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You know I have not yet caught on to the sudoku craze but from what I understand this puzzle game can become quite addictive. Maybe that’s the reason I haven’t dived in yet. You see, there is something delectably delightful about solving puzzles and other brain teasers and I simply have way too much to do already. Yet with all my busyness, I try to get in a good crossword or two from time to time, and I make sure to do some brain teasers. You should too and here’s why.

For one, these puzzles keep your mind sharp; for two, these games and brain stimulators keep your mind from wandering into other less desirable territories. The harder your brain works on solving such challenging mind games, the less energy you have to contemplate things like problems and other time consuming frivolities. If you think this proposition is hogwash then take me up on the challenge. Go get yourself a brain teaser, crossword, or sudoku book in your nearest Borders or Barnes & Noble. Learn the rules and start to do these. Watch how after a few days—once the fever has caught on—you are less inclined to frivol away your precious time on senseless and inane absurdities: like what the latest celebrity gossip is and what your neighbor across the street just did to his garden with his new chain saw.

My father was an ordinary mailman yet he had an extraordinary zest for doing crossword puzzles. He had no college education, yet he could pound away at these black and white diagrams until all the spaces were full. I would watch him intently as he racked his brain to get that last clue and complete the grid. Little did I understand the fascination so one day I, the college boy, asked the untutored mailman, “Dad, what is it about those stupid puzzles that you like so much?”

My father, annoyed that he had to lift his head from the clue trail, glacially looked up and stared me down. He responded with utter challenge: “You’re the college boy, let’s see if you know a three letter word for a sea eagle?” “A what?” I retorted, surprised by the question. “A three letter word for a sea eagle,” he repeated. Needless to say, I was dumbfounded by the question and quite challenged by the task. Within a week, I too was a crossword junkie.

When I contemplate the whole concept of brain teasers, math problems, sudoku, crosswords and the like, I marvel at how few people realize the great joy that lies in taking these challenges head-on. Maybe this is why I turned out to be such a normal, fun-loving guy: I had too many challenges on my mind to be sidetracked by nonsense and unproductive thoughts. Try it out for yourself and see whether you too do not become a junkie of the highest order. Indeed, we can afford more junkies like this in the world.

See more at Cool Math Site and Problem of the Week and Cool Brain Teasers

Building strong math skills is essential for both the academic and life success of your child. As a secondary school math teacher, it is clear to me that basic addition and multiplication skills lay the foundation for success in the mathematics and science subjects at school. This has significant roll-on effects for your child’s life including their future education, employment, lifespan and general happiness.

For the majority of children these skills require hard work to master, but the effort that we as parents invest in this is well worth it.

We do not need to experts in the field of education in order to give our kids a great headstart to their education in this area. Solid, regular practice of the multiplication tables will help your child to memorise these important facts. Addition practice gives similar results.

The purpose of this work is to allow your child the freedom to concentrate on new skills that are taught in math classes at school without the need to continually refer to addition or multiplication tables. The result is more productive math lessons. There is nothing like success in a lesson or a subject to promote confidence and enthusiasm in your child.

I make times tables practice a regular feature of my classroom math teaching regardless of the age of my students. I have seen children of all ages from eight to fifteen rapidly improve their mental math skills as a result. Consequently, these students have gained confidence and skill in this subject. This has even applied to students who had no faith in their own abilities in math before this practice was undertaken.

Combined with a variety of learning-centered math games, this basic drilling of facts has a profound effect on a child. They can see that the work is not only possible, but even enjoyable. This is truly the pathway to success, for a child that wants to study math will have many more options open to them in life than one who does not.

Memorizing math facts is a necessary part of elementary school. Flash cards and repetitive chanting have their place, but, for my children, were pure drudgery. Frustrated by their lack of interest in practicing their math facts, I have searched for ways to make memorizing math facts more fun.

