The Ready Kern Emergency Notification System

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Sent: Jul 29, 2010 4:58p

Are you Ready Kern? The Ready Kern Emergency Notification System was used on the West Fire to help notify... http://fb.me/ELZ7DL8n

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On Twitter: http://twitter.com/kerncountyfire/status/19865598856

2010.04.12 AHEADD and Loren John Presley

Holey Arbeit, Regional Program Director, and Sandy Poole of AHEADD, Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities

It started along the East Coast and it has come to the west coast via Bakersfield -- a support organization for those with verbal/non-verbal language and learning disabilities to go the next step beyond the highly structured elementary and high school environment to college, career, and independent living. 

Carnegie Mellon University has been described as a "mini-MIT" and has been the place where the AHEADD program came into its own. 

Traditional accommodations under IEPs for students with disabilities include:

• extended time for tests (and sometimes assignments),
• technology aids,
• distraction free environment,
• preferred seating. 

Non-traditional accommodations individually include:

• establishing a network of support,
• facilitating communication with professors,
• aiding in self advocacy skill development,
• social language instruction,
• regular assistance with organization (pragmatics/executive functioning),
• increased academic and personal accountability,
• regular meetings with AHEADD staff/professors to discuss progress,
• structured peer support,
• life skills education. 

The west coast region already has several students in several different cities, thanks to being vendored by the Rehabilitation Department and California State Regional Centers (locally Kern Regional Center).  If the KRC or Dept of Rehab client is approved for the service, these agencies can cover the tuition, which starts at $4200 per student per semester.  Given the how comprehensive the services provided are, other services are a lot more expensive. 

For more information about the organization on a national level, email Carolyn Komich Hare, Director of AHEADD or visit AHEADD, Achieving in Higher Education with Autism/Developmental Disabilities. 

Loren John Presley, college student, author, and person with Aspergers

Loren Presley loves writing books, building robots, and (digital) animation.  In a previous visit to our Parent Support Group (PSG), he told of his life journey of trying to figure out who he was and why he processed things differently than other around him seemed to.  This time, he focused more on the process of the self-discovery process. 

• Who are we?
• What has hurt you?
• Why did this happen to me?
• Am I worth anything?

From preschool he used his imagination, was drawn inward, and focused on inner thought. He had to find strength within himself and support outside of himself. 

• Even though there are these things, you can succeed. 
• Total rejection -- horror stories.
• We must learn to stop hating
• Essential needs of every human
  • we all deserve them
• Hope and human heart
  • quantity and/versus quality
• Love is a universal value

Diagnosed by third grade, he was aware of the feeling that he was different.  The feeling shook his self esteem and self confidence.  To him the diagnosis, like many who struggle with undiagnosed disbelieved problems, was actually a relief! 

• He emphasizes human
  • humans are important
  • human equals frame
    • like in robotics and animation, the human body is just a frame (for the soul)
  • everything else is just an accessory
• Essential needs
  • Loyal friends and a support system
  • Safe, secure, understanding

Middle school and high school were like the Medieval Ages.  (note-were? -jb)  (reference -- Freaks, Geeks, and Aspergers.)

• Advocate Dignity

Jane Burch

Technorati Tags: Loren John Presley,aspergers,autism,aheadd

The beginning of the school year is upon us.

With three kids in three different schools, these last few years have been especially hectic.  Trying to make time for each and allow them the time they need for what they have to do is always a balancing act.  Then there is keeping them on track and, for one kid, checking to make sure the child isn't taking the easy way out. 

Trying to remember that your job isn't about popularity and trying to make sure that they know that they are valued.  Trying to teach and trying to make sure they know that they are capable.  Trying to get jobs done and making sure they get their jobs done. 

Whether or not you hit-the-mark today, tomorrow is another day. 

Aspergers kids/high functioning autistic kids are concrete thinkers.  Pragmatics, executive functioning, organizational skills have to with how they arrange, rearrange, don't-arrange their external world in accordance with their internal world (processing).

