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Youtubers to Check Out!

Celly
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Since we all don’t have unlimited time, and would rather not spend what little leisure time we have searching for good Youtubers, I’d like to present to you some lesser-known Youtubers worth your time.

1. Jacksgap

First of all you get a British boy, then, you get his twin. Yes, I’m talking a Youtube channel about British twins. You know you’re curious.

2. The Human Jukebox 

A group of people who go around doing musical experiments. Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds. If you have a passion for music, be sure to check out The Collective Cadenza  here.

4. Improv Everywhere

 

In case you don’t already know about the, Improv Everywhere is a massive improvisational Youtube channel. They have wacky, weird ideas and are made up of dedicated volunteers!

“Smashingly Greek” at Broken Plate

Wentao
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How I wish I were in Greece right now instead of Calgary. *Frowns* I guess it’s fine if I get a real nice taste of their food and culture somewhere. *Smiles*…Except I won’t get the amazing vacation feeling. *Frowns again*

If I could have that view when I look out the window..
If I could have that view when I look out the window..

My complaints out of boredom aside (I really have to stop daydreaming), this was my first time having Greek food at an actual fancy restaurant.  You can’t always use food court meals to judge a cuisine! (*Cough* Me *Cough*)  Broken Plate is a chain of Greek restaurants in Calgary and I’ve been eager to try it ever since I passed by the location at Aspen Landing. On the day of my Dad’s birthday (perfect excuse… a.k.a happy birthday dad!) , we went in for the taste of the country of……mythology! Even some of the dishes are fancied up by being named after Greek gods.

Broken Plate on Urbanspoon

This is actually a very low-profile entrance compared to Redwater and Original Joe’s next door.

We were greeted with nice Greek-themed décor inside such as a cartographer’s map hung up on the wall. The dim lighting helped set a peaceful mood as we sat down, ready for dinner. Forgive me for the horribly underexposed photos!

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This time around, we chose a salad and two entrées. They weren’t exactly big portions, but filling and flavourful nonetheless.

Salad – Lamb Confit – $14

I didn't even know what "Confit" meant until we ordered this. The sweet dressing complimented the greens well. The lamb pieces just added up to it.
I didn’t even know what “Confit” meant until we ordered this. The sweet dressing complimented the lamb pieces and mixed greens well, helping to retain the refreshing taste.

Entrée – Zeus Chicken – $23

Hmm... ZEUS chicken... sounds powerful, doesn't it? The juicy stuffed chicken proved to be a good main star, but the dish isn't too spiced up.
Hmm… ZEUS chicken… sounds powerful just like the god himself, doesn’t it? The juicy stuffed chicken proved to be a good main star, but the dish isn’t too spiced up to stand out.

Entrée – Exohiko Salmon – $21

This was the birthday star's meal.... So I didn't taste it, sorry :( Exohiko is a greek dish where the contents are wrapped like a parcel with phyllo pastry, aluminium foil, or parchment.
Exohiko is a greek dish where the contents are wrapped like a parcel with phyllo pastry, aluminium foil, or parchment. Unfortunately, this was the birthday star’s choice…. So I didn’t taste it, sorry 🙁

The dishes were amazing, but what was unique about the visit was getting to know the meaning behind the restaurant name. In Greece, guests smash plates on the floor in celebrations to express joy and abundance. As strange as it sounds, this attracts a lot of customers; they even have a designated area of sorts to do it. I guess they have so many plates, they can feel free to break them in the name of happiness! Those poor plates end up like this (credits to Bill Gilmour for this video):

(WARNING – Please do not try this with your beloved dinnerware at home. You will damage your floor and get shards EVERYWHERE. Also, you’ll get me ranting about your horrible reading comprehension skills. If you want to smash a plate, head down to the restaurant! Just don’t do it in anger.)

Unlike dropping plates on the floor, our experience wasn’t too much of a bang, other than when my dad smacked the plate he was given to smash on the floor before I could take a GIF. It’s a pleasant place though, just not quite the star we’d thought it to be. This place is good if you want something neat, and who knows, it has the potential to be a bit of a hidden gem.

