Jump to content

Menu

jejily

Members
  • Posts

    477
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by jejily

  1. I have photos hosted on Flickr - I want to insert an image from that site into my classified ads. When I click on the photo icon (next to the link icon, above), it asks for the URL. I have tried the link to the photo. I have tried the BBCode for the image. I have tried the HTML code for the image. Nothing works -- the photo does not display. Please help!
  2. I'm trying to insert a photo in a post. I have the url for the photo (which is in my flikr account). So far... no luck getting them to show up. I just get a broken picture image.
  3. :iagree: If forced to self-identify, I would call myself a conservative Constitutionalist.
  4. We'll be doing the Medieval History-Based writing lessons this coming year, so I can't tell you much about it (yet), but I *can* say that the reason I'm using it is because I thought the Ancient History-Based writing lessons (which we used last year) were fantastic. I like the IEW program in general, and these history-based writing lessons were the perfect dovetail to our studies.
  5. Actually, if you go one step further and BLOCK the person you don't want to interact with, then you become invisible to them, and they to you. Even if you have mutual friends, they will not see your name on anyone's friend list, they will not see the comments you post to anyone's wall or status, and they will not find you if they "search" for you, no matter how much detail they enter (i.e., if they have your exact name, network, email address, etc., it won't matter, you will NOT come up on their search). Your invisibility is so complete, they would think you simply deactivated your account and were no longer participating on FB. By the same token, once you block someone, you will no longer see THEIR name on anyone's friend list, nor will you see any comments they make to anyone's wall, nor will you "find" them if you search for them. The only way a blocked person might know you are still on FB is if someone addresses you by name in a comment. For example, you and the blocked person are both friends with "George." If you post a comment on George's wall, and someone posts AFTER you and writes, "You, that was hilarious!" (that is, uses your name in their comment), then the blocked person might realize you've blocked them, because they wouldn't see YOUR comment (or even see you on George's friend list), but they would see your name in someone else's comment.
  6. Yes, I ordered the game... but never used it!! Completely forgot about it, in fact...
  7. I used AWOA along with MOH1 this year for my 5th grade DS. Actually... being a curriculum junkie and just a tad bit obssessive, I ended up adding to / replacing so many components of the program that AWOA was no longer my core but merely a supplement! :001_huh: AWOA covers a huge time frame in one year, almost too much. I am spreading it out over two years, which is where MOH comes in (it fills the gaps). At the LA/AWOA Yahoo site, someone took time to post a schedule that combined AWOA and MOH (you'll find it in the files section), and following that outline means you cannot cover it all in one year. We did the first three units this year (Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome), and will use the next three units next year, along with MOH2. This year, I also had WinterPromise's Quest for the Ancients IG, and used their MOH reading schedule and literature recommendations. The schedule for AWOA assumes you will be doing school 5 days/week, for 180 school days; therefore, you should be able to complete six 30-day units in a year. However, we attend homeschool cover classes on Friday, so we only school at home 4 days/week. That meant it took us closer to 8 weeks per unit. By doing only 3 units this year (using 24 of our 36 school weeks), we were left with 12 weeks to fill. With MOH's lessons and QAW's literature selections, that was easy to fill. (Plus, I was doing my own grammar, writing, and spelling anyway.) For science, we took extra time with the human anatomy unit (the science AWOA covers during the study of Greece), but I had to add in some other science units to round out our year. I ended up replacing the grammar with Easy Grammar, the writing with IEW's Ancient History-Based Theme Writing, the vocabulary with English from the Roots Up, and the spelling with lists from Natural Speller. If I had it to do over again... I would have stuck more with AWOA's components, for the sake of my sanity :blink: and my budget. See, :thumbup1: one of the BEST things about AWOA, unlike many other all-in-one programs (like WP's QAW, TOG, Illuminations, etc.) is that you do not have to buy any other books or programs (except math). AWOA is not just a "planning guide" or reading schedule -- it includes all the information you need to read for history & science, and it includes ALL the lessons for grammar, spelling, writing, reading, Bible, even Greek & Latin roots, arts & crafts, etc. So, you do not HAVE to buy MOH or SOTW (although they are great supplements), you do not HAVE to buy a separate grammar program, or a separate writing program, or a separate spelling program, or a separate science program... It's all there. The only extra books you really need are the literature selections, most of which can be found in your local library. She does recommend checking out additional books from the library on the topics covered in each unit (primarily in the areas of history and science), but even if you couldn't find a single book on Ancient Egypt in your local library, you could still complete the unit because all the information is in AWOA. (The books just add pictures and details that kids find interesting.) For a middle-schooler or high schooler, I do think the grammar is too elementary and should be supplemented; possibly