Archive for July 3rd, 2008

Homeschool Using the Charlotte Mason Method

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
by Diane Noble

Homeschooling used to consist of four or five children sitting around a table scribbling away in a pile of workbooks, while a stern parent stood over them and lectured. With the help of innovative teachers like Charlotte Mason, homeschooling has come a long way. Today, there are many different methods of homeschooling. The Charlotte Mason method has become quite popular with homeschooling parents today. If you’re thinking about homeschooling, you should definitely consider the different practices out there and see which will suit your children and family best. In this article, I will introduce you to Charlotte Mason method of homeschooling.

Charlotte Mason began to develop her ideas as a passionate mother dedicated to the effective education of her children. She founded the homeschooling movement in the early 1900’s and invested a lifetime in improving the quality of education for children. Her vision was to create a comprehensive and adaptable educational program that focused on core subjects with an emphasis on literature, classical music and fine arts. Charlotte Mason kept her audience in mind and worked hard to keep the program interesting for children.

One of the corner stones of the Charlotte Mason method is the use of what she calls “living books.” These types of books are to replace dry factual textbooks that school children often dread. A “living book” must be authored by someone not only knowledgeable but passionate about a subject. The author’s enthusiasm must shine through the language of the text. Mason believes this enthusiasm would then be mirrored by the students. “Living books” must also be written in conversational or narrative style. Mason looks down upon “twaddle” which she defines as books that are dumbed down for children. These types of books, she argues, not only insult a child’s intelligence but put out any passion the child may have felt for the subject.

An important part of Mason’s program includes reading literature and narrating. Children must become proficient at narrating in their own words what they have read. The narration can be oral, written or even expressed in drawings. Narrating after reading helps to ensure comprehension. Younger children can narrate orally or through drawings but by ten years old, the child should be able to narrate a story by writing. Narration ensures that the child has synthesized the reading, organized the information in their mind and determined how best to communicate this information.

Charlotte Mason believes that children should spend a large amount of time outdoors to help them develop a relationship with nature and a love for the environement. After observing nature, children should write in nature diaries everything they perceive about nature. Nature dairies can also be used to draw pictures of or write poetry about nature. One of the objectives of this nature study is to lead the way for meaningful instruction of scientific subjects. Homeschooling parents who want to implement some of the Charlotte Mason philosophy, should get their children started on nature dairies and ensure that their children get plenty of opportunities to spend time outdoors and develop a love and appreciation for nature.

Children educated the Charlotte Mason way must not only develop literary, scientific and mathematical skills, but also excel in building good character and discipline. Mason was a firm believer that children must learn to govern themselves and develop a sense of inner discipline. Parents and teachers play an important role here, for they must guide children towards the development of good habits. Some of habits Mason encourages parents and teachers to nurture in children are: respect, patience, cleanliness and timeliness. Mason stated that it often takes four to six weeks for one of these skills to solidify as a habit. Parents who want to incorporate The Charlotte Mason method into their homeschooling program should try to implement as many of these practices as they can.

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Run Your Car With Water and Gas - Scam Or the Real Deal?

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
by Matthew Loop, DC

Despite the upcoming election, it is incredibly unlikely that any changes will be made to big oil’s hold on Washington. There are simply far too many people under the influence of these influential businessmen for any real change to occur, no matter who or what party is in charge of regulating these businesses. Luckily, there is actually a way right now to combat high gas prices by using a fuel system designed to reduce emissions, improve the environment and triple your gas mileage, all for less than the cost of filling up a gas tank.

Most people do not believe that you can run your car on water, and that is because the gas companies have done an amazing job and preventing news organizations from receiving information on the topic. But HHO gas (Named because of H2O, 2 Hydrogen, 1 Oxygen) is real and the technology is already available today. In just a few hours and with absolutely no knowledge of auto mechanics, you can convert your car into a hybrid that runs on water.

1) How in the World Can A Car / Truck Run with Water?

There is a system that you can create that hooks up to your car battery. It takes everyday tap water and removes a piece of hydrogen from its chemical makeup, carries it to the engine where it is burned and used, and then sent back into the air where it touches oxygen and becomes water again. By simply adding water to a piece of technology that you have added to your engine, you can triple your gas mileage and reduce your car’s impact on the environment.

2) Benefits of Powering your Car / Truck on Water?

Besides simply getting relief from high gas prices, using water to power your car is incredibly beneficial to the environment as well. After the hydrogen has been removed from the water and burned in your engine, it converts right back to water again. So there is no additional harm to the environment. Instead, all you are doing is creating water emissions, which are considerably safer for the environment and fighting global warming. In addition, water is essentially free, and by tripling your gas mileage you do not have to fill up at the gas tank nearly as often.

3) How and Is it Possible to Construct This Technology For Yourself?

