Some schoolgirls in Kibera, Kenya's largest slum, are writing down their problems and submitting them to a message box. Schools are using the information to alleviate everything from molestation to family financial pressures.  Read more

Nothing says “I love my country” and “support our troops” like a great t-shirt. This one makes sense, mostly. What could be more American than Rock and Roll? Then again, maybe you prefer patriotic stars-and-stripes dolphins on a lavender background. Maybe they are helping our Navy!  Read more

Nothing to post about so far; besides, I was at cemeteries in southern Oregon and northern California.A few pictures:  Read more

an organization which isn't concerned one bit about how good teachers are but instead is devoted to undercutting licensure laws in all 50 states so that any idiot off the street can "teach" and be paid minimum wage to do it:Our schools of education ought to be in a position to think clearly and freely about the challenges our schools face. They are certainly not perfect, but their ability to take an independent stance on education policies and practices is crucial for us to avoid a complete groupthink. But this sort of ideological unanimity in support of "obsession over data" is what our education "reformers" apparently want, and the foundations driving the corporate reform agenda will do what it takes to get it.  Read more

Do your thing.  Read more

[Editor's Note: It may appear that I've been a little Snickerdoodle-mad lately, but that's just because I've been seeing so many great recipes playing off this cookie's flavors! This one is a light and fluffy treat certain to please and easy to assemble. --Genie]  Read more

The end! It’s the end! The book is over. Sigh. A few themes: The rest of the book. Katniss’s 100-percent reversal of her attitude toward Peeta in light of the new rule, even though (she thought) he’d been trying to kill her before and he had been aligned with the Careers–would you be able to forgive that fast, and would the circumstances of the Games influence that?; the number of tributes Katniss personally killed, and why, and what that means; the influence her defiance might have on the Districts, and whether Snow’s proposed solution could really undo that; and the fact that after all this she still can’t relax and how much that sucks for her OH MY GOD COME ON SNOW JUST LET HER HAVE HER MOMENT. And of course the degree to which she was pretending vs. the degree to which she actually has romantic feelings toward Peeta vs.  Read more

There's an ongoing battle in Roswell, NM, that has nothing to do with whether or not the government has a secret base holding alien secrets. While Westboro Baptist gets attention on a national scale for their protest antics, a church in Roswell has taken the track of protesting other Christian churches directly. The "street preachers" stand outside a rival church during their Sunday services with megaphones and shout into the church that the people in there are damned. They're often arrested for disturbing the peace, obstructing public sidewalks, and other such crimes, which eventually get thrown out... except in a couple cases where there was physical violence during the protests, where there were some more serious charges. The church has contacted the ACLU and has them on their side in a case against the City of Roswell.  Read more

@AnnDRomney took up dressage at age 50 as a therapy for multiple sclerosis, says the Gray Lady while pointing out that Romney’s rich. At age 50, Barack Obama Legalized Horse Slaughter for Human Consumption. He’s rich, too. The Times: Pathetic. Tweet it!  Read more

[Editor's Note: Looking for a quick and easy, yet eye-catching, item to bring to your next potluck? This idea from Mollie of Momconformist might just be the thing! It looks complicated, but these step-by-step instructions will guide you through a simple option that will dazzle everyone at the event. --Genie]  Read more