the spelling, as well. But the reading and writing assignments as written are easily adaptable to the upper grades. Bottom line, like any curriculum, it has its pros and cons -- one of the biggest "pros" being it's reasonable price for all that it includes! :001_smile: PROS: It is complete and "ready to use" the moment you get it! Just add some library books. It is far more than just a planning guide. It is extremely reasonable in price. It is easily adaptable to older/younger kids. As each of the six units stand alone, you can easily spread this out over a year and a half or two years. It is easy to incorporate MOH (1 & 2), SOTW, the "Famous Men of ..." books, Kingfisher's History of the World, and/or other resources. Includes Greek & Latin root words, introducing roots that relate to the subject matter. Includes lots of fun projects! :mellow: CONS: Covers such a huge time span that its scope is limited; more of a survey than an in-depth study of each time frame. Assumes a 5-day/week homeschool schedule. (These first two "cons" are easily remedied by spreading this out over two years and supplementing with MOH or SOTW.) Grammar lessons are too elementary for most 5-8th graders (IMHO). Spelling lessons are few and far between. (Spreading this out over two years would necessitate supplementing both of these subjects, as your student definitely would not get enough grammar/spelling to be of benefit.) HTH! ~ jejily ~
  8. Some people believe that whatever one believes is okay. In fact, some people believe that God calls people in different ways so no religion is right or wrong. I'm not sure what they think about how God is calling atheists or maybe they think they are the only ones missing out? I was writing early in the morning (for me), so I probably rambled too much and didn't make my point in a clear enough manner. But, allow me to use your observation to better clarify my thought process. If a person believes that "whatever one believes is OK"... does that not mean that people who believe there is only ONE correct faith (or belief or path to God) are wrong? Open-Minded Person (O-MP): I believe that every religion or faith system has value, and people can choose what they believe about God, or choose to not believe in God at all, and that's all OK. Person of Faith: (PoF) I believe there is only one True God, and only one path to God and only one path to heaven. O-MP: That's narrow-minded and exclusionary; it's better to be open-minded and allow that there might be more than one path to God. Right there, the OMP has determined what they believe to be True (or to be a "better," if not "best," viewpoint): there is no one right religion; many/all paths lead to God. Therefore, someone who holds an opposing viewpoint (whether it is that there is only ONE way to God/heaven, or that it is foolish for anyone to believe in a Supreme Being at all) would be incorrect in the eyes of the O-MP. I guess my point is that even holding to the belief that "all viewpoints on this topic are equally valid" would mean that someone who believed there was only ONE valid viewpoint on the topic was wrong. I know, my logic is most likely flawed. I sincerely ask for correction in my conclusions if I have made an illogical leap. I am not trying to argue for a particular religion, by the way. That was just an easy example to use, because there ARE so many different belief systems.
  9. Truly, no snark intended... but just to clarify. This comment has led me to assume (and, yes, I know what happens when one assumes, thus the request for clarification, if you choose to offer it) ... anyway, from this comment I assume you teach your children what your thoughts are on a particular topic but also let them know you could be wrong and a completely opposite viewpoint could be more valid than your own. Is that right? I mean, there are *some* issues on which I tell my kids, "This is what I believe is the most reasonable truth on this matter, but I'm open to other interpretations (within reason)." But there are many others on which I am fully convinced that my viewpoint is the Truth, and other viewpoints are a distortion, misrepresentation, or flat-out refutation of the Truth. Honestly, I find it difficult to believe that anyone is so open-minded that they would not claim to hold any viewpoint on any subject as the "correct" and "true" or "best" viewpoint. Regardless of your faith, whether it be in the Christian Triune God, in the Allah of Islam, in the cycles of nature, whatever -- you have to hold that your viewpoint on your faith is "truth." Whether you are a conservative or liberal or somewhere in between, you have to have developed opinions or stances on certain issues that you believe to be the "right" or "true" or "best" viewpoints. As another poster pointed out, we certainly do not all agree with each other here -- in fact, I am constantly amazed by the extreme diversity of opinion and thought here -- but, really? You don't think YOUR views on any given topic are the correct views? You are always open to the possibility that you could be wrong on any or every given subject? Also, to clarify my own point, I'm not suggesting that we say, "This is the Truth on this subject" and then stick our head in the sand and pretend like there is no other possible viewpoint. But, surely we all have convictions about certain subjects or issues, and while we recognize there are varying and opposite opinions on that same subject, we still hold to ours as the "best" or "correct" opinion, and teach our children the same in hopes that they will grow up and adopt those viewpoints as their own. That doesn't preclude a parent from teaching opposing viewpoints, but I can't imagine any parent teaching those opposing viewpoints without also discussing with their child why *they* (the parent) have rejected those opposing viewpoints in favor of the one they hold.