Our favorite math web site, Aplusmath is an easy to use site offering a worksheet generator, online flashcards and games including Matho, Concentration and Hidden Pictures. Matho combines both bingo and math facts in an exciting timed game. Or, match the math problem to the answer in concentration. Discover beautiful photographs by solving math problems in the hidden pictures game.

Both of my children enjoy music, so tapes and CD’s are perfect for us. Rock ‘n Learn makes fun audio programs featuring “cool music that teaches”. The math facts programs come in rap, rock and country versions to satisfy a variety of musical tastes. My son happily reviews multiplication facts to a funky rap beat.

A favorite educational “toy” is Leap Frog’s Twist & Shout. Children twist and shout their way to learning facts. It’s fun, it’s lively and the learning is done to a toe-tapping musical beat. Kids move and groove their way through four games, each with a “teach” and a “quiz” mode. Then they twist the number dial to solve the equation and hit it to select an answer. Answers are heard and seen on the LCD screen.

We have also made good use of the Hot Dots flash cards. Hot Dots flashcards can be used like regular flash cards, or add the Hot Dots Power Pen and children can drill independently with instant reinforcement! Kids simply touch the pen to a dot and it responds instantly signaling a correct or incorrect answer.

If traditional flashcards aren’t enough to inspire your kids to practice math facts, try these fun alternatives. Helping your child learn math facts now will make more advanced math so much easier. Have fun!

For many children, math is neither fun nor easy. Many children find it difficult and uninteresting and unfortunately this attitude can lead to less chance of success and further distress. But changing a negative attitude towards math into a positive one can be as easy as making math more fun.

One of the best ways to do this is with the use of math games. Fun math games can be used in all areas of math and they are a great way introduce math concepts and to practice basic math skills.

If you choose the right math games they won’t be complex to play or to learn, or time consuming. There are many simple, quick math games that can be played with little or no equipment.

Many math games can easily be adapted for the classroom or for use at home. Some of these games can be used to teach or practice different math concepts and can be used with different ability levels. The following is an example of a fun math game that can be adapted for different skills and levels.

This math game is very simple to play but requires skills in different areas. Students must have a concept of number order and place value to give the answer higher or lower and to provide guesses that are appropriate for the clues given.

Higher or Lower
To begin select the upper and lower number limits, e.g. between 10 and 100.
One player selects a number and records it on a piece of paper.
The other player/s guesses what they think the number might be. For each guess the first player tells if the chosen number is higher or lower. Play continues until the number is guessed.

Variations of Higher or Lower Math Game
This game can also be played in more advanced varieties to develop skills in ordering larger numbers, decimals or fractions. See the examples of more advanced games below.
- 3 digit number between 300 and 600 (e.g. 345)
- 4 digit number between 2000 and 4000 (e.g. 3027)
- number with 1 decimal place between 6 and 9 (e.g. 7.3)
- number with 2 decimal places between 4 and 5 (4.87)
- fraction with single digit numerator and denominator, between 0 and 1 (e.g. 4/5)

This math game can be played with two people so it is easy for a parent to challenge a child or it can be played by a whole class. In the classroom, the teacher can select the number and challenge students to guess it or a student can select a number between the given limits.

The game can be played with each guess being recorded and H or L written beside each guess. A more advanced version is to play orally which requires players to remember the previous guesses and answers.

So if you really want to make math fun for children, math games is the answer. The games don’t need to be complex and often you don’t need any special equipment.

Choose games that are simple to play and have simple rules but most importantly choose math games that are challenging and fun. For more fun with math why not try using a variety of games including math board games, card games and pencil and paper games.

Without cleanliness and maintaining the hygiene of the swimming pool it becomes dirty. Swimming pool vacuum cleaners are excellent equipments and with regular cleaning the pool can be used for longer periods.