Rating: 4/5 (The interesting background of the name brought my score up a bit)

Video of the Day: The Perfect Ponytail

Ivonne
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To be honest, I have no idea why this video is so addicting. This is simply one of those videos that you can’t help but watch over…and over….and over. Major genius points to the guy in this video. This is just too awesome.

 

 

 

 

Places to visit: The Devonian Garden

Sohaib Panwala
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In the midst of the concrete jungle downtown lies some gorgeous greenery; the Devonian Gardens. It is located in the The Core mall and is a beautiful, serene place to do some quiet work. It is a massive ‘2.5 acres and contains over 550 trees’ (Calgary Herald). As well as the trees, It also contains 2 Koi ponds (a pool for ornamental carp), a play area and rental space intended for weddings or gatherings.

I love it because it is a brilliant spot to read peacefully, to study and a great place to bring your significant other. I am rather fond of nature and  it’s awesome to be able to connect to nature in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. As you can see in the picture below, there is a beautiful fountain in the garden and the sound of water falling adds to the calming effect.

It's a popular spot to chill
It’s a popular spot to chill

There are still some renovations occurring, masks are being put up on empty walls and the caretaker says that descriptions will be put up soon. It is also becoming a local tradition to put coins in the ponds and hope for good weather akin to the Trevi fountain in Rome, Italy.

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Local traditions popping up
Local traditions popping up

The Devonian Gardens are becoming an integral part of downtown Calgarian life once again. Check out this beautiful garden for yourself!

Monday – Saturday: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Sundays: 10:00am – 5:00pm

Cost: FREE!

Will jobs return to Canada?

nad
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Since the 1700s, jobs were sent to whoever could do a task and charge the least amount of money. In the 1980s, jobs that North Americans had previously held were moving rapidly away to cheaper havens in developing countries. These countries charged less tax and wages were significantly lower. In the 2004 election, the Democrats criticized corporations following this practice, bringing the issue to light. Citizens of developed countries have been negatively affected by this practice, with many losing their jobs in order for corporations to increase their profit. In the beginning of the 21st century, outsourcing was common. Today, there is a move towards the exact opposite – bringing jobs back to developed countries. Some companies have begun to do this, but what has changed to make them bring back the jobs?

PR: Just seeing the text “Made in Canada” is enough to drive many people to choose it over another. Companies that do manufacture in Canada can easily seize this opportunity, comparing their products to their competitors’, engendering a ‘feel good’ idea for consumers who buy the product. By showing that the customers are supporting fellow citizens, they both receive more favourable press than other companies while also avoiding the pitfalls that creating products in another country entail. This boost in brand value can mean a lot for companies, especially in industries where products are almost impossible to differentiate, with other the knowledge that a customer has of a brand getting them to buy one. Though ‘brand value’ may seem like a high in the sky term, as it seems immeasurable, companies are almost constantly evaluated on their brand’s value, with numerous reports being released every year detailing who is leading.

Knowledge: North America is known for having some of the best engineering universities in the world, with these schools producing some of the best graduates that go to work for Fortune 500 companies. In Canada, many engineering universities including the Universities of Toronto and Waterloo act as direct streams to these large firms. In the past, the only problem has been the high wages charged by these graduates. Though their capabilities are much higher than an unskilled foreign labourer, their work can be divided into smaller pieces and given to numerous foreign workers. Recently, Verizon did a case study on this, telling the story of a programmer who made over $100,000 a year and paid a Chinese firm half that to do his job (See the full story here). Now, though, in some fields, the initiative and ingenuity of these trained workers is paying off. According to the American Bureau of Labour Statistics, workers in North America are twice as productive as those in Taiwan. This can be attributed to the education of the workers and the engineers who can both do a greater amount of tasks and complete tasks requiring greater complexity.

Return to CanadaCEOs of nearly every firm in every industry were previously confident that once jobs had left developed countries, they wouldn’t be able to come back. Taking recent resurgences in productivity and patriotic sentiments into account, do you think that Canada could create a strong base from these outsourced jobs?