Technorati Tags: aspergers,autism,kids,school,time management

Archive Notes -- Forms of Communication

• Nonverbal -- intentional
  • Behavioral -- unintentional
  • Physical
• Kinesthetics
  • Facial expressions
  • Eye contact
  • Gestures
  • Postures
• Paralanguage
  • Pronunciation
  • Vocal rate
  • Pitch
  • Tone
  • Volume
  • Emphasis
  • Disfluencies -- "um, uh" and stammering
• Haptics
  • Study of touching
    • soothes
    • strengthens immune system
    • improves relationships
    • gender differences
    • age
• Proxemics
• Chronemics
• Physical appearance
• Physical environment

 

Technorati Tags: language,communication,physical,non-verbal

Archive Notes - Coping Skills

1. Avoid romanticizing the object of the obsession
2. Change thought pattern by doing something else
1. hot shower
2. bubble bath
3. walking
3. Thinking it through
1. consequences
1. people hurt
2. self respect
3. self injury
4. not reach real life goals
4. Pray to God to remove obsession to want to use

Technorati Tags: coping,romanticizing,obsession

Archive Notes - 2008.09.16 -- Conservatorship

• Kern Autism Network (KAN),15401 Lake Berryessa Court, Bakersfield, CA  93314, 661.588.4235, kernautism@gmail.com
  • Saturday, September 20, 2008 was a conference featuring Danielle Breese of Kern County Superintendent of Schools.
    • Licensed Speech and Language Pathologist, special day class teacher, program specialist with behavior problems.
    • Her work has helped many autistic children overcome their anxiety when a new concept has been introduced in the child's surroundings and visual structure has been introduced.
    • A visual structure schedule will enable the parent to provide an informative home environment that will provide their son/daughter with information that will allow him/her to understand the task, how to begin, how to do the task, and what comes next without anxiety.
  • Please contact KAN for any archival information.

 

• Summer for Kids -- Joey Travolta Film Camp (currently 2010 -- Performing Arts Project).  ABLE assisted in project that at that time was 18-22 year old mentally disabled adults.  Later it expanded to neurotypical and Aspergers,  migrant and non-migrant
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) creative patterns -- out of the box, concrete thinking
  • Behavioral skills are critical -- Social cognitive
  • Drama, digital photography, and other arts
  • Confidence
  • Communication

 

• Conflict Mediation.
  • peer with adult counselor
  • mediator
  • visual structure

 

• Ombudsman: both advocate and arbiter, not for conservatorship for personal or estate finances
  • Healthcare Power of Attorney (POA) -- Healthcare POA, for everyday decisions and in case of emergencies.  For individuals that cannot make healthcare decisions for themselves, this is a necessity and can be via internet (basic forms) or attorney.  For individuals that will achieve more independence but need more time, please see your insurance, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) for the proper forms that allow you to make decisions in emergencies. 
    • HEPA
    • NPR.com
  • For more more comprehensive situations, to cover vulnerability
    • at least two people on bank account
      • activate online viewing to monitor activity
    • General POA establishes estate conservatorship: report to court once every two years

 

• Taft College Taft Independent Living Program (TIL)
  • PROP: life skills
  • ROP: junior and senior year and graduated
  • communication skills and social skills: base for all other skills to develop
  • prep the school: set up your support systems ahead of time
  • bus to Taft or driving
  • dating
  • boundaries: make concrete concept
  • "you and the law at 18"
  • five steps
    • identify your feeling
    • rate its intensity 1-5
    • 5 is probably against the law or EXTREME behavior
    • ... unless the situation is EXTREME

Technorati Tags: special education,conservatorship,taft college,TIL,joey travolta,film workshop

Relationship Styles Questionnaire

from a psychology class/relationships class. 

Listed below are statements that reflect different attitudes about love/significant-other relationships.  For each statement fill in the blank using the response that indicates how much you agree or disagree with that statement.  The items refer to a specific love relationship.

The six styles are marked A to F in the questionnaire, corresponding to the order in the answer key that follows.

Whenever possible, answer with your current partner in mind.  If you are not currently dating anyone, answer the questions with your most recent partner in mind.  If you have never been in love, answer in terms of what you thing your responses would most likely be.  There is no right or wrong answers -- we each carry traits from the different styles of love.

(my note -- this could reveal insights to your relationships with family and friends, too.)

The lowest number will be your main Love Style; however, we all will contain part from many different love styles. You may even have two love styles that tie for number one.  This is normal and means you tend to have strong traits in both/many Love Styles.  This scale is useful since it gives you a continuum perspective on your overall Love Style and how you relate to the other Love Styles

(1) Strongly Agree, (2) Moderately Agree, (3) Neutral - neither Agree or Disagree, (4) Moderately Disagree, (5) Strongly Disagree.

