Best Sites for Designing Holiday Cards

posted by Suzanne Kantra on November 27, 2012

If you're like me, you prefer to create customized holiday greeting cards rather than pick up a stack of generic cards from the drugstore. A custom card says so much more about you — whether it's the personalized message, a picture of the kids or simply the ability to choose your own color and design.
There are plenty of sites that offer high-quality custom cards, for mailing, emailing or, in some cases, both. But a few stand out for offering the best combination of selection, quality and price. These are my picks.

Shutterfly and Tiny Prints

Whether you're interested in one of the many photo-centric designs on Shutterfly or one of the beautiful, stylized cards from the extensive selection on its sister site, Tiny Prints, you'll find the same great value proposition. Cards start at less than $2 a pop, and you can have them mailed out for you for an extra $0.55. Of course that way you won't be able to add a personalized message, so you can also choose to have cards sent to you with your return address on the envelopes (an additional $0.24 per) or order return labels ($0.29 per).

Paperless Post

Paperless Post creates a new level of class for e-cards, with its beautiful virtual stationery, elegant envelopes and animated simulation of opening a "real" card. The site offers a wide selection of cards, including designs you can customize with your own photos or logo. There are a few free designs, which you can also send for free to up to 1,000 recipients. Most designs, though, cost a few coins in Paperless Post's virtual currency — coins cost $0.07 to $0.20, depending on how many you buy.
New for this year are PAPER designs, cards that can be sent electronically and in the mail, so you can mix and match based on your friends' preferences. PAPER cards can be customized like the e-cards. A single card is $4, a box of 10 is $16, a box of 20 is $27 and the savings add up as you buy more cards. There is no option for Paperless Post to send your cards directly to recipients.

Pingg

With one of the largest selection of card designs to choose from, you're bound to find something to your taste on Pingg. Card designers include members of the Pingg community and well-known designers, like Martha Stewart. There are plenty of free cards but the recipient has to view an ad before viewing your card and you'll be limited to 250 recipients. Upgrade to pingg Plus for $10 per month and you can send to up to 2,500 recipients ad-free. Pingg also gives you the option of having your cards printed and sent for $2.50 per card plus postage.

Tutoring starts back up after Thanksgiving break

Enjoy the holiday!!

The All-in-One: A Perfect Family Computer

posted by Suzanne Kantra on November 09, 2012 in Computers and Software, Computers & Accessories, Family and Parenting, Kids, Seniors, Guides & Reviews :: 0 comments

An all-in-one computer solves a number of problems in my house. First, it's easy to make sure it stays in the family room, so I can monitor the sites the kids are visiting; laptops have a way of disappearing into the kids' rooms. Second, they serve as a second information and entertainment center for everything from homework to games to movies.
With Microsoft's launch of its touch-friendly Windows 8 operating system last week, the all-in-one has become even more attractive as a family PC option. The home screen is now filled with live tiles that show information that's updated in real time, so anyone can see things like weather, calendar appointments and recent photos at a glance without needing to open the application — a huge time-saver in the morning.
The touch interface is also easy for young kids to use, especially those like my four-year old son who has grown up on touchscreen devices. When I unboxed the HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart all-in-one I received for testing, he took to it immediately, spending hours playing Agent P Strikes Back, a Perry the Platypus game.
So if you're in the market for a new family computer, check out the recent crop of Windows 8 touchscreen all-in-ones. There are plenty of great all-in-one options to choose from. These are my picks.

Dell Inspiron One 23-inch Touch

It may be a bit bare bones when it comes to style, but the Dell Inspiron One 23-inch represents the best value for an all-in-one touchscreen model ($779.99 on dell.com). It comes with a 23-inch, Full HD, LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080), an entry-level Intel Pentium G645 processor, Intel integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. That's more than enough for word processing, watching videos, editing photos or any other everyday computing task. And if you need more power, the Inspiron One 23-inch is configurable up to a Intel Core i7-3770s, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive ($1,399.99). You can't configure it with a discreet graphics card, something that makes a difference when gaming or editing video.

HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart

A step up from the Inspiron One 23" Touch, the HP Envy 20-d010t TouchSmart ($799.99 on hp.com) offers a more attractive design and a few higher-end options. The base model comes with a 20-inch, Full HD, LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080), an Intel Pentium G40 processor, Intel integrated graphics, 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. For those looking to play games or edit video, you can opt into a Intel Core i3-3220 processor, 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M discreet graphics card, 8GB RAM, 16MB of SSD cache and a 2TB hard drive ($1,609.99).

Acer Aspire 5600U

Representing a good mid-range value is Acer's 23-inch Aspire 5600U ($999.99 on us.acer.com). It comes loaded with an Intel Core i5-3210m processor, 6GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Intel integrated graphics. The 23-inch Full HD LED-backed touchscreen (1920 x 1080) reclines up to 80 degrees for easy touchscreen control. Extras include NFC (near field communication) and Bluetooth 4 for easy connectivity to wireless speakers and smartphones.

Sony Vaio Tap 20

The Sony Vaio Tap 20 may be on the pricey side at $999.99 (on sony.com), but it's unique in that it has a built-in battery so you can use it for almost three hours without plugging it in. And its 20-inch touchscreen (1600 x 900) IPS LCD can fold flat for playing board games or watching videos on your lap. The base model comes with an Intel Core i5-3317u processor, Intel integrated graphics, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive.

Apple iMac

Of course, Windows 8 isn't for everyone. Those looking for a computer running Apple's Mac OS X operating system are bound to be happy with the new line of iMac all-in-one computers. Apple has taken an already attractive design and made it exceptionally thin; it's now just 5mm deep at the edges. You can choose from a 21.5-inch Full HD LED-backed LCD (1920 x 1080) or 27-inch (2560 x 1440) IPS LCD display, though no touchscreen option. The base model ($1,299 on apple.com later this month) comes with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and 512MB NVIDIA GeForce GT 640m graphics card, making it more expensive than similarly configured Windows 8 models.

Finding Quality Science Articles And Educational Resources For Kids

Rayshell Clapper for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online
If you’re looking for some great websites with science articles for kids, look no further. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, or just an adult who wants to help children learn to love science, we’ve put together a list of websites that provide great science articles for kids.
RedOrbit.com, of course, is a great place to start. Though we do not yet have an area just for kids, many of the articles and blogs are definitely kid friendly and deal with kid issues. As the website grows, so will this area and more science articles for kids will be available. Sometimes the best science articles for kids are those that connect kids to the adult world. RedOrbit definitely provides a variety of articles and blogs for all ages. Here are a few sections on our site to get you started:
1. Reference Library: Here you will find encyclopedia articles on a variety of themes. Great for homework!
2. Education Videos: Here is where you will find our latest video series called “What Is.” These are quick and easy videos that explain many things such as gravity, planets, and science.
3. Image Libraries: Our image libraries provide great images and descriptions that can be used for lesson plans and homework. There are topics ranging from stunning space images to technical science diagrams.
All of these sections are updated with new material on a daily/weekly basis.
Another great resource is NASA’s newly launched Wavelength online resource center. Here, students and educators alike have access to hundreds of activities, laboratory exercises, and media coving the wide variety of science topics in NASA’s science program. The material is categorized by age group, so whether you are looking for media aids to use in a kindergarten classroom or ideas for conducting a high school physics lab, the information you want is easy to find. And once you have found the perfect activity, detailed instructions – including lists of needed materials and estimated costs – are included for both students and educators.
National Geographic for Kids is a great place to find more science articles for kids because science is one of the focus points of National Geographic. What’s great about National Geographic is that a parent can start with the National Geographic for Little Kids (focused on toddlers), then move to National Geographic for Kids (focused on elementary school ages), finally moving onto the National Geographic Magazine and National Geographic Traveler Magazine (focusing on adults). Obviously, National Geographic for Little Kids and National Geographic for Kids will be stock full of science articles for kids. Plus, it’s National Geographic, so any adult working with children can trust the source and information, and the magazine publishes some of the most stunning and inspiring photos, and kids love visuals.
ScienceNews for Kids is an entity of the Society for Science and the Public. One of its main goals is educating the public, especially kids, about science. For great science articles for kids, check out this website. It’s geared specifically toward kids with information that grabs their attention. This website is definitely worth exploring.
Obviously, several other websites exist that provide great science articles for kids including Time for Kids and even a database on the American Chemical Society website.
With RedOrbit, National Geographic for Kids, and ScienceNews for Kids, any parent can trust the information, and all kids can find the science articles they want. Hopefully, this will help searchers find what they need.
Note: these are not websites we necessarily suggest or promote; rather, these are websites that have provided great information in a kid-friendly fashion.

