10 Sources for Free Textbooks Online School days are upon us again, and for many this means gaping holes in our wallets; not because of back-to-school clothes shopping, but because of a much more essential element of education: textbooks. For many students, the greatest impediment to learning is the price of these required books. Here are 10 websites that have collected hundreds of textbooks and are providing them for free, giving every child an equal opportunity to lean! Bookboon provides free online textbooks for students in PDF format. Curriki is a hub for free, open course materials. Flat World Knowledge has free online textbooks in business, the humanities and the sciences that are available to both teachers and students. Flexbooks are free, easy to update and easy to customize. Free High School Science Texts are just that: an extensive collection of free science and mathematics texts that are available to students, world wide. Open Culture has a collection of 150 free textbooks from Art History to Physics and Business.
mental_floss Blog & I Am Unreasonably Excited About This Thermostat I consider myself a computer geek -- I'm comfortable with that. But today I'm having a new feeling: apparently I'm a thermostat geek. Yesterday I came across the Nest "Learning Thermostat," which has been making the rounds of nerd blogs. Basically, this is a computer-driven thermostat with some fancy features: wifi, various sensors, a HAL-like Big Red Eye, and even remote control (via wifi/web). There's also an aspect of gameplay built into the thing -- much like some hybrid cars have an indicator showing you when you're driving "optimally," the Nest shows a green leaf to urge you in the direction of using less energy (for example, in the winter it may show the leaf for a setting a few degrees cooler than you'd normally use -- encouraging you to use less heat). Introducing Nest Very Apple-like. How It Learns More Videos There are more videos on Nest's YouTube channel , and a demo/interview with Fadell on TechCrunch . Further Reading First up, check out Fadell's blog post "Thermostats?
My collection of funny emails from my inbox. Subject: 5 MINUTE MANAGEMENT COURSE Lesson 1: A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower, when the doorbell rings. Before she says a word, Bob says, "I'll give you $800 to drop that towel." After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob. After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. "Great!" Moral of the story: If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure. Lesson 2: A priest offered a Nun a lift. The priest removed his hand. Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, opportunities for advancement will pass right by you. Lesson 3: "Me first! "Me next! Lesson 4: The eagle answered: "Sure , why not."
2012 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar Time once more for one of my favorite holiday traditions: the 2012 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar. Every day until Tuesday, December 25, this page will present one new image of our universe from NASA's Hubble telescope. Be sure to bookmark this calendar and come back every day until the 25th, or follow on Twitter (@in_focus), Google+, Facebook, or Tumblr for daily updates. I hope you enjoy these amazing and awe-inspiring images and the efforts of the science teams who have brought them to Earth. I also must say how fortunate I feel to have been able to share photo stories with you all year, and I wish a Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, and peace on Earth to all. (Also, choosing the "1280px" viewing option below, if you can support it, will be a good option.) [25 photos] Use j/k keys or ←/→ to navigate Choose: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows a rare view of a pair of overlapping galaxies, called NGC 3314. The newest candidate for Most Distant Galaxy Yet Known.
free university lectures - computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry Whether your goal is to earn a promotion, graduate at the top of your class, or just accelerate your life, lectures can help get you there. Our archives of lectures cover a huge range of topics and have all been handpicked and carefully designed by experienced instructors throughout the world who are dedicated to helping you take the next step toward meeting your career goals. Lifelong learns can turn their free time turn into self-improvement time. The online lectures on this list are more than lecture notes or a slideshow on a topic -- they were designed for audiences like you, with carefully sequenced themes and topics taught by veteran educators, and often with additional resources for your own independent study. The lectures are available to anybody, completely free of charge. Lecture courses are a valid and vital learning tool, and may be one of the best methods of learning available.
So You Want to Be a DJ? - Culture - GOOD This post is in partnership with Pepsi Refresh Project Imagine: There’s a crowd of people in front of you, and they’re all grooving to your sounds. And it’s all because you’re mixing and beat matching in perfect harmony with the mood. Sound appealing? Don’t be daunted by getting started; even the biggest names had to take first steps. It’s an amazing gig, if you can get it. Borrowing from the pros, here are some tips and tricks for making like a master DJ, whether you’re mixing for a packed club, or to pump up your friend’s birthday party. Get Set Up Try a software program like Virtual DJ that mixes your chosen mp3 songs; you’ll just need a laptop, mixer, and sound system to start. Find Your Sound Let’s be specific here. Cultivate Yourself What kinds of traits are helpful for DJs? Go Out and Play! Get out the word on Facebook, among friends, at any party you attend that you’re willing to play—for free, to start. Have a Good Time No one wants to see a downer DJ, no matter how good the music.