Several cleaning tools are freely available in the market but some cleaners are more popular and effective in use compared to the others. Vacuums working with suction action are one of the popular cleaners utilized to vacuum the entire vicinity. Beneath the surface area, the ******* machine not only absorbs water but also drags it to the filter area. Some of them act as good scrubbers, scrubbing against the walls while moving from one place to the other in the area. This useful equipment can absorb the debris found inside but not the larger ones. Large debris might get stuck and spoil the cleaner. Vacuums are the hardest working equipments that keep swimming areas fresh and hygienic to use.

They are available for all types of swimming areas. Some of the few well-known ones are Supa-Vac Venturi Vacuum, Cruiser C400, Hayward Aquabug, Barracuda Topaze. The C400 automatic cleaner is intended for usage for above and in ground pools. The Hayward Aqua Bug never requires emptying or replacing debris bags as it facilitates with the existing filtration system. Topaze cleaner is designed for the clearness of round as well as oval ones. The aim for using machines is to clean the entire vicinity but few devices provide additional facilities and some offers just the basic requirement of simple cleaning.

There is a new swimming pool building technique that’s turning heads. It’s called vanishing edge. Actually, this style of pool has been around for years but it is starting to gain popularity. Many of our customers are asking us about negative edge or vanishing edge swimming pools including questions about design, practicality, and if any home can have this type of pool. For the rest of the article, we will inform anyone interested in a new swimming pool about the vanishing edge style.

The style of a vanishing edge pool is unique. The essence of the structure is to make the area appear as though it is vanishing into the horizon. When the contractor builds this type of pool, there is one end which has no edges or walls. The water appears to be spilling off into the horizon which creates a beautiful look for any home. However, this type of swimming pool looks best in areas where the home or the ground level is elevated, such as homes built on a cliff, large hill, homes near oceans, or homes with open views in their backyard. The negative edge area will be overlooking the edge in your home. Water appears to spill over the side where it is captured by a ledge and recycled back into the pool through pump and filtration systems. This type of swimming pool is perfect for homes with overlooks as it doesn’t take away from the natural beauty.

People are choosing infinity pools and negative edge styles because of their aesthetic beauty. And, because the vanishing edge style can only be made with gunite, your pool builder can create any shape possible. This means full customization of your pool so it will look great in your already beautiful backyard. And, even more than any other variety, the negative edge pool will look great with exotic coping materials and specialty tiles. Because the vanishing edge type of pool is more expensive than a standard or traditional gunite build, customers are typically prepared to spend the extra money on exotic stone and lighting to accentuate the beauty of the vanishing edge.

As we stated before, infinity swimming pools can be installed anywhere in any backyard. However, we feel that these pools are best suited for homes with elevations and homes with open spaced views in their backyard. Great candidates that fit this profile are homes in the woods, homes at the shore, homes in the mountains, and any home with beautiful overlooks including homes in the city. As stated before, this type of pool works best in an area where the it flows with the natural setting in your yard and your property. Location is the most important factor when you think about having a vanishing edge installed. If you are happy with your view, then a negative edge pool will work for you. If your view is of a cluttered neighbor’s yard or an overgrown area, you may want to think twice about type type of swimming structure. The vanishing edge portion of your pool will become the focal point of the area where your eye will visit each time you are in your backyard. You want to make sure that the view, the angle, and the location is something that you will never tire of.

Negative edge swimming pools require a contractor who understands the pumps and technology involved and is also an expert in excavation and gunite application. A negative edge pool is one of the most expensive variety of pools you can choose to install, and if you have the money, it is one of the most beautiful and timeless investments you can ever make. When choosing the right builder for this, make sure they have experience in this medium and they will be full service meaning they understand the entire building process from excavation to completion. The last thing any homeowner wants is a beautiful pool with muddy landscaping surrounding it. Make sure your pool contractor is creative, experienced, and will leave your yard as pristine as it was before they arrived on the job site.

Salt water pools can cause damage to your environment, your pool equipment, and your skin, not to mention your overall health. Because the chemicals used to treat salt water pools, namely chlorine, can be harmful to your health, it would be a good idea to explore other options available to you.