Wake Me Up

lily
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Have you ever woken up from a full night of sleep only to crawl through the day feeling tired and spent? What happened to all that energy eight hours of rest had promise? If you’ve ever felt this way, then you should probably look to your daily routine, there’s more to feeling rested then getting enough sleep.tired_of_searching_for_quality_link_partners

 

The word routine is very important here. Many of us go through almost the exact same footsteps every single day. We wake up, eat three meals a day, go to school, loiter on the internet, force ourselves to finish homework, and then go straight back to sleep. We repeat this every day until our brains practically run on autopilot. Routines are brain-deadening, and when our brains are hovering in a null state, it’s easy to feel fatigued and bored. The solution to this is simply to break that routine. Sign-up for a sports club, learn an instrument, and maybe find a new hobby. Do something new every day to wake up your brain.

Another way to wake up refreshed every morning is to introduce yourself to new scents. Eat some oranges for breakfast, or drink some mint tea, citrus and mint will sharpen that mind and get you ready for the day. You can also play around with car fresheners; change them up on a daily basis.

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I always find that if I spend the day staring at my laptop with a bag of Cheetos in hand, I tend to get tired really easily. Whereas if I wake up early, go out for a jog, practice piano for an hour or so, then head on to the gym, I usually come back awake and relaxed. Many people avoid working out by saying they’re way too tired, but exercising actually gives you more energy. So next time you get the urge to sink into your sofa, maybe try doing some jumping jacks instead.5-brain-design-by-cogs-and-gears-setsiri-silapasuwanchai

The key to staying awake throughout the day is to keep your brain from falling asleep. Although school might not always be the most exciting thing, there are always ways to keep your mind focused. For example, doodling on your notebook while listening to a lecture has been proven to help improve your attention span. Eat a snack between classes, or take a walk during lunch, little things can make a big difference. But most important of all, you have to get an adequate amount of sleep each night.

Get rich fast – simple way to make gold!

lucy
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You heard me right. Yes, there is NOW A WAY TO MAKE GOLD! If only alchemists were still around; they’d be DYING to know this one simple trick! It’s easy, it’s effective, and it’s guaranteed to make you rich in no time flat!

Here are the simple steps–>

1. Find a bunch of Delftia acidovorans bacteria*.

2. Get some seawater.

3. Combine seawater and Delftia acidovorans bacteria.

4. Profit.

*You can find Delftia acidovorans bacteria on eBay. Click here!

…Actually…it’s not so simple… Time for a bit of science!

Although gold in solution form is highly toxic, Delftia acidovorans have a special set of genes that allow them to secrete delftibactin. Delftibactin1 is a chemical that forces gold to precipitate (or become solid) out of a solution. By creating solid gold, and removing it from the system, D. acidovarans avert themselves from great peril.2 At the same time, they drastically add to our gold reserves. Win-win? I think yes.

Now, for the first time, this magical delftibactin chemical has been isolated. One day, if we manage to create enough of it…we can create tons and tons of gold!1

But…we’re not quite at that stage yet. Sorry to disappoint you folks! Keep dreaming!

 

 

ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards (AKA I know an undercover superhero that deserves recognition)

sunny
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Everyday superheros don’t wear capes or spandex, but they still manage to save the day – be it from cancer, boredom, or pollution.
We all have those people in our lives who are so passionate and amazing at what they do – that someone should really give them an award! (Or maybe that person is you!)

Well, here’s your chance! The annual  ConocoPhillips Youth Of Distinction Awards (YODA) are open for nomination!
These awards celebrate the outstanding ways youth have chosen to live, and focus on values like leadership, friendship, dedication, creativity, and service. (Notice that school grades are not on the list).