USC Education Dean: How Seattle brought me up

Education » From Crosscut.com

October 11, 2012

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Karen Symms Gallagher, Dean of USC's Rossier School of Education

 

 

By Karen Symms Gallagher

I was 11 and living in Seattle’s Greenlake neighborhood when my dad died. My brother Jeff was 9. We had no family in Washington, and my mother turned to the community — to our neighbors, to the church, and to the schools to help her raise two young children.
She took a job in the mailroom of National Insurance (which later became SafeCo), and my brother and I became latchkey kids, with the mothers in the neighborhood watching over us. You’ve heard the phrase “It takes a village” and it truly does. In so many ways, Seattle and its people shaped who I am and my life’s work to transform education to serve all of our young people, especially those living in low-income and undeserved communities.
When I was a girl, our neighborhood families helped my brother and me continue to participate in scouts and clubs, and even took us to father/daughter and father/son events. My teachers and counselors at both John Marshall Junior High and Roosevelt High School were integral. In particular, my eighth grade science teacher and school counselor, Mr. John DuGay, took me under his wing and put me on the path to college.
At Western Washington University, it took a lot of small scholarships and me working two jobs to graduate. I restacked books in the library and served desserts and salads in the dormitory commons to help pay my way. I majored in political science — a funny idea for a woman in the late 1960s. At that time, I was one of only three women to do so. And, I was the first in my family to graduate from college.
In graduate school at the University of Washington, it was the same thing for me: more hard work and jobs to make ends meet. By this point, I had married my husband, Pat Gallagher, whom I had met at WWU. Teamwork was critical, as we were both teaching and attending graduate school at UW. I launched my teaching career at Shoreline's Kellogg Junior High — got RIF'd — went to Renton's Dimmitt Middle School, and ended up at Kenmore Junior High in the Northshore School District before leaving Washington for additional graduate school.
My educational journey isn’t so different from other urban students today in Seattle. As we all know, life isn't necessarily fair; you have to go with the hand you are dealt. My mom taught me to rally the troops and get the support you need – even under less than ideal circumstances. It has made me dedicated to building education environments where every student, regardless of personal circumstance, can learn and succeed.
You see, today I am the Dean of the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, where it’s my privilege to help prepare teachers who are remaking our public education system. We do this work on our campus, and increasingly online through our Master of Arts in Teaching program. This fall we opened a charter school in downtown Los Angeles called USC Hybrid High, which uses an extended class day and school year -— as well as online tools — to ensure that 100 percent of our students graduate college-ready and career-prepared.
Later, when I was in graduate school in Indiana, I found myself relying on friends for the use of an apartment for my infant son and me when Pat had to live in another city for a work opportunity. Another friend stepped up to baby-sit at important times while I was working on my dissertation. The point is — in Seattle or anywhere — don’t be timid about asking for help at any age or stage.
Second lesson: make it public. I’m a big believer in stating my goals out loud. From an early age I said I would go to college, even though I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. I was not going to embarrass myself by not making it happen.
I also said out loud to my mom that I wanted to get my Ph.D. She was baffled. She didn’t think it was a good idea — but I said it . . . and I did it. So, make it public. Say it out loud.
Over the years, my family and I moved around the country seven times, each time for a better opportunity. I miss Seattle, of course, and come back as often as possible to visit family and friends. I’m in town this week for the Husky-Trojan football game and to meet with USC Rossier students and alumni in the area.
Now, for me in my role at USC, saying it out loud means living up to our commitment to innovate, educate and transform education for a new generation of students. That means leading the way in true, high-quality online higher education. It also means serving students from incredibly diverse backgrounds and economic circumstances, from rural and urban communities and from over two dozen countries. We have shown that it’s possible.
So when I speak to students, teachers or anyone, I challenge them to not be discouraged no matter where they start. Say your goals out loud and keep the promises you make to yourself. It’s not easy. So don’t forget to ask for help.

