Kisi-kisi UASBN SD - SDLB tahun 2012/2013

Sudah memasuki akhir bulan November. Sebentar lagi anak-anakku kelas 6 akan memasuki semester terakhir sekolah di Sekolah Dasar. Semoga kisi-kisi yang diambil dari BNSP ini bisa membantu anak-anak maupun bapak/ ibu guru dalam mempersiapkan anak-anaknya untuk menghadapi "pertempuran terakhir" mereka.

Kisi-kisi Ujian Nasional

The Six Pillars of Character®

The CHARACTER COUNTS! approach to character education doesn't exclude anyone. That's why we base our programs and materials on six ethical values that everyone can agree on — values that are not political, religious, or culturally biased. Use the points below to help young people understand the Six Pillars, and use the mnemonic devices at right to help them remember.
For a more detailed discussion of the Six Pillars, consult our book, Making Ethical Decisions, reprinted in part here.

Trustworthiness

Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country

Respect

Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements

Responsibility

Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others

Fairness

Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly

Caring

Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need

Citizenship

Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer

Source : charactercounts.org

Kissing, Necking, Petting, dan Intercourse

Pernah dengar istilah-istilah itu?
Kissing = Berciuman biasanya identik dengan ciuman di bibir (cium tangan orang tua dan cium di jidat dari orangtua tidak termasuk). Cipika-cipiki (cium pipi kanan- cium pipi kiri), sampai french kiss.

Necking = Secara bahasa artinya berpelukan (bukan pelukan kemenangan para pemain olahraga, bukan pelukan saat sedih, bukan pelukan dari orangtua ke anak). Kata wikipedia tidak hanya terbatas pada leher. Jadi bisa saja sampai telinga dan sekitarnya.

Grinding = Saling menggesek-gesekkan tubuh dengan tekanan secara bersamaan di ddaerah rangsangan seksual dengan berpakaian (juga disebut dry humping).

Petting = Menyentuh dan memijat daerah rangsangan seksual dengan berpakaian (Rabaan atau petting). Menyentuh penis dan memijat daerah rangsangan seksual dibalik pakaian (petting kelas berat) (Wikipedia). Menggesek-gesekkan penis pada vagina tanpa memasukkan juga merupakan petting

Intercourse = Secara tradisional (biasanya) artinya hubungan seks ( masuknya penis pada vagina). Dalam perkembangannya ada berbagai macam intercourse (seks, anal, dll).

Kita tidak akan membahas tentang bagaimana proses terjadinya. Sudahkah melakukan minimal salah satu?
"janganlah mendekati zina..." nah ini kronologisnya (kecuali ada unsur paksaan dan kejahatan).

Pertama akan terjadi kissing. Biasanya tahap paling pertama dari apa yang disebut pacaran. masih adakah yang pacaran hanya berjalan berdua dengan pegangan tangan dan bercana tawa? Saat ini godaan yang paling berat sebenarnya ada di sini. Selama bisa menjaga untuk menghindari kissing maka tahap-tahap selanjutnya tidak akan terjadi. Kissing sering dijadikan alasan untuk mengetahui bahwa seseorang benar-benar sedang berpacaran.
Setelah beberapa hari atau bulan dalam tahap kissing biasanya rasa ingin tahu menyebabkan pasangan sering menggoda untuk melakukan lebih dari kissing. Mulailah pepindahan bibir. Biasanya hanya mendarat di sekitar wajah kali ini mulai mengubah arah sasaran. Sasaran paling empuk adalah leher. Kenapa leher? Karena leher mempunyai daya rangsang baik bagi pria maupun wanita (jangan coba sebelum menikah). Rasa geli yang ada saat leher dicium akan merambat ke bagian-bagian tubuh yang lain. Biasanya ke otak dan ke syaraf kemaluan. Ciuman-ciuman yang awalnya iseng menjadi kebiasaan yang kemudian ditolerir oleh pasangan. Kegiatan ini disebut necking. Mulai dari leher naik ke telinga atau berputar ke tengkuk merupakan jurus awal dalam melakukan necking. Saat pasangan mulai terlenan dengan kebiasaan ciuman di sekeliling leher, tangan mulai beraksi dengan meraba-raba bagian tubuh. Mulai dari rambut(biasanya dari awal sudah dilakukan), semakin turun-semakin turun hingga melewati leher.
Saat mulai ada keinginan untuk melakukan necking seharusnya menjadi sirene tanda bahaya bahwa gaya pacaran yang dijalani sudah mulai TIDAK SEHAT (kecuali pacaran setelah menikah). Saat itu kedua orang yang berhubungan harus menyadari arah dari hubungan yang dibangun. Jangan sampai ada penyesalan setelah semuanya terjadi. Perlu pemikiran yang matang dan banyak sekali introspeksi dalam melanjutkan hubungan yang dibangun.