YODA wants YOU… to nominate 😀

Here’s a quick breakdown: (or, if you’re lazy, watch a video)

WHO?
anyone can nominate youth (ages 13-18)

 

WHAT?
for extraordinary achievement in:
the 9 award categories:
Advocacy, Arts and Culture, Environmentalism (Group/Individual), Leadership, Peer Support, Perseverance, Sportsmanship and Volunteerism

 

WHEN?
before MONDAY, MARCH 4th

 

HOW?
by filling this application
&
doing this questionnaire OR writing a 1 page letter OR creating a 4-6 min video blog
about how wonderful your nominee is! (They’re definitely worth your time.)

send it to YODA! (email: yoda@youthcentral.com , fax: 403-264-0266 , or mail: ConocoPhillips Youth of Distinction Awards Program Coordinator / Youth Central / Suite #820, 105 12th Ave SE / Calgary, AB T2G 1A1 )

 

WHY?
because youth deserve recognition for the amazing things they are doing for our community!
also, the top 3 schools with most nominated students will win cash prizes of $1,000, $750, and $500!
(thanks, ConocoPhillips!)

Last year, there was a whooping 269 nominations (let’s top that this year!)! Check out 2012’s finalists for inspiration for your nomination.

 

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Recognize those amazing youth in your life. (And don’t be shy to ask people to nominate you, too!)

Photo of the Day – Battle of Alberta: Redux

Syed
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A huge thanks to Kids Up Front for giving me the opportunity to let out my not-so-inner Flames’ fan this past weekend at the Flames and Oilers game. I would love to say that it was a hard fought match, but the 4-3 scoreline really suggests the game was a lot closer than it actually was. Or maybe that’s just the Flames’ fan in me talking…

Photo of the Day: A remembrance of life’s fragility

E
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In our busy lives, we may quite easily forget who we are, what we’re aiming for, what makes us happy. Perhaps the most devastating part is that we forget our mortality. Sure, there are complaints about discomforts here and there, but we live as if we are immortal creatures: microwaved food feasts, parties (homework inclusive) spanning the night, couch potato vacations. The catchphrases “YOLO” (you only live once) and “carpe diem” (seize the day) are not encouragements for all of us to hit every bar in town and regret about the experience afterward – absolutely not. It is for us to re-evaluate our lives and sort out our priorities. We must accept our mortality for what it is. As Leonardo da Vinci had said, “a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well spent brings happy death.”

 

 

The stalks of these flowers are already dried up, but their blossoms are preserved and kept fresh by the medical infusion bags. The life-span of every living creature is limited. The infusion bags stand for the progress in medicine and the prolongation of human life. They somehow carry an ambivalent message as they refer to both death and life the same time. To preserve the beauty of the flowers artifically with the help of the infusion bags points out man’s inclination to repress the fact that he has to die and to postpone death. [source]

Fry’s Brownies, a Simple and Sweet Treat

Lauren Morris
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Brownies are a delicious treat to give to a valentine!

Most times people search through numerous cookbooks in an attempt to find dazzling and complicated recipes, in hopes to woo their guests with their culinary expertise. Regrettably,  oftentimes complicated desserts go awry, and end up being a much less sweet of a treat then anticipated. That’s why, for a chocolaty dessert, I made Fry’s Cocoa Brownies. Not only is the recipe straightforward and simple to carry out, but the results are also fudgey, chewy, rich and satisfying.

The only problem I had with this recipe was the pan dimensions, the recipe suggests a 9″x13″ pan. I decided to make do with my 9″x9″ pan and my brownies took an additional 30 minutes to cook! Not only that, but with the thicker batter, the outer edges were beginning to burn by the time the middle was cooked. Lesson learned about paying attention to pan size.

Overall I think these brownies are the best and simplest I’ve found, and the best part is, the recipe can be found right on the main ingredient, cocoa!

Starbucks Secrets Revealed

sarena
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Perhaps you’ve read my article from a while back complaining speaking about a few Screen Shot 2013-01-31 at 10.29.11 PMissues I have with ordering drinks at Starbucks.  Well, although a year later I can’t say I’ve become too much more coffee savvy, I can appreciate the variety of drink combinations that the global favourite does offer.  I thought I’d share a few secrets I’ve picked up through the interwebs of some interesting “menu-shy” drinks.

*Note: these drink names are definitely not universal and don’t be surprised at any quizzical looks and promts for a detailed explenation you may recieve when ordering.