 

Love Style A: score_________  style_________

• my partner and I were attracted to each other immediately after we first met
• my partner and I have the right physical chemistry between us
• Our lovemaking is intense and satisfying
• I feel that my partner and I were meant for each other
• my partner and I became emotionally involved rather quickly
• my partner and I really understand each other
• my partner fits my ideal standards for physical beauty/handsomeness

 

Love Style B: score_________  style_________

• I try to keep my partner a little uncertain about my commitment to him/her
• I believe that what my partner does not know about me won't hurt him/her
• I have sometimes had to keep my partner from finding out about other partners
• I could get over my affair my my partner pretty easily and quickly
• my partner would get upset if he/she knew some things I've done with others
• when my partners gets too dependent on me, I want to back off a little
• I enjoy playing the game of love with my partner and a number of other partners

 

Love Style C: score_________  style_________

• it is hard for me to say exactly when our friendship turned into love
• to be genuine, our love first required caring for awhile
• I expect to always be friends with my partner
• our love is the beset kind because it grew out of a long friendship
• our friendship merged gradually into love over time
• our love is really a deep friendship, not a mysterious, mystical emotion
• our love relationship is the most satisfying because it developed from a good friendship

 

Love Style D: score_________  style_________

• I considered what my partner was going to become in life before I committed myself to him/her
• I tried to plan my life carefully before choosing my partner
• in choosing my partner, I believe it was best to love someone with a similar background
• a main consideration in choosing my partner was how he/she would reflect on my family
• an important factor in choosing my partner was whether or not he/she would be a good parent
• one consideration in choosing my partner was how he/she would reflect on my career
• before getting very involved with my partner, I tried to figure out how compatible his/her hereditary background would be with mine in case we ever had children

 

Love Style E: score_________  style_________

• when things are not right with my partner and me, my stomach gets upset
• if my partner and I broke up, I would get so depressed that I would even think of suicide
• sometimes I get to excited about being in love with my partner that I cannot sleep
• when my partner does not pay attention to me, I feel sick all over
• since I have been in love with my partner, I have had trouble concentrating on anything else
• I cannot relax if I suspect that my partner is with someone else
• if my partner ignores me for a while, I sometimes do stupid things to try to get his/her attention back

 

Love Style F: score_________  style_________

• I try to always help my partner through difficult times
• I would rather suffer myself than let my partner suffer
• I cannot be happy unless I place my partner's happiness before my own
• I am usually willing to sacrifice my own wishes to let my partner achieve his/hers
• whatever I own is my partners to use as he/she chooses
• when my partner get angry with me, I still love him/her fully and unconditionally
• I would endure all things for the sake of my partner

 

Love Styles -- 6 Types

Love Style A: Eros

The Eros lover is characterized by passion, though a passion broader than just a physical one.  The Eros lover tends to be drawn toward a preferred physical type, and thus may be an immediate recognition or "aha" when meeting a potential love partner. This lover is intense and wants to be involved with a partner on all levels, becoming physically affectionate (and intimate), talking for hours, and learning all about the partner.  The Eros lover is fully and openly "present",is self-confident and trusting, and balances intensity with an appropriate sense of boundaries. 

Love Style B: Ludus

The Ludus lover, in contrast, is not interested in intensity, but rather experiences love as a game to be played for mutual enjoyment but not necessarily with any serious outcome in mind.  Ludic lovers do not have a preferred physical type. Although ludic lovers may be in a partnered relationship with someone, ludic love is best played with several partners at a time, so that different people may be enjoyed for different qualities, in different activities, with no one person or relationship taking precedence over another.  A ludic lover may hurt a partner inadvertently, but the goal is to enjoy relationships with a variety of people, with everyone having fun and no one getting hurt. 

Love Style C: Storge

The Storge lover is someone who builds a love relationship on a strong base of friendship.  The goal is:  A companionable, secure, trusting relationship with a partner who is similar in terms of attitudes and values.  This similarity is much more important to Storge than physical appearance or sexual satisfaction because this orientation to love is more likely to seek long-term commitment rather than short-term excitement.  *

Love Style D: Pragma

The Pragma lover is all that the name implies, including practical and pragmatic.  A Pragma lover may or may not have a preferred physical type, but he/she will surely have a virtual (or actual) shopping list of qualities sought in a partner.  This type of lover may profit from working with a matchmaker or a computer dating service, in which inappropriate relationship candidates will be screened out.  "The pragmatic lover isn't looking for great excitement and drama, but, rather, for a suitable partner with whom a satisfying, rewarding life can be built."  *

Love Style E: Mania

The Mania lover is also aptly characterized by the love style name, in that emotional highs and lows, as well as dependence, possessiveness, jealousy, and insecurity are typically present.  A manic lover yearns for a love relationship but finds it elusive, because he/she seems compelled to push for commitment from a partner, does not really trust the commitment even if it is forthcoming, and is always afraid that the partner will find someone else.  Another aspect of Mania is physical symptoms, such as difficulty eating or sleeping.  Overall, the Mania lover always seems to be looking for the cloud around the silver lining. 