  10. Jejily thinks this is funny! She speaks in third person, also.
  11. A good point (about the cooperative learning). I guess the "easy" answer is to say that I would hope a parent would recognize that about their child and find opportunities within their homeschooling experience to provide that type of learning situation. (Not every class or subject in public school is cooperative, after all, so even kids who thrive in that environment would only get to be in that type of environment on occasion.) I'm clearly not anti-PS, as you can see from my siggy. My oldest DS was never homeschooled, nor was my DD who is currently in high school. I wish I had homeschooled them, though, for many reasons. My son needed to be challenged, but was not. My daughter needed special help, but her need wasn't "severe enough" so she was lost in the shuffle. She's learned coping techniques, however, and struggles through as a "C" student, even though she tries and studies very, very hard. I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been better for me to homeschool them. Ah, well, 20/20 hindsight.
  12. :iagree: I totally agree, and was with you up until this point: I think the difference that can make or break a child (in terms of reaching his/her potential) is the environment. Kids who achieve can be given limitless opportunities to pursue their interests when they aren't constrained by the public school environment. Kids who struggle in a public school setting will often give up out of frustration, whereas at home they have a ready tutor all the time. Kids who are simply average tend to be ignored in the public school completely -- they aren't praised and commended like the "bright" ones, they aren't singled out for special help like the struggling ones. At home, they are in an environment that values them equally. (Typing quick here between lessons, so I didn't get to fully flesh that out... I hope you understand my point.)
  13. This is good, but I have actually ended up scarring the wall when the remove strip didn't pull out correctly, or when *someone* (who shall remain nameless but on the board is referred to as DH) pulls the "remove" strip in the wrong direction. :glare: Grrr. You might also try Scotch brand "Poster Tape." Removes easily (you don't have to pull it off in a certain direction), and leaves behind no greasy spot or stain of any kind (like the poster putty can). The only drawback is that you might have to replace the tape after a few months; it seems to have about a 6-month life span and then it stops sticking as well and you need to put on new tape strips. Really, each method has a potential drawback. Thumbtacks can leave holes (although often small enough to be unnoticeable), putty often leaves grease marks, poster tape usually has to be replaced every few months, and command strips can tear off a small chunk of plaster if someone removes them incorrectly.
  14. By VLCD, I'm talking 800 calories or less in a day. I've read conflicting studies on the effectiveness of and the negative short- and long-term effects of a VLCD. I wondered if anyone could provide first-hand knowledge. (BTW, I'm not talking about an anorexic way of life. From my understanding, a VLCD should only be done for a short period of time.) If you've done one of these, I just wondered ... 1. How do you get the proper amounts of daily nutrients? 2. Did you suffer from light-headedness or dizziness? 3. Did you use meal replacement shakes (a la Slimfast)? 4. Were you able to maintain the weight loss? 5. Is there any advice you can give to someone who is considering a VLCD? Thanks in advance!
  15. Just another vote of yes, yes, and yes. For all the reasons other posters have stated so well, I do teach my son that there are opposing viewpoints, and what they are. Most of these discussion come up naturally, and are not "scheduled." For example, just this week we are discussing Hinduism and Buddhism, because that happens to coincide with our reading on Ancient India. We discussed Confucianism last week when we covered Ancient China. In these discussions, we also compared/contrasted them to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. (We compared and contrasted not only the ideology of these religions, but also their origins. Putting the origins of a religion in context with the events occurring in that place at that time adds a much deeper understanding of it, IMO.) The same goes for the creation/evolution/old earth/young earth debate, abortion/when-life-begins controversies, and other multi-faceted social or moral issues (homosexuality/gay marriage, premarital sex/pornography, drug & alcohol use, etc.). We discuss these things as they come up, but don't make a point of saying, "Today we're going to discuss XYZ." (OK, I do do that when we study other world religions, but that's a little different than moral/social issues.) I don't shy away from presenting opposing views, but always discuss them through the lens of our own belief system, and only to the level that he can handle at his age.
  16. We've spent ours 10 times over already in our dreams! In reality, we will use it to pay down debt.
  17. I thought the ad was really well done, not at all tasteless, and definitely not confrontational like many issue ads tend to be. However, I have to agree with this assessment. If they rejected it simply for the Super Bowl, then OK, I understand, this is a business decision -- they'd rather not run an ad that might stir up controversy or be perceived as divisive. Not saying I agree with that decision, but I think they are within their rights to make that call. (I certainly hope I don't see other issue or political ads air during the Super Bowl, if this is their justification for refusing it.) Now, if they reject it outright and refuse to run it ever, in any time slot... that's a different story.