For The Sweet Tooth and Pastry Lovers:

  • Cookies and Cream Frappuccino: White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino with blended java chips and a dollup of peppermint syrup
  • Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino: Vanillia Bean Crème Frappucciono and cinnamon dolce syrup
  • Cake Batter Frappuccino: Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with almond flavouring
  • Biscotti Frappuccino: Blend biscotti with your favourite frapuccino
  • Crunch Berry Frappuccino: Hazlenut or toffee nut syrup combined with a strawberries and cream frappuccino (rumoured to taste like Captain Crunch Cereal)

Animal Inspired:

  • Zebra/Penguin Mocha: A combination of white and dark chocolate                                                                                                                   *for a “bleeding penguin” (sounds horrific, I know), add raspberry flavouring
  • Grasshopper Frappuccino: Mocha frappuccino blended with peppermint syrup and java chips
  • Chocolate Dalmation : White chocolate mocha with java and chocolate chips

Screen Shot 2013-01-31 at 10.30.22 PMUnique Terminiology:

  • Red Eye: One shot of expresso in regular drip coffee
  • Black Eye: Two shots of expresso in regular drip coffee
  • Green Eye: Three Shots of expresso in regular drip coffee
  • Dirty Chai: A chai latte with a shot of expresso
  • Widow Maker: Half iced black tea, half iced black coffee
  • London Fog: Earl Grey Tea blended with vanilla flavour

For the non coffee drinker (not such an anomaly, even at a coffee shop – I’ve prided myself one being one for years):

  • Tazo Blossom Tea: steeped in apple juice instead of water

 

This is by no means an exclusive list of the various fun combinations you can experiment with at Starbucks.  Good Luck or Buona Fortuna as they would say in Italian!

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette Swatches + Review!

Carol
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Hello Lovely People of this Earth!

 

I have recently been watching A LOT of YouTube videos and have specifically gotten myself hooked into the beauty guru community, spending countless hours staring at my iPad, iPhone, Computer, just staring and watching numerous girls gush over the new Urban Decay Basics Palette. I finally decided to pick one up for myself and see what the fuss was all about. I must admit I never had the pleasure to try out the Urban Decay Naked or Naked 2 palette, maybe because of the hefty price, or maybe due to the fact that MOST of the colours were so… shimmery, not my thing. The Naked Basics though did provide me with some ounce of hope, it is a very small compact and great for traveling as well as having great secure packaging, so nothing falls out :/. I great thing was that it was ($32 + tax CDN at Sephora) with almost all MATTEE colours! YAY! not the cheapest, but with the hype I had to try it out.

 

Here’s a look at the palette and it’s original packaging, I must admit, it is absolutely gorgeous to look at :O (gush, gush)

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from left to right: Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint, & Crave

 

Here are some swatches of these beautiful colours on the skin (apologies for the blotched skin, I may have rubbed a little too hard to get some pen of my arm):

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Venus is the only colour within the palette with a hint of shimmer, which I thought was perfect. It has a really satin finish and if great for highlighting the eyes I found that the pigmentation was pretty good, and I didn’t need to use much to bring out my eyes.

Grade: A

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Foxy is next in the palette, I must admit it is VERY similar to Walk of Shame (you can see in the next picture) it is a nice matte pale colour, with a nice yellow undertone. I found that the pigmentation with this colour was not as good as a I hoped, maybe because it was very similar to my skin tone? But I seemed to need a little more to swatch to even show clearly the colour of the shadow, which really disappointed me, but on  the lid, is a very open and nice pale colour.

Grade: B

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Walk of Shame was next in the palette. If you can see it is a very similar pale colour as Foxy, except with a peachy undertone, this colour was REALLY similar to my skin. I found that this colour had more pigmentation and very easy to apply, a great all over lid base colour, just because this hid a lot of my veins on my eyelids, which was quite wonderful.

Grade: A-

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Naked 2, I must admit this is one of my favourites in this palette. I found it a great over all lid colour, so whenever I just wanted something on my lid, for school or just going out with friends, it just added depth to my very small eyes  (HA!) The pigmentation is wonderful, just a watch with my finger is enough for my entire lid.