Love Style F: Agape

The Agape lover is the rarest type of lover.  Agape is characterized by altruism, such as that the partner's welfare is more important than one's own welfare, and what one can give in a relationship is more important than what one gets.  indeed, Agape has much in common with compassionate love.  The idealism of Agape means that there is no one preferred physical type in a partner, and indeed, sensuality and sexuality are likely to be much less important than more spiritual qualities.  Although pure Agape is unlikely to exist on the physical plane of this world, agapic qualities are extremely important as relationships encounter inevitable ups and downs. 

* original article cited S Hendrick & Hendrick, 1992, p65f

These six love styles were originally defined by the Greeks thousands of years ago. 

Many thanks to the original authors of this article. 

Technorati Tags: relationships,greek,love,agape,mania,hendrick

TransUnion Settlement

Deadline July 30
Lawsuit (judgment) says they sold private info from their databases. If you had debt or credit cards, (even if you did not use TransUnion services) between 1986(?)-2000, you have a claim.

Legit? Looks like.... Scary? Very!

http://www.tuclaim.com/

Taft College Program TIL Wins Honor

Taft College Program Wins Honor: Taft College's Transition to Independent Living program received a state award for... http://bit.ly/cfXCfo

Smoking Alters Gene Function

Exposure to cigarette smoke altered genes in a wide range of negative ways in the largest study of its kind ever reported.

http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20100715/smoking-alters-gene-function?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Are Irritating Insects Driving You Buggy?

A guide to dealing with mosquitoes, bees, ticks, and more.

http://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/bug-repelling-basics-00000000036220/index.html

Who Actually Made All Those Brand Name Sunglasses?

With lots of brands of shades available today, you'd think that the market for sunglasses is a healthy and competitive one - but you'd be wrong. Brett Arends of the Wall Street Journal writes:

Do you prefer the "quality" of Ray-Ban to Oakley? Do you think Bulgari is better than Dolce & Gabbana, or Salvatore Ferragamo is better than Prada? Wake up. They're all made by one company, Italian manufacturer Luxottica-one of the biggest consumer companies that consumers have never heard of. Luxottica also makes sunglasses branded Burberry, Chanel, Polo Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney, Tiffany, Versace, Vogue, Persol, Miu Miu, Tory Burch and Donna Karan.

"We manufacture about 70% of those brands in our factories in Italy, and the balance in America and China," says Luxottica spokesman Luca Biondolillo. "We do the design, the manufacturing, and the marketing," he adds. The company makes most of those brands under license, working closely with designers at the relevant fashion houses. But it owns several brands itself, including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Oliver Peoples and REVO. [...]

In many cases, the same company is also selling you the glasses. Luxottica also owns LensCrafters, Pearle Vision and Sunglass Hut. This is extreme vertical integration. The eye doctor telling you that you need a new pair of glasses, the sales people helping you choose them and the people who design and make the glasses all work for the same company.

More in Brett's article Are Designer Sunglasses Worth the Price?: Link

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/15/who-actually-made-all-those-brand-name-sunglasses/

5 Sites With Job Interview Tips To Help You Ace Your Interview

Ah, the dreaded job interview. We all know that you need to be prepared, but how exactly do you get yourself ready for it? Moreover, what kind of questions should you be expecting? Do you know how to answer them all?

All of this and a lot more can contribute to the whole job interview experience becoming particularly stressful, but that's where the Web can come in handy to make the process a little less nerve-racking. There are tons of great resources available online with job interview tips to help you have a successful job interview.

Here's the top 5 sites to help you ace your job interview.

HotJobs

Yahoo HotJobs' Career Tools has an entire section dedicated to just preparing yourself for the all important job interview. You'll find a whole flurry of well-written articles with job interview tips covering every aspect of the interviewing process, so it really makes for great material to review before any interview.