The backsplash water from salt water pools can kill any vegetation that happens to be near the pool as the chemicals will splash out with the water. Those harsh chemicals can do terrible things to your pool equipment and any decorations you might have near the pool as well. Decorative rock formations near salt water pools have been known to deteriorate and decay from the abrasive chlorine and salt chemicals used to treat salt water pools.

Salt water pools and the chemicals they use to clean the water can cause a feeling of dryness in your skin and irritate your eyes, making them red and puffy. The chlorine in salt water pools can cause a change to your hair color and can fade your swimwear. The vibrant colors of your bright orange or bright pink swimming attire won’t stay vibrant with prolonged use in salt water pools.

Chlorine, used to treat salt water pools, has been linked to possible asthma incidents. Inhaling chlorine fumes into your lungs is dangerous and can be painful. Studies involving chlorine have also linked it to bladder and rectal cancers, as well as heart disease.

There are more natural cleaning systems so that you don’t have to rely on harsh salt and chlorine chemicals in salt water pools. An ionic water purifying system using copper ions and including a natural oxygen oxidation process is one such method that cleans your pool water. Water cleaned naturally with such a purifying process is sparkling clear and the water remains cleaner for a longer period of time, regardless of how many bathers use your swimming pool.

Salt water pools cleaned with chlorine are subject to temperature changes, exposure to sunshine and rain, and the more swimmers in the pool, the shorter period of time it remains clean. You have to constantly adjust the pH level in pool water for the salt and chlorine to be effective. Chlorine can also produce a smell that isn’t natural to a swimming pool.

Just as salt water pools aren’t safe for you, your children, family and friends, they aren’t safe for the family pets either. You don’t want to expose your pets to the harsh chemicals of salt water pools by allowing them to get in the water. Small children and pets are more likely to get a higher dose of toxins sooner because their bodies, and therefore their physical systems, are smaller.

If you ingest a mouthful of swimming pool water treated with chemicals, it won’t taste good and the ingredients going directly into the cells and tissues of your body are not going to be healthful. If you choose an ionic purification system with copper ions, it won’t taste nearly as bad and if you drank two gallons of the water, the total amount of copper you would ingest would be relative to what is contained in a vitamin supplement

The good ol’ summertime has rolled into town once more, and lucky ol’ you are going to take on that lucky ol’ sun with your backyard swimming pool and weekend barbecues until the first chill winds of autumn blow back around. You’re getting the pool whipped into shape, but you notice that your Polaris pool cleaner isn’t holding up its end of the bargain in the manner you have come to expect. Don’t panic; every trusty tool needs a tuneup form time to time, and you may just need to treat your Polaris cleaner to a new Polaris pool cleaner part.

You may have become so used to the flawless performance of your Polaris pool cleaner that you had forgotten there were such things as Polaris pool cleaner replacement parts. But replacement parts there are, and you will have no problem finding whichever one you need. There are several ways, in fact, for you to approach your search for a Polaris pool cleaner part.

Where To Find You Polaris Pool Cleaner Parts

The quickest way to corral the Polaris pool cleaner part you need is to head for your nearest pool supplies store. Polaris is one of the most respected and in-demand pool cleaners, so the odds are excellent that you will have to go no further than your local pool supplies vendor to find exactly the Polaris pool cleaner part you need. But if you’re accustomed to purchasing pool supplies from you local home improvement mega store like Lowe’s or Home Depot, fear not. They are also good bets to carry Polaris pool cleaner parts.

If you just don’t want the hassle of driving around in search of your replacement part, however, your third option is to go to Cyberland and hit the swimming pool supply websites which come up on a Google search. You can comparison shop for your Polaris pool cleaner part, and when you find the store offering it at the lowest price, place you order and wait for Fedex, UPS, or the postman.