Grade: A+

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Faint was absolutely my favourite. It somehow looks in the picture, but trust me the colour pay off is exactly like the colour in the palette, this colour was wonderfully pigmented and was just such a great neutral crease colour. I found this beautiful light chocolate brown very flattering for me and gave a great smokey affect and paired really well with my other eyeshadow colours outside of this palette.

Grade: A+

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I must admit Crave was a colour I was very hesitant on using when I first saw it. if can see in the swatch it looks almost black, but I promise it’s not! It’s actually very deceiving  the colour on your lid turns out to be a very dark brown colour with hints of plum, very flattering for girls with brown eyes! This is definitely the most pigmented colour in the palette, a dab can already give you a great smokey affect!!

Grade : A-

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Overall this palette lived up to expectations to me. I love that it is very neutral, compact, pigmented and great for travel and everyday use. I would definitely recommend this product to those who are not huge on makeup, like me, but want something for everyday and those special occasions. The price did hurt my wallet (32 dollars !!) but thinking about it, nothing at Wal-Mart can compare and for 6 really wonderful shadows it really lives up to the price.

Grade : A

 

Let me know what you think about this palette! Any other beauty item that has seemed to work well for you? Let me know, sharing is caring (:

 

xx

Carol

Best Internet Sites

kathy
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The internet is growing rapidly, and we can all see evidence of that in our own lives. Because I love infographics, here’s one about the growth of the internet. To sum it up, the world wide web is growing pretty fast. And while there are definitely a long list of downsides to the growth of internet, including privacy, compromised social skills, and online crimes – there are many good things about this technology.

One of them being the increased spread of knowledge.
I love to learn things on the internet! So today, I’ll share some of my favourite YouTube channels and websites with you.

OMP_logo_brush_square21. Minute Physics

This is definitely one of my favourites! Minutephysics is a YouTube channel with hand drawn animations (you’ll see what I’m talking about) that explain physics. It sounds boring, but the animations are adorable, with ample use of cats and sheep; and the explanations of hard physics topics are interesting and relatively easy to follow. Check it out!

2. xkcd

“A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.”

Self explanatory. Take a look at it! Also, be sure to take a look at the “What If?” section, which is linked in the upper left hand corner of the xkcd page under “Archive”. The xkcd creators answer hypothetical questions with physics every Tuesday. It’s super cool and very interesting.

3. SciShow

Another YouTube channel! This one is full of explanations from Hank. It helps a lot.

4. Crash Course

YouTube channel. It has five courses: World History, Biology, Literature, Ecology, and US History. And, as you may have guessed, this channel provides a variety of crash courses on a variety of topics in these courses. So if you’re ever having trouble with a topic in school, and see it on this site, you’re in luck.

If you’re not having trouble with a topic in school, it’s really fun to just learn things. So I encourage you to check all four of these channels/sites out! They are well worth the time in my opinion. Being both enjoyable and educational, I think we can agree that it’s a win-win situation.

Thank you for reading, and happy interneting.

~Kathy(:

Everybody Needs Inspiration

Malika Daya
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inspireI was having one of those self-reflecting moments again today and realized I was missing out on inspiration and confidence so I decided to google quotes and sayings and thought I should share them with you. Because we all need something in our lives to motivate us and give us a boost when we are down! I personally fell in love with these quotes, I hope you do too! <3

1. “Life is like a bicycle, to keep balanced you must keep moving!” ~Albert Einstein

2.” You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~Unknown

3. “To guarantee success act as if it were impossible to fail.” ~Dorothea Brande

4. “Be weird, be random, be who you are because you never know who will fall in love with the person you hide!”  ~Unknown

5.”Don’t follow your dreams…chase them!”~Unknown

6.”A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” ~Unknown

7. ” Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” ~Steve Jobs

8. “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” ~Unknown

9.”Never let things you want make you forget things that you have!” ~Unknown

10. “I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today, and I will smile tomorrow simply because life is to short to cry for anything.” ~Unknown

Ten great quotes I found online, I hope you enjoyed them! I am also adding in a link to an inspirational song called The Climb by Miley Cyrus. Hope you like it! 😀 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qolUC13bwMc

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