Unlock the World With a Map

Maps have the ability to open up the world to children. They can get lost for hours, turning the pages of an atlas and imagining the land, culture, and history of each new place. Some kids seem to have a natural affinity for using a map to unlock their imagination. Others can be guided to understand the beauty and wonder that is inherent in a map.

As soon as kids are old enough to understand symbols and spatial representations, it is time to start introducing maps into their consciousness. Puzzles are good for this. The shapes, colors, and tactile nature of jigsaw pieces will appeal to a kid even before they can understand that each piece represents a state, country, or continent.

As kids get older, getting them a globe, atlas, or wall map can begin to instill an interest in geography. Frequent references to the map that includes offering tidbits of information about specific features and places is all that is needed to spark the imagination. Pointing out on a london map the location of Shakespeare’s theater, telling stories about the Tower of London or locating the source of the 1666 Great Fire are all great ways to get kids interested in what maps represent.

The Appeal of DIY Car Repairs

Americans have a long-standing love affair with the automobile . While most people focus on cars, others have a love of trucks or motorcycles. Even ATVs, RVs, and other special vehicles have their rabid fanatics. The most avid car lovers can not only talk for hours about their vehicles, they can complete most repairs themselves.

They are not alone. More and more people are finding that being able to care of minor repairs and even auto detailing appeals to some deeper part of themselves. A lot of this has to do with the sense of accomplishment that can only be felt when someone works with their hands. Anyone who spends their days toiling in an office environment, with their brain doing all the heavy lifting, feels a tremendous sense of pride when they are able to do something physically demanding.

There is another appeal to DIY car repairs that drives many people to pick up a good repair manual and pop the hood. This is the desire to save money. With the economy still floundering in most places, people need to be able to cut back on expenses whenever possible. The ability to take over even minor repairs like fluid changes, wiper repair, or replacing a battery can save a considerable amount of money over the course of a year. The more complicated the problem, the more money is saved by a DIYer.

Ringtones Suit the Tastes of Everyone

It is possible to find just about any song, or sound effect, that has been recorded. This is a great benefit for cell phone users who are obsessed with finding the ideal ringtone for every person on their address book. However, it is only good news when you’re the one looking for the free ringtone download. If you’re the person standing in line at the concessions stand at the movies while ten different songs are spontaneously playing, and usually with poor acoustics, you might have a different feeling. Oh, but wait, is that your pocket suddenly shouting, “love shack! The whole shack shimmies?” Okay, so I guess none of us can really be judgmental.

And the truth is ringtones in all their varieties are probably here to stay. Cell phones are certainly not going anywhere and that means that our favorite applications and functions, tools and accessories are only going to improve in quality and quantity. And who knows what all else the future will bring. It’s hard to imagine the day that accessing the Internet, downloading ringtones, taking pictures, setting an alarm or two or three, scheduling your appointments for the year, or next; it’s difficult to imagine the day that these are all going to be archaic traits. It’s difficult to imagine tossing out a blackberry because it can’t start your car or program your coffee pot. Oh well, today, let’s enjoy our ringtones. What’s that you said? You’re tin roof rusted?