Surfing the Internet is a great way to find everything and anything you need to get your Polaris pool cleaner running at its maximum for the minimum price; just read some customer reviews of the sites offering the part you need to make sure they are on the up-and-up, and let you determine if they have a satisfactory return policy in case the Polaris pool cleaner part they ship is defective in any way.

Why? It cannot be argued that swimming pool covers are an essential addition to any pool. No matter what the weather, you’ll want to keep the elements and the debris out of the water, keeping it clean for your family.

Swimming pool covers are heavy - those designed with safety in mind can be especially cumbersome - and easing the process of ravelling and unravelling the large cover may be a priority for many people. Why not opt for an electric swimming pool cover. These electric covers are essentially the same as other covers, but when you want to put them over or drag them off the pool it’s as simple as pressing a button.

Who would use them? Electric covers are often popular in public pools where it must go on every evening, and come off every morning - electricity greatly assists this tedious and difficult process.

But they can be used in the home, too. Unlike with standard manual covers, neither strength nor dexterity is required to use electric swimming pool covers. This makes them ideal for elderly or disabled people, especially those that require frequent dips into the pool for therapeutic reasons. If retracting the cover is too much for some people on their own, then an electric swimming pool cover would be an ideal solution.

How do they work? A motorised pole the turns a reel, either pulling the cover in or pushing it out along rails. The electric pole will be versatile enough to fit a range of pool widths and lengths (and should be easily adjusted by the purchaser or the installer) This increases the choice available for those seeking to buy one, as they are not restricted to a particular make or brand that is made specifically for a certain sized pool.

The aesthetics of the cover will often be more pleasing if electric swimming pool covers are integrated into newly built pools, but if the pool is aleady installed and working, a retro-fit version may be your only choice.

This electric, automated action means that electric swimming pool covers are often referred to as “automatic pool covers”, since they automatically deploy and retract. The two terms can often be used interchangeably, though it is important to note that by ‘automatic’ we do not mean that it performs the action without any prompting. While this behaviour is, conceivably, possible, it is not within the standard function of an electric cover.

Campus Book Rentals was founded by no more than a handful of Weber State College alumni, graduates with an eye for business and a passion for helping students succeed in college. Alan Martin, now acting CEO of Campus Book Rentals, built this company from the ground up with the help of his fellow alumni, Rocky Moline, Todd McCormick and Shane Willard.

“I was at my computer before one of my last Master’s classes buying another textbook online,” explains Alan Martin, CEO of Campus Book Rentals, “and it just dawned on me all at once that textbooks could be rented.”

Since then, these four businessmen have worked together to create a flawless system of renting textbooks online, saving college students hundreds of dollars on textbooks every semester. Colleges and universities across the nation are taking advantage of this cheaper, faster, and easier way of getting the textbooks they need, not the least of which is Campus Book Rentals’ very own Weber State University.

“Our focus was always the national college scene, but we had to run a pilot at WSU to test our theories,” says Martin. The students at Weber State University seemed only too happy to get involved in a textbook rental process that would save them both time and money.

“I rent textbooks from Campus Book Rentals, not just for the great price and efficiency of renting, but also because every time I rent a book from them, I’m reminded of how graduates from my school started a successful company and are now making a difference in the world,” says Emily J., a Junior at Weber State University. “It gives the students here something to work toward after graduation.”

The creation of Campus Book Rentals has started an entirely new industry in renting textbooks. Students from over 3, 500 campuses nationwide are discovering a better way to get the textbooks they need at a cheaper price.

Ryan B., a Senior at Weber State University has this to say about renting textbooks from Campus Book Rentals: “Renting my books from Campus Book Rentals allowed me to save money and let someone else take the risk of not getting my money back at the end of the semester. In just one semester, I spent $60 instead of $200. I don’t think I would have gotten enough money back from the bookstore to even match what I paid using this service.”

Campus Book Rentals has single-handedly eased the burden of buying hundreds of dollars worth of textbooks every semester. A college student has enough expenses to worry about as it is. Rent your textbooks from Campus Book Rentals, and join the movement.