All of the articles are organized into different categories. The first category features everything you need to know about preparation. Types of interviews is the next category, which has strategies on how to handle the interview itself, including questions and answers. The presentation category has helpful information about how to present yourself, followed by articles on what you should do after the interview.
About

The interviews and employment page at About is also chock full of articles to help you with every step of the job interview. The questions and answers guide is a good place to start, with articles on what kind of questions you may encounter and the recommended answers.

Additional articles include information about phone interview etiquette, what to wear, thank you letters, interview follow up, mistakes to avoid, and more. Be sure to also check out the website's helpful job interview videos.
Monster

The employment website Monster has some of the most comprehensive interviewing resources on the Web. It's all divided into four sections with job interview tips: interview preparation, questions, appearance, and follow up.

There's over a hundred useful articles to check out. Just click on the "Browse All Articles" link for the full listings, sorted by its rating. As for the articles themselves, they're written by Monster's own job experts and are all very straightforward, so it's a good idea to read up on them for invaluable information.
Job Interview Questions

Job Interview Questions is another great resource that offers help and advice for the entire interviewing process, not just questions and answers.

The left-hand side of the website displays links to all the sections you want as the job seeker, including interview questions, follow up, salary negotiation, and more. Be sure to also check out the articles on the job interview tips page and the interview guide for more unique topics, such as interviewing during a meal and questions for you to ask.
YouTube

For some watching rather than reading, just turn to YouTube. The site has a great collection of videos all about job interviews, so it's definitely another effective resource to improve your interviewing skills. Just search for "job interview tips" or job interview techniques."

What are some of your favorite sites with job interview tips to help you ace a job interview? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit : bpsusf
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Yellow Jackets Don't Like Fireworks

A fireworks display Friday at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California drew crowds of people -and yellow jackets! A swarm of insects stung fairgoers when their nest was disturbed.

The wasp attacks began shortly after the fireworks show started at 9:15 p.m. About 5,000 people were in the grandstands, and 15 minutes later sting victims started showing up in the first aid area, Knowles said.

"Apparently there were a number of (yellow jackets) also in attendance for the fireworks display last night," Knowles said Saturday.

She said emergency personnel at the fair set up a triage area to care for those who were stung. Everyone was treated on site and there were no hospitalizations, Knowles said.

By midnight Friday, an exterminator located and removed a ground nest, Mitchell said. The yellow jackets were probably disturbed by the vibrations as the fireworks were launched, not the explosions overhead, she said.

None of the victims were allergic to the stings. Link

(Image credit: Flickr user ChrisK4u)

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/05/yellow-jackets-dont-like-fireworks/

The Curse of the Little Rascals

When Robert Blake was arrested in 2002 and charged with the murder of his wife, a lot of people began to look back and wonder if the kids who starred in the Our Gang films were under some kind of cloud.

BACKGROUND

According to Our Gang producer Hal Roach, 176 kids played in the 221 Our Gang films made between 1922 and 1944. Only a few of these became major stars in the series.

It's not unusual for child stars to have a difficult time as they move into adulthood, and if anything life in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s was even tougher. Children who worked in the series typically started out earning less than $100 a week, and they never earned residuals-when the Our Gang films made their way to television in the early 1950s, the kids didn't get a penny. Result: when their fame ended, they didn't have any money to fall back on like child stars do today.

When you consider how many kids cycled through the Our Gang series, it stands to reason that quite a few of them would have problems later in life. Even so, the number of kids who suffered misfortune over the years is startling. You can't help but wonder: Are the Little Rascals cursed?

LOSS OF INNOCENCE

*Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer: Like many of the Little Rascals, Switzer had trouble finding movie roles as he grew older. He landed bit parts in films like It's a Wonderful Life and The Defiant Ones, supporting himself at such odd jobs as bartender, dog trainer, and hunting guide between acting gigs. He was shot to death in 1959 following an argument over $50. He was 31. (Carl's older brother, Harold, also appeared in the Our Gang series; in April 1967 he murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself. He was 42.)

*William "Buckwheat" Thomas: When his career in front of the camera ended, Thomas became a film technician with the Technicolor Corporation. In October 1980, a neighbor who hadn't seen Thomas in several days entered his home and found him dead in bed. Cause of death: heart attack. Thomas was 49.

*Robert "Wheezer" Hitchins: A cadet in the Army Air Corps, Hitchins was killed in 1945 while trying to land his plane during a training exercise. He died a few days shy of his 20th birthday.

