/Division, Addition/Subtraction
Planets in the solar system
Many Vocal Enemies Make Jokes Squealing Under Nervous Pressure; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto
Biology taxonomy
Kings Play Chess On Funny Green Squares; Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
Musical scale
Every Good Boy Does Fine; E, G, B, D, F

3. Link information to visual cues. Often it's easier to remember a place or an image and its characteristics, than it is to recall a set of unfamiliar pieces of information. To memorize the information, you can try taking an item from the list and associating it in your mind with a picture or place that you know well.

For example, let's say you need to memorize the presidents of the United States since World War II. You could associate each of the presidents with a place you know well, such as your front porch:
Eisenhower
Sitting on the steps
Kennedy
Knocking at the front door
Johnson
Swinging on a porch swing
Nixon
Standing at the mailbox
Ford
Ringing the doorbell
Carter
Sitting in a wicker chair
Reagan
Standing under the porch light
Bush (1st)
Standing on the right
Clinton
Sitting at a table
Bush (2nd)
Standing on the left

To reinforce this, you could draw a sketch of your porch, and note on it the location of each president. This technique is so powerful that you might find yourself thinking of the presidents the next time you go to your porch.

4. Read with a purpose. Many psychologists think that the best way to remember what you read is to follow the PQ4R method. PQ4R is a mnemonic device for Preview, Question, and four R's: Read, Reflect, Recite, Review.

If you are reading a chapter in your biology book, for example, you should start by skimming the whole chapter for an overview. Then create some questions to concentrate on while you study, such as "How does photosynthesis work?" Then read the chapter.

After you've finished, reflect--think about how the chapter has answered your questions. Recite the answers back to yourself, explaining the information in your own words. Finally, go back through the book, skimming again for the main points.

Sound like a lot of work? It may take longer than a quick skim, but it's also a great way to make sure you retain what you are reading, rather than just sitting in front of the book and turning pages.

This Is Totally Wrong

2005-11-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

What color will your wedding dress be? by Claylista
Name
LJ Username
Dream Husband
Where the wedding is	Las Vegas
When	August 6, 2034
Color of Dress	Blue

Quiz created with MemeGen!

If I have to wait until 2034, we've got some serious problems! And there is no way I'm getting married in Vegas! And I'm definitely having a white dress!

What Is Wrong With Today's Teachers?

2005-11-02T17:34:00.000-05:00

I feel so disgusted whenever I read about a teacher having sex with an under-age student. I don't know of any students that I would even remotely think about having sex with!

And yet, a few teachers keep doing it.

Solving Four Mysteries of Manhood

2005-10-25T16:21:00.000-05:00

By Kimberly Williams-Paisley

As my husband, country-music artist Brad Paisley, whizzed past the third gas station in a row on a dark Nashville night, trying to find the new restaurant we wanted to try, I became convinced that there really are fundamental differences in the way men and women live their day-to-day lives. Even though I had repeatedly asked Brad to stop and get directions, he refused. Why wouldn't he stop? It makes perfect sense to do so -- it would save time, gasoline and frustration. Then it dawned on me that if I could just figure out the underlying cause of men's most puzzling habits, I could learn how to better understand my strange and wonderful husband.

"It's just up here," Brad said, his eyes searching the road. And then he made another U-turn. Why won't guys ever admit that they don't know where they are -- or where they're going?

This comes down to men always wanting to be in control. They hate to admit when they're not. I also suspect Brad enjoys adventure more than any kind of schedule I may be trying to keep him to, and he doesn't mind just a hint of dark-night danger.

How is a wife to deal? First, learn to appreciate the subtext. I enjoy the boy in Brad who doesn't mind a little exploration, and I love the man who wants to be in charge. But also be practical. I now surreptitiously tuck a map into my bag and sneak peeks at it when Brad's driving trips leave us going in circles. While I don't want to offend his male ego, I do want to end up at our destination sooner rather than later.

Once we finally get to a restaurant and sit down, Brad likes to have free rein of the table. His elbows often invade my elbow space, and he sometimes acts as though there is a competition going on between the food on my plate and the food on his plate (and it has nothing to do with taste). This could also be about men craving competition even when there is no sport involved. Brad often samples what's on my plate before even looking at what's on his. Only after he's made an assessment of my choice does he try his own. Usually, he continues to eat from both our plates during the course of the meal. It's as if he wants to make sure there's nothing he's missing out on. My friend Laura suggests this is because guys are never truly satisfied with what they have. Or perhaps it's a way to get the lay of the land (again, without a map). This is a different kind of control.

When my husband first started stealing my food, I tried to eat faster so I could get my fill before he'd finished a good portion of it. Occasionally, I ordered things I knew he didn't like -- extra veggies, tofu. But then he started liking those things. Now I just eat what I can off his plate (and I find it does sometimes mysteriously taste better when it's not my own dish). Oftentimes Brad isn't even aware he's consuming my meal until I point it out to him. Ultimately, I try to remember to be thankful, whenever possible, that Brad and I are just getting to have dinner together.

Then we go home and watch a little television before bed. Just like his aversion to maps and directions in the car, my husband strongly rejects the TV Guide at home. And just like his tendency in restaurants, Brad loves to have control over that remote. The weird part is that he can't stay on a channel for more than about five seconds. Even when he finds something he likes, he usually just keeps going anyway. Brad loves that every channel has something different, and he doesn't want to miss anything, so he tries to see them all. It's a television adventure. Channel surfing is a way of keeping an eye on things and staying in the driver's seat, so to speak. Brad stares at that bright, flickering box and points that remote like a caveman might have stared at the fire long ago and poked at it with a stick. Is this trait related to a type of stress release that has been passed on to men for thousands of years?

