Happy 4th of July!!

Grab Bag Love to Learn Moment:

Alert::: This is a hero moment.

Salman (Sal) Khan got his computer science degree from MIT and an MBA from Harvard. No slacker, this one. He had a nice job with a capital management firm, and all was well…. until…

Sal’s 6th grade cousin was struggling with math, but she lived far away from him. So Sal began posting short You Tube videos to explain various concepts to her.

Others began discovering his wonderfully clear teaching videos by chance on You Tube. Long story short, Sal now offers over 1,500 videos on a broad variety of levels and subjects, with a goal that he will provide the world’s first site to offer a world class education, absolutely free. It is his full-time job, paid only by the sponsorship he can find.

Below is an excerpt from a previous article written about him:

He dreams of a world free of dense textbooks, crowded lecture halls and bored students. Even children in developing nations can learn on a $200 refurbished PC.

Valedictorian of his high school class, with a perfect math SAT score, he always regretted the way educators failed to show the beauty of what they taught.

“Even if I’m forced to drive a used Honda for the rest of my life, my great-great-great-grandchildren can learn calculus from these.”

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Check it out here: KhanAcademy.org

Sal, God Bless You 🙂

Many thanks to Susan R. for sending this along.

Grab Bag Mushroom Moment:

Bella Portobello! In the edible fungi field, Portobellos carry the heftiest benefits. Here are the highlights, many of which are just coming to light through recent research:

•  Averages 18-25 calories!!

• 28% of your daily quota for selenium

• Nearly as much potassium as a banana, at about one-fifth the calories

• Contains the highest concentration of chitin, a natural statin that lowers bloodstream cholesterol

• Rich in oligosaccharides, a form of prebiotic that increases the levels of healthy bacteria in the intestines.

Suggestions: Grill and use in place of a burger patty, slice and mix in salads, pastas and soups, and on pizza.

Grab Bag Sleep Session:

Click on the sleeping puppy for a link to a list of 33 ideas that just might help you get more sleep.

But… Stay away from TV right before bed? Really? Hmmmm… maybe I’ll work on the other 32 first….

Grab Bag Illusion:

So you think you know up from down, in from out? The following 55 seconds might shake your surety.

Grab Bag Brain Game:

As speed increases in decision making, reactions become sharper. Try your skill on the

STREET OF DREAMS

Grab Bag Funny Stuff:

World Cup News….. In case any of you were vacationing at the Unabomber’s cabin a few weeks ago, below is a clip of England’s goalie, Robert Green, making a terrible mistake and basically ushering a USA shot into the goal, ending the game in a tie.

The shame for this man must still be unbearable. Robert…. it’s only a game.

At least now we can understand what he was thinking at the time, thanks to the video below…. 😉

Vodpod videos no longer available.