*Matthew "Stymie" Beard: A high school dropout, Beard fought a heroin addiction for more than 20 years and was frequently in and out of prison. He beat the habit in the 1970s, but passed away in 1981, at age 56. Cause of death: pneumonia, following a stroke.

*"Darla" Hood Granson: Contracted hepatitis while in the hospital for minor surgery and died in 1979 at the age of 47.

*Norman "Chubby" Chaney: Chaney's weight was due to a glandular problem; by the time he was 17 he weighed more than 300 pounds. In 1935 he had surgery to treat his condition; that dropped his weight down to 130 pounds, but he never regained his health. He passed away in 1936 at the age of 18.

*"Scotty" Beckett: Scotty was the kid who wore a cap turned to the side of his head. A classic case of troubled former child star, Beckett slid into alcohol and drug abuse when his acting career petered out. He had two failed marriages, a history of violence, and numerous run-ins with the law. In 1968 he checked into a Hollywood nursing home after someone beat him up; two days later he was dead.  Investigators found a bottle of pills and a suicide note by his bed, but the coroner never ruled on whether it was the beating or the barbiturates that killed him. He was 38.

*William "Froggy" Laughlin: Rear-ended and killed by a truck while delivering newspapers on his motor scooter in 1948. He was 16.

*Richard "Mickey" Daniels: Long estranged from his wife and children, Daniels died alone in a San Diego hotel room in 1970. Cause of death: cirrhosis of the liver. Years passed before his remains were identified and claimed by his family. Daniels was 55 when he died; he is buried in an unmarked grave.

*Bobby Blake: (He used his real name, Mickey Gubitosi, in the Our Gang films until 1942.) If you're charged with murdering your wife and you beat the rap, does that count as being cursed or beating the curse? In the 1990s, Blake took up with a woman named Bonnie Lee Bakley. He didn't know it at the time, but she was a celebrity-obsessed con artist who wanted to have a baby with a Hollywood star. Blake took the bait, and in 2000 Bakley gave birth to Blake's daughter. Five months later they were married.

On May 4, 2001, Bakley was shot in the head and killed while sitting in her car outside a restaurant where she and Blake had just eaten dinner. In April 2002, Blake was arrested and charged with Bakley's murder; in March 2005, a jury found him not guilty. He beat the rap, but the media continues to doubt his innocence. Bblake says that as a result of the ordeal, he's now destitute.

OTHER RASCAL'S FATES

*Robert "Bonedust" Young. Fell asleep while smoking in bed in 1951; he died in the ensuing fire at the age of 33.

*Jay "Pinky" Smith (aka the freckle-faced kid). Stabbed to death in 2002 by a homeless man he'd befriended, who then dumped Smith's body in the desert outside of Las Vegas. He was 87.

*"Dorothy" Dandridge. Committed suicide in 1965 after losing all her money in a phony investment scheme. She was 41.

*Kendell "Breezy Brisbane" McComas. Committed suicide in 1981, two weeks before being forced into retirement as an electrical engineer. He was 64.

*Darwood "Waldo" Kaye. Waldo was the rich kid with glasses who competed with with Spanky and Alfalfa for Darla's affections. In 2002 he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking on the sidewalk. He was 72.

*Pete the Pup. The first dog to play Pete was poisoned by an unknown assailant in 1930.

VOICE OF REASON?

Hal Roach, who outlived many of his child stars and died in 1992 at the age of 100, never believed that the kids were cursed. "Naturally, some got into trouble or had bad luck," he told an interviewer in 1973. "They're the ones who made the headlines. But if you took 176 other kids and followed them through their lives, I believe you would find the same percentage of them having trouble later in life."

See also: The Little Rascals

_________________________

The article above is reprinted with permission from Uncle John's Fast-Acting Long-Lasting Bathroom Reader.

Since 1988, the Bathroom Reader Institute had published a series of popular books containing irresistible bits of trivia and obscure yet fascinating facts.

If you like Neatorama, you'll love the Bathroom Reader Institute's books - go ahead and check em out!

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/05/the-curse-of-the-little-rascals/

Use Microsoft Office for Free with Microsoft Web Apps

Google Documents has its problems. Its features are not comprehensive enough for truly serious office work, and it can be a bit slow and finicky when compared to a traditional office program. Still, Google Documents has started a revolution. The ability to access a document from any computer and share it with co-workers is immensely useful.

