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Teacher Turns laundry Into Learning Time
NEW YORK - It used to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn's tougher neighborhoods. She'd look inside and see children - lots of them - sitting around, playing video games or watching TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
"I thought there's got to be something better for these kids to do," Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called "Wash and Learn."
What a nifty idea!
SAN DIEGO -- There may be stiff competition from video games, television and computers these days, but chess enthusiasts say the ancient game of kings is enjoying a revival among American children.
This will help them with strateregy.
International students get a taste of Americans giving thanks
Tom Grimwood's late mother, Betty Grimwood, began the tradition 50 years ago of inviting foreign students from the University of Kansas in Lawrence to the farming community northeast of Wichita for Thanksgiving dinner. Grimwood borrowed the idea from another town and brought it to Burns, a bedroom community of about 280 people. The Thanksgiving Homestay Program has since has spread to towns throughout Kansas and hundreds of international students have participated.
Six or seven years ago, we hosted a French high school exchange student for several weeks. His parents joined him in the U.S. toward the end of his stay and were our guests for dinner. They had requested a "completely American meal" so, even though it was spring, I decided on traditional Thanksgiving fare - using foods that originated in The New World. I didn't try to emulate the preparation techniques the Pilgrims might have used. I am fond of my newfangled kitchen devices.
We had roast turkey, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, beans, cornbread, and sweet potatoe pie for desert. And beer. They commented that corn was still considered more suitable as food for animals than for people in France. From they way they consumed it, I would never have guessed this.
Banned from Driving, Saudi Woman Takes to the Sky
Hanadi Hindi, who trained for a pilot's license in neighboring Jordan, has signed a contract with billionaire prince Alwaleed bin Talal's private airline, the prince said.
"Recruiting Captain Hindi as a pilot ... is a major step in the employment of women and in their more active participation in Saudi society," Prince Alwaleed said in a statement.
Good for her!
Town raffles rifles for school
DALLAS (Reuters) - To raise money for a local school project, residents in Lampasas, Texas, are turning to a time-honored tradition, the raffle. But their fundraiser has a unique twist -- the winner walks off with two rifles.
Instead of taking you directly to the story, the link for this story takes you to the Google search page which lists 8 links to this story, 6 of which are Australian. I wonder why.