Premium on education shifts the middle-class starting line

Updated: 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012 | Posted: 6:23 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012
By Dan Zehr

Gone are the days when a high school diploma served as a surefire ticket to a middle-class career.
The rise of technology in the workplace and the globalization of the economy have hollowed out the marketplace, widening the gap between more- and less-educated workers.
Many of the routine, middle-skills jobs that once provided a middle-class existence have been replaced by technology or pushed to cheaper markets overseas. And for a large share of the well-paying occupations that remain, skill requirements have soared.
Workers who have taken at least some college courses accounted for just 28 percent of the workforce in 1973, according to the Pathways to Prosperity Project at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education. Today, that ratio has shot up to 59 percent.
The recession and lingering high unemployment have exacerbated the education premium. When broken out by education levels, the only group of workers to gain jobs since the start of the recession were those with at least a bachelor's degree, according to study released last month by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce.
For those who had jobs, compensation levels predictably rose with education level. According to U.S. Census Bureau data issued in 2011, the median earnings for someone with a high school diploma were $21,569 a year in 2008. That jumped more than 50 percent for someone with an associate's degree. It doubled, to $42,783 a year, for someone with a bachelor's degree.
Simply put, the premium today's employers put on education has shifted the starting line for a middle-class life.
To account for that, Austin Community College and other groups have sought to accelerate education and skills-training programs in high school. With programs such as its Early College Start, Early College High School and ACC Tech, the college is pushing more-advanced education earlier.
The idea, says Mike Midgley, ACC's vice president of instruction, is to give students more proficient sets of skills by the end of those four "high school" years, perhaps leaving with a certificate or even an associate's degree. Essentially, Midgley and his colleagues want to get students closer to the middle-class starting line in the same amount of time it traditionally took to just get a high school diploma.
In similar college-focused programs around the country, he said, some students have completed two years of college before leaving high school. But even getting a start helps.
"What we have seen is students who complete (an ACC) course while in high school are significantly more likely to continue on at a college after high school, because they've already begun that process," Midgley said.
Even for those who don't move on to a bachelor's degree program, more education typically means more income. Generally speaking, ACC has found that the single largest earnings jump comes between those with just a high school diploma and those students who have completed a single year of further study, Midgley said.
"The biggest bump is that one year of college, and we think it correlates with a solid technical knowledge base in one area," such as automotive or networking skills, he said.
From a community-wide perspective, higher education levels correlate strongly with lower unemployment, according to an Aug. 29 report from the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program. The report compared the education requirements of online job postings with an area's education levels, producing an "education gap index" for the country's 100 largest metro areas.
In Austin, where the education gap index was 1.08, the unemployment rate for May 2012 was 5.8 percent, according to the study. In McAllen, where the education gap index was a wider 1.14, the unemployment rate was 10.8 percent.
The same correlations held true even after accounting for the current tight labor market, which leaves many educated workers stuck in jobs for which they're overqualified, according to Jonathan Rothwell, the study's author and a senior research analyst at Brookings.
About 34 percent of Austin workers are over-educated relative to their occupation, he said, and they make less money than their educational peers. Yet the metro economy as a whole did not appear to fare any worse, he said, and the same tended to hold true in other metro areas.
"My sense is that the demand (for more-educated workers) continues to outrace the supply, and we're a long ways away from any kind of elimination of the advantage for education," Rothwell said. "While some degrees pay more than others and probably are more in keeping with current trends and demands, any college degree provides an advantage."
On the flip side, he said, that typically means a disadvantage for workers with less education — whether due to the higher skill requirements of today's employers or due to the recession forcing more-learned workers into occupations typically filled by workers with a high school diploma.
Administrative assistants used to need little more than high school, good literacy skills and a quick typing finger. Today, Rothwell said, "it's hard to compete if you have just a high school diploma when you're going up against people with college degrees."
That's not to suggest a growing economic boon exists at every step along the educational path. College gets more and more expensive, skewing the cost-benefit analysis of higher education. And starting wages across the board — including for 23- to 29-year-old college graduates entering the workforce — have been largely stagnant over the past decade, said Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute.
But the simple fact remains that, on an individual level, more education almost always means more income.
Dan Zehr covers economics and finance for the American-Statesman. Contact him at dzehr@statesman.com or 445-3797.

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