Microsoft knows this. It has been flat-footed so far, as the company's investments in the mighty Microsoft Office Suite can't be turned on (or with) a dime. They are not blind to the situation and to respond, Microsoft has released Microsoft Web Apps, a set of free applications which emulate the functions of Google Documents.

There Is Some Office In My Firefox

Microsoft's new Web Apps platform is accessed through Windows Live. If you have a Windows Live account you just need to log into it and you're good to go. If you don't have a Windows Live account you will need to create one before you gain access.

Once you log in, you will be greeted by what Microsoft calls Skydrive. The Skydrive is simply your online storage. It works a lot like a normal hard drive, although of course, you have to access it through your web browser. You can create new folders for storing and sharing documents and you can move documents from folder to folder. The interface is different from Google Documents, but not quite as robust in functionality. You can't view documents as thumbnails, for example.
What Can You Buy For Free?

As you might expect, the functionality of Microsoft Web Apps is limited compared to the complete Microsoft Office suite. You will only be able to use web-based versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote. The functionality of each Web App is limited when compared to the full version, as well. The Word Web App, for example, is only really suitable for basic text editing. You an also add photos and links, but that is about it. You can't add comments, create annotations or edit footers.

If you already own the Microsoft Office suite, however, you'll be able to open any Web App document in the full version of Microsoft Office. The value of this feature can't be overstated. While browser-based office suites are interesting, they are never as smooth or as functional as a office suite installed on your local machine. By integrating the ability to open a Web App document with just one click Microsoft gives Office users the best of both worlds.

The interface of Microsoft's Web App's will be immediately familiar if you use Microsoft Office. This means that is better than other popular free suites, like Google Documents and Zoho. Rather than relying on old-fashion drop-down menus, Microsoft Web Apps follows a more modern tabbed design aesthetics. Icons are large and intuitive, and the most frequently needed functions are represented by large buttons which are easy to find. I was able to start using Microsoft Web Apps in no time at all.
A Real Alternative to Google Documents?

It is easy to pigeon-hole Microsoft as the senile old curmudgeon of the tech world, slowly dying as it makes desperate attempts to keep with the times. This portrayal is common (those lovely "I'm a Mac" ads didn't help) but it is starting to seem inaccurate.

Microsoft's Web Apps is an extremely solid platform. Its interface is actually better than that of Google Documents in many respects. Microsoft's Web Apps also feels even quicker than Google Documents, which is by no means a slouch when it comes to speed. I noticed this somewhat when I was using Word, but the biggest speed difference seemed to come in the presentation apps. Microsoft's Powerpoint Web App felt a lot smoother than Google's implementation.

It is the integration with the paid version of Office that is killer, however. As an dedicated OpenOffice user, I'm now considering actually purchasing Microsoft Office 2010 just to gain access one-click integration with Microsoft's Web Apps. If any OpenOffice users out there know a way to enable similar functionality for OpenOffice I'd love to hear it.

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Yankee Doodle Fun Facts

Spirit of '76 by A.M. Willard

Yankee Doodle went to town,
A-riding on a pony;
He stuck a feather in his hat,
And call it macaroni.

This Fourth of July, amaze your friends with the following Yankee Doodle Fun Facts:

Yankee Doodle, the patriotic song (and state anthem of Connecticut) was originally sung by British military officers to mock the disheveled and disorganized American colonists who fought alongside them during the French and Indian Wars:

Tradition and other more official sources have it that the American version of the song was written, at least in part, by a Dr. Richard Schackburg, a British army surgeon during the French and Indian Wars while at the home of the Van Rensselaer family. Schackburg's lyrics were said to be composed to make fun of the colonials who fought alongside the British troops. (Source)

The Americans took the song (and insult) and turned it around: they were proud to be called Yankees, and Yankee Doodle became a patriotic song.

The origin of the Yankee Doodle is murky, but it is thought to originate in 15th century Holland as a harvesting song that began "Yanker dudel doodle down." The same tune was used for an English nursey rhyme "Lucy Locket."

There are several possible origins of the word "yankee," but I like this one: it's a Indian corruption of "anglais," the French word for English.

Doodle is actually a 17th century word meaning "fool."

The macaroni in the lyric is not pasta - it's actually a pejorative term for a man who dressed in a ridiculously outlandish style. The word came from the Italian word "maccherone" or a boorish fool.

Happy Fourth of July!

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/04/yankee-doodle-fun-facts/

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