  18. Yes. :001_smile: It was the one "appliance" birthday gift I asked for, and was ecstatic about receiving! I've been using mine for 11 years... almost 12. Still runs like it did when it was new. Considering the fact that it practically lasts a lifetime, it is well worth the investment.
  19. That is exactly my situation this year, too! I will probably have it on, just to watch the commercials, though. We are DVR'ing it for DH to watch when he returns, even though he'll already know the outcome.
  20. We've only been homeschooling for a year, and we haven't run into this situation yet. I think it would depend on the sickness. If it were the flu, and I was vomiting or some such, then school would definitely be canceled! However, if it's just a cold, I'd medicate and go on. (I guess I *have* done that already.) If it was one of those colds that developed into bronchitis or pneumonia... I might "call in sick" for a day or two during the worst of it, or try to teach from the couch if I have the strength. I wouldn't want to have to make up a week or two, so I'd try to figure out a way to get core subjects covered... from the couch, by finding independent assignments, etc. DH would definitely help as much as possible (he's often out of town during the week).
  21. I hear ya,' but... 1) Is the soft-porn PETA ad really comparable to the Catholic Vote ad? It's apple and oranges, IMO. 2) I read in another article somewhere that NBC is working with PETA to help them get their ad within standards. (I'm looking for that right now and with edit this with a link once I find it.) ETA: Above poster referenced it. For a pro-life ad, I thought that one was quite gentle in its message. It whispered its message; it didn't shout. It wasn't ugly. You may not agree with the message, but it was hardly offensive in its presentation. The use of Obama in the ad isn't a valid reason for being banned, IMO, as images, comments, thoughts and ideas of previous presidents have been used in "issue" ads by groups opposed to said president's policies.
  22. Call me cynical, but I don't think the USPS would save much money cutting a delivery day. Aren't the mail carriers unionized? Will their union really accept a cut in hours if it means a cut in pay or lay offs? If there's no cut in pay or reduction of personnel, I don't see how this will help. Assuming that they really (I mean, in reality, not in theory) would save a significant amount of money by cutting one delivery day, I think it would be self-defeating if they cut Tuesday. I do understand their rationale -- it's their lightest day -- but as others have pointed out, it will make them even less competitive with UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc. The potential loss in revenues would offset the savings of the shorter work week, and they'd be back in the same position they are now. *shrug* I really wouldn't care about going to a 5-day delivery week, but if it happens, I really hope it is Saturday's mail that is cut.
  23. OK, finally found a good overview. This is just the snapshot. To get the DETAILS of each area, go to http://tinyurl.com/stimulus-package and scroll down to page 4. That's when each of these broad areas gets broken down even further. Also, this list below doesn't include tax cuts, which are a large portion of the package. Energy - $54 billion $32 billion to transform the nation’s energy transmission, distribution, and production systems. $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy efficiency retrofits. $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes. Science & Technology - $16 billion $10 billion for science facilities, research, and instrumentation. $6 billion to expand broadband internet access so businesses in rural and other underserved areas can link up to the global economy. Transportation - $90 billion $30 billion for highway construction; $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure $19 billion for clean water, flood control, and environmental restoration investments $10 billion for transit and rail to reduce traffic congestion and gas consumption Education - $141.6 billion $41 billion to local school districts through Title I ($13 billion), IDEA ($13 billion), a new School Modernization and Repair Program ($14 billion), and the Education Technology program ($1 billion). $79 billion in state fiscal relief to prevent cutbacks to key services, including $39 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities distributed through existing state and federal formulas, $15 billion to states as bonus grants as a reward for meeting key performance measures, and $25 billion to states for other high priority needs such as public safety and other critical services, which may include education. $15.6 billion to increase the Pell grant by $500. $6 billion for higher education modernization. Healthcare - $24.1 billion $20 billion for health information technology to prevent medical mistakes, provide better care to patients and introduce cost-saving efficiencies. $4.1 billion to provide for preventative care and to evaluate the most effective healthcare treatments Unemployment/Welfare Benefits - $102 billion $43 billion for increased unemployment benefits and job training. $39 billion to support those who lose their jobs by helping them to pay the cost of keeping their employer $20 billion to increase the food stamp benefit by over 13% in order to help defray rising food costs. Public Sector Jobs and Protect Vital Services- $91+ billion Provide relief to states, so they can continue to employ teachers, firefighters and police officers and provide vital services without having to unnecessarily raise middle class taxes. (My note: No $$ amount associated with this statement.) $87 billion for a temporary increase in the Medicaid matching rate. $4 billion for state and local law enforcement funding.
  24. Here's a pie chart, which is kinda hard to read and doesn't give a lot of specifics... just an overview:
×
×
  • Create New...