Seandainya secara sadar berkeras untuk melanjutkan apa yang telah dimulai hendaknya segera hubungi KUA terdekat. Paling tidak siapkan kondom untk berjaga-jaga selama beberapa bulan kedepan. Hal yang akan ditulis berikut hanya bertujuan sebagai peringatan dan tidak dianjurkan untuk dilakukan SEBELUM MENIKAH!!!

Apa yang terjadi saat necking? Tentunya saat itu berbagai rayuan maut telah dilancarkan seorang pria untuk merayu pasangan. Mulai dari rasa sayang, putus, mencoba hal baru, agar tidak kampungan, dll (anda bisa mengetahuinya). Seandainya memang belum cukup mapan dan belum mantap sebaiknya jangan lakukan paling parah hanya patah hati beberapa hari lalu selesai. Daripada menyesal selamanya.
Tangan pasangan yang mulai bergerak menuju sasaran berikutnya akan membuat semuanya terlambat saat sudah mulai tersadar. Pertama leher, kemudian punggung, bergerak maju menuju salah satu kebanggaan dan kehormatan wanita yaitu payudara. Disini akan memakan waktu lama karena secara naluri pria sangat suka berlama-lama disana. Dari pertama necking sampai tahap selanjutnya dapat memakan waktu lama bisa juga sebentar. Namun saat seorang pria telah berhasil membobol payudara biasanya hampir setiap bertemu pasti akan disentuh. Jangan kaget dan menyesal. Hentikan saat masih bisa.
Grinding termasuk bagian dari petting. Pada saat pertama melakukan petting hanya coba-coba. Setelah itu akan ketagihan. Sex is like a drug. Seks itu seperti narkoba. Sekali mencoba akan ada keinginan untuk mencoba lagi. Saat sudah terbiasa melakukan akan ada rasa hampa saat tidak melakukannya dan tidak ada rasa puas saat melakukannya. Hampa. Bukan karena seks itu membosankan tapi makna dari hubungan seks telah hilang. Petting yang semula hanya bumbu justru menjadikan hubungan terasa hambar. Akibatnya tentu dapat diprediksi. Jika saat pertama melakukan hanya dry humping dengan masih berpakaian maka akan berlanjut menjadi heavy petting. Saat ini telah ada resiko kehamilan.
Jangan pernah termakan omongan bahwa petting tidak bisa menyebabkan kehamilan. Selalu ada resiko kehamilan saat sperma bermain dengan sel telur. Contohnya : jika tangan yang tanpa sengaja terkena sperma lalu digunakan untuk menggosok vagina maka sperma dapat ikut masuk dan mungkin bisa membuahi sel telur.
Kalau petting saja bisa menimbulkan kehamilan, maka tidak perlu ditanyakan apakah intercourse bisa menyebabkannya. Kecuali ada masalah dengan kondisi badan maka intercourse adalah awal dari adanya manusia (kecuali Adam dan Hawa). Apa dianggap anak manusia berasal dari batu atau burung bangau yang membawa bayi dari entah dimana? Tidak.
Manusia berasal dari bertemunya sel sperma dan sel telur. Cara alami dan paling umum adalah intercourse (kawin suntik/kloning tidak termasuk). Tahap puncak dari hubungan seks adalah intercourse. Secara tradisional intercourse digunakan untuk meneruskan keturunan. Saat ini intercourse digunakan untuk berbagai tujuan. Bahkan ada penelitian yang mengatakan seks baik untuk kesehatan.
Seks yang pada lalu menjadi makna bagi intercourse yaitu masuknya penis pada vagina telah mengalami perubahan seiring dengan berjalannya waktu. Saat ini proses seksual dapat dikatakan mulai dari kegiatan mencium pasangan hingga "silaturahmi kelamin". Jadi saat berciuman sebenarnya kita telah melakukan hubungan seks. Hanya saja kissing merupakan aktifitas seks paling ringan tetapi juga paling berbahaya karena semua bermula dari Kissing.

Setelah membaca dan memahami apa yang ditulis diharapkan pemahaman dan kesadaran akan seks meningkat. Hal ini perlu agar berbagai kasus aborsi tidak terjadi di Negara ini. Sudahkah melakukan salah satu atau beberapa kegiatan diatas? Hentikan segera jika belum siap untuk berkomitmen.

Penyakit Menular Seksual

Penyakit menular seksual adalah penyakit yang menyerang manusia dan binatang melalui transmisi hubungan seksual, seks oral dan seks anal. Kata penyakit menular seksual semakin banyak digunakan, karena memiliki cakupan pada arti' orang yang mungkin terinfeksi, dan mungkin mengeinfeksi orang lain dengan tanda-tanda kemunculan penyakit. Penyakit menular seksual juga dapat ditularkan melalui jarum suntik dan juga kelahiran dan menyusui. Infeksi penyakit menular seksual telah diketahui selama ratusan tahun. (wikipedia)

Berikut ini akan dipaparkan sepuluh faktor resiko teratas yang berpengaruh pada peluang Anda terkena PMS.

