With this list, I am attempting not to use the word “education” too loosely.  Oddly enough, in doing research for this post, I noticed that educational shows have become a bigger trend in the past decade or so. 

Drumroll please…

10. CyberChase

A show that teaches children about discrete mathematics, but in a fun way! Well, if math could ever be described as fun… With the voice talents of Gilbert Gottfried and Christopher Lloyd. This is an actual full episode of the series, which debuted in 2002, and has won several awards, including an Emmy.

9. Between the Lions

This show features a family of lions who run a library. It emphasizes phonics and reading, through both songs and stories. This segment is entitled “Gawain’s Word” which is a take-off on “Wayne’s Word.” And then… well, you’ll see.

8. The Electric Company

Aimed at kids who had “graduated” from Sesame Street, The Electric Company focused primarily on reading and phonetics. Wanna see a Super Fly version of Morgan Freeman? Here’s your chance!

7. 3-2-1 Contact!

3-2-1 Contact! taught scientific principles. And listen, this show is what made education in the 70’s totally awesome. This is a segment where a KISS concert is used to explain the principles of light. Genius.

6. Bill Nye the Science Guy

That wacky Bill made science accessible and non-intimidating. And, he had cool experiments. If you were to watch only one of the YouTubes I have on here, this segment about optical illusions is it. The circles! The boiling clouds!

To see my top five picks…

(more…)

Read and learn, people. Read and learn.

In the vast spectrum of parenting books available, a handful stand out as classics.

Safe Baby Handling Tips is one of them.

Seriously, seriously. You do not want to get that wrong!

Includes the wonderful “responsibility spinner,” sure to see a great deal of use at three in the morning. See also: Safe Baby Pregnancy Tips! I can’t wait for the Safe Teenager Handling Tips edition to come out. What would you use to handle a teenager safely? Tongs? Forklift? The Jaws of Life? Pentagram?

And, apparently, a very, very Eighties one at that. How could this bizarre kid vid from the Eighties with these heinous retro outfits and the Debbie Gibson-style dancing with almost a million views have escaped my beady little eyes to this point??? How???

Also: aren’t those puppets just all sorts of creepy?

As I was doing my usual stumbling around on the internet, I came across a site that I am very happy to promote on Teeny Manolo.

It is called Global Mamas. 

On the main page, they explain their mission:

By purchasing Global Mamas products, you are offering sustainable livelihoods to women and their families living in poverty.

All proceeds go directly to the women and to nonprofit programs that assist them with business development.

Global Mamas is a Fair Trade Manufacturer, which means they met stringent criteria set forth by the Fair Trade Federation, which is based in the United States.

I really like the idea behind this enterprise, and I feel that we here in the US are not offered as many Fair Trade products as other countries, such as Canada.   Next to the description of each piece of clothing, there is a link to both the batiker and the seamstress who made it.  Think of it as being a bit like your own personal version of Kiva, but getting cute clothes in the bargain as well.

While you may not win a Nobel Prize for Economics, it just might make you feel as good as if you had.

Captions in the comments, carrots in the pockets.

Image stolen from TheRidingCompany, who’ll definitely get some of my many blogging millions when I book a horseback vacation.

And is anyone else wondering why she’s wearing a dress in the barn? Zeez Euros, zay air zo ztyleesh!

Parents who enter their children into beauty pageants have always been a source of confusion for me.  Are they trying to live vicariously through their offspring? Do they ever stop to think that the emphasis they are placing on looks (despite the vocal protests that it is really all about learning to speak in public as well as their child’s intense love of dance) will distort their self image?  That their child may not remember the valuable lessons of friendly competition, but simply that life is a big contest and the one who looks best wins?

I’m not sure what motivates them to participate in such displays, but it certainly isn’t the chance to wear really pretty dresses.  Some of these numbers would be rejected by the Ice Capades for being too flashy.  That and the fact that the skaters would never make it more than an inch off the ice due to the weight of the assorted bling.

Apparently the higher you get in competition level, the higher the level of bedazzlement required.  I wonder if they hand out sunglasses to the audience at the nationals? Or maybe the whole point is to blind the judges?

I know, I have more questions than answers.

If there was ever a time to say “Ayyyy!” this is it!  I’m sure the Manolo will forgive me for stealing his signature cry of disapproval.

 Not to imply that the famously beauteous Salma Hayek is a dog. We should all be so dog-like! But the actress might just have a wee failure of perspective problem, from what I’m reading on the blogs lately. It seems that, shocked by the weight gain inevitable with a healthy pregnancy and shocked further by the firm refusal of those pounds to come off within, say, fifteen or twenty minutes of the birth, she has resorted to extreme measures to return to her Hollywood-standard slimness.

From AzCentral:

Salma Hayek is using an “industrial-size” breast pump to lose her baby weight, it has been claimed.

The ‘Frida’ actress is resorting to extreme measures after friends told her breastfeeding is the best way to shed post-pregnancy pounds. Hayek gave birth to her first child, Valentina Paloma, in September.

She’d better be careful with that machine if she doesn’t want to end up with breasts that look like that Jack Russel’s ears! I think, though, they’re a little off-base with their description of the alleged milking machine. This blogger has a better understanding of the situation:

From GrowingYourBaby:

I believe the term that this writer is looking for is a ‘hospital grade’ pump (worth sometimes $700-$900). They are usually a decent size, come with more options and have a stronger, more consistent suction.

Of course, if I looked like Salma Hayek I’d just ask for volunteers and do it manually.

The winter doldrums seem to have grabbed hold of almost everyone I know.  I wish I could go around to everyone’s house with one of those special sun lamps and cheer them up. 

However, seeing as flying is kind of expensive and most of you probably wouldn’t trust me enough to give me your address (I’ve only stalked like, one person in my whole life.  OK, maybe three. I swear, only four) I think I shall simply start focusing on all things spring and spring-like.  It’s right around the corner, you know!

And even though these Peruvian hand-knit backpacks from Bla Bla could be used at any time of the year, they are so bright and fun!  How could they not cheer you up even the tiniest little bit?  If you aren’t cheered up by these, then I’m sorry to say that you have a hopeless case of winter blues.  You should avoid all human contact until March.  Or maybe April.