The manufacturing of these systems has been relatively underground, because if they start becoming too mainstream they are likely going to be squashed by big oil and corporate America. Instead, these systems are sold as how-to guides on the internet, teaching you how to build it yourself with detailed, step by step instructions designed to ensure that you do it right the first time with the few materials your need to make it correctly.

In my opinion, everyone should make the conscious decision to adopt this technological breakthrough to run their cars and trucks on water. The obvious reason for this is that it is very friendly for the environment. We have all taken the earth for granted for far too long and now we have an energy crisis on our hands! Water fuel hybrid systems do not contribute to the global warming epidemic nearly as much as conventional gas-powered automobiles do.

As high gas prices continue to rise, the ability to use a water car system instead is incredibly beneficial. Not only are you saving the environment, but your are providing relief to your wallet as well. Converting your car into a water car hybrid is the first step towards making all of our lives better.

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Uncover Biodiesel Fuel

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
by Joseph Then

By the time you are reading this you would probably understand more about biodiesel better. It seems like every time you turn your head you would hear about the endless debate on the advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuel is a form of green energy fuel for cars and it is pretty amazing if you fuel your car with it.

With much debate, what is biodiesel actually? The first thing you have to know is that biodiesel fuel can be produced from a variety of natural crops such as mustard, flax, sunflower, soybean or waste vegetable oils. The advantage of this fuel source is said to reduce engine wear and produce less harmful gas emissions. It is also a great alternative fuel source however it does require engine modifications.

As it was mention earlier, biodiesel fuel can be created from several resources. The fats and oil that is used to produce biodiesel fuel will dictate important properties as energy content, cold flow and oxidative stability. Cold flow has a lot to do with the temperature at which fuel crystallizes. Regarding energy content, AgriFuel claim that its saturated fats have more energy.

Antioxidants lead to a longer shelf-life that is why oxidative stability often associates with it. There are several greases and oil that can usually create biodiesel fuel. The following are some examples of different biodiesel fuel derivatives. These sources are currently use and some of its future prospects which also explains on how AgriFuel advocate to get a rough picture of this.

The most common oil would be the Rapseed Oil for Biodiesel fuel in Europe. Rapeseed is also very well known in Canada as the Canadian variety canola. Mustard Seed Oil is oil with a lot of potential in it. These can be used for oil as well as an organic pesticide from the oil. Algal Oil might be the next big thing for Biodiesel fuel. Some algae are 50% oil.

Recycled oil is waste restaurant grease or used vegetable oil that collected and made into Biodiesel. Many restaurants and business currently throw away used oil in the dumpster. Using our waste streams as feedstock for other products is always a sustainable option. In the search for alternative suitable engines, producing biodiesel fuel vehicles may be a viable option.

Biodiesel fuel does serve as a great alternative as it help reduce the amount of fossil fuel that is mainly use to power automobiles. This will help to reduce the usage of fossil fuels also. There are several options to look at in the acquisition of biodiesel fuel and this could assist the whole country to be an environmentally friendly nation.

So there you have it, a short introduction about biodiesel fuel and what it really is. Knowing the facts of it will help you understand the complexity nature of the biodiesel fuel. It is great to help save the environment in one way is that it will help to reduce the usage of fossil fuel use on earth.

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What Are You Feeding Your Dog?

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008
by Jolie Mitchel

Just as humans require vital nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, and minerals for healthy growth, your dog also requires certain nutritions in their food. What your pet eats is very important. You can choose a high Quality Dog Food and this article will help.

Its very important that you choose the right kind of food for your dog. Lots of dog owners ignore the health of their pet. Understand that if you truly want to increase your dogs life span it is essential that you choose a high quality dog food.

Most people believe that commercial dog food is better than natural organic dog food. However, the truth is that commercial food might not supply essential nutrients to your dog. Moreover, commercial dog food contains preservatives which are harmful for your dog’s health.

Did you know that it is very easy to make your dogs food at home? However if you want to make a food that is healthy for your dog you need to be aware of the nutritional needs of your dog.

Never choose a dog food just because it comes packed in a stylish bag. Flashy advertisements of commercial dog foods can sometimes mislead you. Dogs are carnivorous animals; therefore they require non-vegetarian food regularly. Different dogs have different nutritional requirements.

Keep in mind there are some things that are very bad for your dog. Among these is cooked bones, chocolate, tea, grapes, spicy and salty foods. You must also keep in mind that dogs are unable to digest cooked vegetables.

Dogs do not need just meat and protein; they also need carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins for their proper growth. Improper food can result in muscle spasms in your dog’s body. Veterinary doctors can help you in selecting high ‘Quality Dog Food’.

Many websites offer free dog food recipes for download. To differentiate a high Quality Dog Food from a low quality dog food requires some experience. Dogs are truly mans best friend. Take care of them well, and they will take care of you.

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