30 Little Things Guys Find Sexy Women frequently ask me what men find sexy. Clearly, no size fits all when it comes to matters of the heart. But from my experience, it’s the little things we do that make men weak in the knees. (Unless you just booked a Victoria’s Secret campaign – that works, too.) Guys think it’s sexy when you … 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Related – Body Lotion to Make Your Skin Glow, from our partner Joyus: More sexy tips after the jump! DIY Project: Build a Cabin for Less Than $2,000 Illustration by Kagan McLeod It ain’t the Ritz, but it’ll be a place to warm your bones. Materials Walls2 2"x4"x16' PT bd.4 2"x4"x16' bd.2 2"x4"x12' PT bd.4 2"x4"x12' bd.40 2"x4"x92 5/8" precut studs18 4'x8' sheets ext. rev. board1 32" door & knob2 24"x36" windows Deck10 cinder blocks2 2"x6"x20' bd.11 2"x6"x12' bd.2 6"x6"x12' bd.6 ¾"x4'x8' OSB8 1"x6"x12' bd. Roof 11 12' trusses (4/12 pitch)10 7/16"x4'x8' OSB4 2"x8"x10' bd. #15 felt (2 rolls)Shingles (4 sq.) MiscellaneousCaulk (1 tube) 8d galvanized nails (10 lb.)8d common nails (10 lb.)16d common nails (15 lb.)Rfng. nails (10 lb.) Directions:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Click here for more skills, projects and hacks.
awesome quotes 1. ”Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour…..” – Albert Einstein 2. ”When you can’t smoke” – Rory Sutherland 3. ”Death does not concern us…” – Epicurus 4. ”I think it’s better to have ideas.” – Chris Rock 5. ”You gotta be able to smile…” 6. ”Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle…” – Buddha 7. 8. ”Some things are best left unsaid.” – Red 9. ”However vast the darkness we must supply our own light” -Stanley Kubrick 10. ”It Takes Courage…” – E.E.Cummings 11. ”The world has enough for everyone’s need…” Mahatma Gandhi 12. ”I’m a f*cking unicorn, and f*ck anybody who say I’m not”-Tyler, The Creator 13. ”It is the mark of an educated mind…” – Aristotle 14. ”The two most important days in your life…” – Mark Twain 15. ”Be humble, for you are made of earth, be noble, for you are made of stars” – Serbian proverb 16. 17. ”Mutual Weirdness” – Dr. 18. ”There is only one god…” – Syrio Forel 19. ”The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows” – Rocky Balboa 23. 25. 26. 28.
Granma's Attic ...Old Time Beauty and Health Tips Two tablespoons of sesame oil, one tablespoon olive oil, two tablespoons avocado oil, two tablespoons almond oil, 2000 IU vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopherol), 100Thousand USP units vitamin A, a drop or two of your favorite perfume.(optional) Pour the oils into a small jar or empty bottle. Take 10 gelcaps of vitamin E (200 IU ea) and 4 caps vitamin A (25,000 units ea). This formula is especially useful for those who have badly deteriorated complexion and prematurely aged or dry lifeless skin.
This is What Happens When You Decide To Create Your Own Food Security This is What Happens When You Decide To Create Your Own Food Security If you’re fed up reading labels in the grocery store trying to find some real food that won’t kill you, I feel your pain. Not to worry, there is a solution and it’s awesome. All you need is a bit of space (provided you don’t live in a cave, in which case you’d have to settle on button mushrooms). This used to be a lawn. It started with eight 6’x4′ raised beds with 1″x10″x10′ reclaimed redwood barn siding. The beds were lined with cardboard, sprayed down with a hose, and then filled with fresh compost. Many seeds were sown directly, some were germinated in a backyard hoop cloche. Setting up an irrigation system might be a little extra work, but it sure paid off quick! The pathways were covered in cardboard and wood chips. Cinder blocks were filled with compost and used as a border to contain wood chips. Some beautiful arugula came first. Next came the spinach, which too benefited from the nitrogen rich compost. Tomatillos.
Oh hohoho! Teacher gets burned by a 1st grader! by idawg Jan 29