"Yeah," Brad grunted when I recently asked him.

One of my girlfriends hides the remote from her husband occasionally, declaring it "misplaced." But that technique is only good for a short-term fix, because your husband will inevitably find it and/or buy a more complicated, multi-button one, and you'll be back where you started.
Brad and I have finally negotiated a treaty. We take nightly turns controlling the channel changer -- and the pace at which it's used.

It's usually just as we're working the television situation out, snuggling under the blanket and happily digesting our meals, that somewhere, deep down, some other male "talent" suddenly erupts. I am talking about the sort of noises that used to make for some high-stakes contests in the school playground. Or perhaps your man is a little more discreet: My friend's husband loves to blame his strange noises on various floorboards in their old house. Who knew, she says, those floorboards smelled so funky?

First, let your man know that if he's gonna let it fly, you're probably not going to find it sexy. Personally, a serious blast can shut me down for the night. Second, if those poor floorboards just can't help themselves -- and I understand sometimes they can't -- tell your husband to use the floorboards in the other room (and light a match, to help quell the essence).

I used to often scratch my head over these male habits, pondering why they seem so foreign to me. Now I've finally realized they're actually a way for a man to be king of the road, lord of the larder, duke of the tube and ruler of the airwaves. And I respect that. Don't buy my theory? Then simply celebrate the mystery.

What A Great Idea

2005-10-19T13:22:00.000-05:00

Using little more than an iPod and a school computer, teacher Camilla Gagliolo and her students have been making podcasts -- online radio shows that can be downloaded to an iPod or other portable MP3 player.

"It just makes so much sense. They are so drawn to this technology. They are so excited by it. They're comfortable with it," said Gagliolo, the school's technology coordinator.

Continue Reading

Time For More Couch-Jumping

2005-10-05T17:06:00.000-05:00

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are reportedly execting their first child together.

Read the whole article for yourself.

Jennifer Garner Is Having A Girl

2005-09-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

Looks like Jennifer Garner accidentally let it slip on The Tonight Show that she and husband Ben Affleck are expecting a girl, due around Christmas-time.

“You can just start to feel really pregnant. Like you are the hugest person on the face of the planet. ... And then I felt just bigger and bigger like she ...”

Any Truth To This?

2005-09-26T15:45:00.000-05:00

I thought this was a bunch of hooey when I read it, but research published in the British Medical Journal suggested that left-handed women may be at a greater risk for developing breast cancer.

"While some case-control studies have shown a relationship between
left-handedness and increased breast cancer risk, there has so far not been any prospective data."

Good thing I'm right handed.

Lucky Me

2005-09-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

I must have the cutest, most adorable kids in the whole world. They melt my heart. I love being a teacher.

10-month-old baby stabbed in stroller in NYC

2005-09-08T16:11:00.000-05:00

Toddler stable; man with history of mental problems detained after attack

NEW YORK - A knife-wielding man stabbed a 10-month-old baby in her stroller, critically injuring her, police said.
Isabelle Avins was rushed to a hospital where she underwent surgery Wednesday night. She was listed in critical but stable condition, police spokesman Detective Brian Sessa said.
At the family’s request, the hospital on Thursday declined to provide further details.

The nanny was walking with the baby around 5 p.m. when the man approached them a short distance from the girl’s home, Sessa said.

“He just came out of nowhere,” witness Hennessy Arias told the New York Post in Thursday’s editions. “The baby was hysterical, crying. ... She was crying and trying to gag for air.”

The nanny, identified only as a 20-year-old woman, screamed for help and cradled the baby.

Isabelle’s father, Jon Avins, also praised the nanny.

“The babysitter saved her life,” he told reporters outside the family’s apartment building. “She’s like a member of our family.”

Bernard Derr, 48, a man with a history of psychiatric problems, was taken into custody a short time after the attack and held on attempted murder and other charges, police said.

Books I've Read This Summer

2005-08-16T16:26:00.000-05:00

(Starting with the most recently read)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling
The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger

Ok, only 5 books...but that's not too bad!

Harry Potter Is My Hero

2005-08-16T13:08:00.000-05:00

Ok, just finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Wow! It was good! Not saying any more, as I don't want to give it away to anyone who is reading it or plans to read it in the future. And if you're not planning on reading it, you'd better change your plans! Because you're missing out!

One Step Closer

2005-08-15T18:47:00.000-05:00

I watched Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets today. Good movie. Not as good as the book, but very accurate (to me the book just always seems better!)

The Last Of My Vacation

2005-08-12T15:12:00.000-05:00

Summer vacation is almost over for me, but I'm going to clutch to it desperately until I have to be dragged back to work.

Honestly, though, I do love my job. I get to spend all day with the cutest little kids in the world...and I get paid to do it!

But I do like my summers.

There's a minor league baseball team here, and my boyfriend works at the stadium as an usher. He's going to work in just a few minutes, but I'm going to go to the game tonight and pay him a little visit. :) I like baseball, and they're doing fireworks after tonight's game, so this is a good time to go.

The season's going to be over soon though, and he needs to get another job...desperately. He just dropped out of law school, and I have no idea how he's paying his bills.

Did you ever see the Will & Grace episode last season where Will's boyfriend Vince lost his job and was moping around all the time, leaching onto Will? My boyfriend is my Vince. Poor guy.

I think I know how to cheer him up. ;)

Hello Blogger

2005-08-08T13:37:00.000-05:00

This will be a continuation of my old journal, which can be read by clicking this link.