1. Seks tanpa pelindung
Meski kondom tidak seratus persen melindungi Anda, ia tetap merupakan cara terbaik untuk menghindarkan Anda dari infeksi. Penggunaan kondom dapat menurunkan laju penularan PMS. Selain selibat, penggunaan kondom yang konsisten adalah proteksi terbaik terhadap PMS. Biasakanlah memakai kondom.
2. Berganti-ganti pasangan
Anda tidak perlu belajar matematika untuk mengetahui bahwa semakin banyak pasangan seksual Anda, kian besar kemungkinan Anda terekspos suatu PMS. Apalagi, orang yang suka berganti pasangan cenderung memilih pasangan yang suka berganti pasangan pula. Jadi, Anda tidak lepas dari pasangan-pasangannya pasangan Anda.
3. Mulai aktif secara seksual pada usia dini
Kaum muda lebih besar kemungkinannya untuk terkena PMS daripada orang yang lebih tua. Ada beberapa alasannya, yaitu wanita muda khususnya lebih rentan terhadap PMS karena tubuh mereka lebih kecil dan belum berkembang sempurna sehingga lebih mudah terinfeksi. Kaum muda juga tampaknya lebih jarang pakai kondom, terlibat perilaku seksual beresiko dan berganti-ganti pasangan.
4. Pengggunaan alkohol
Konsumsi alkohol dapat berpengaruh terhadap kesehatan seksual. Orang yang biasa minum alkohol bisa jadi kurang selektif memilih pasangan seksual dan menurunkan batasan. Alkohol dapat membuat seseorang sukar memakai kondom dengan benar maupun sulit meminta pasangannya menggunakan kondom.
5. Penyalahgunaan obat
Prinsipnya mirip dengan alkohol, orang yang berhubungan seksual di bawah pengaruh obat lebih besar kemungkinannya melakukan perilaku seksual beresiko/tanpa pelindung. Pemakaian obat terlarang juga memudahkan orang lain memaksa seseorang melakukan perilaku seksual yang dalam keadaan sadar tidak akan dilakukan. Penggunaan obat dengan jarum suntik diasosiasikan dengan peningkatan resiko penularan penyakit lewat darah, seperti hepatitis dan HIV, yang juga bisa ditransmisikan lewat seks.
6. Seks untuk uang/obat
Orang yang menjual seks untuk mendapatkan sesuatu posisi tawarnya rendah sehingga sulit baginya untuk menegosiasikan hubungan seksual yang aman. Kemudian, pasangan (pembeli jasa) memiliki resiko terinfeksi PMS yang lebih besar. Jadi, baik pembeli maupun penjual sama-sama dirugikan.
7. Hidup di masyarakat yang prevalensi PMS-nya tinggi
Ketika seseorang tinggal di tengah komunitas dengan prevalensi PMS yang tinggi, ketika berhubungan seksual (dengan orang di komunitas itu) ia lebih rentan terinfeksi PMS.
8. Monogami serial
Monogami serial adalah mengencani/menikahi satu orang saja pada suatu masa, tapi kalau diakumulasi jumlah orang yang dikencani/dinikahi juga banyak. Contoh gampangnya (yang juga banyak terjadi di masyarakat kita) adalah orang yang doyan kawin-cerai. Perilaku begini juga berbahaya, sebab orang yang mempraktekkan monogami serial berpikir bahwa mereka saat itu memiliki hubungan eksklusif sehingga akan tergoda untuk berhenti menggunakan pelindung ketika berhubungan seksual. Sebenarnya monogami memang efektif mencegah PMS, tapi hanya pada monogami jangka panjang yang kedua pasangan sudah dites kesehatan reproduksi.
9. Sudah terkena suatu PMS
Kalau Anda sudah pernah berkenalan langsung dengan suatu PMS (apalagi sering), Anda lebih rentan terinfeksi PMS jenis lainnya. Iritasi atau lepuh pada kulit yang terinfeksi dapat menjadi jalan masuk patogen lain untuk menginfeksi. Karena Anda sudah pernah terinfeksi sekali, bisa jadi ada faktor tertentu dalam gaya hidup Anda yang beresiko.
10. Cuma pakai pil KB untuk kontrasepsi
Kadang orang lebih menghindari kehamilan daripada PMS sehingga mereka memilih pil KB sebagai alat kontrasepsi utama. Karena sudah merasa terhindar dari kehamilan, mereka enggan memakai kondom. Ini bisa terjadi ketika orang tidak ingin menuduh pasangannya berpenyakit (sehingga perlu disuruh pakai kondom) atau memang tidak suka pakai kondom dan menjadikan pil KB sebagai alasan. Yang jelas, perlindungan ganda (pil KB dan kondom) adalah pilihan terbaik…meski tidak semua orang melakukannya.

resep.web.id

Siapa Aku

Setelah semua yang terjadi ternyata keberadaanku tetaplah maya. Eksistensi yang selama ini ku kira adalah diriku ternyata semu. Apakah aku? Siapakah diriku? Semakin kupahami diriku semakin samar keberadaanku. Apakah sebenarnya yang dapat menjelaskan keberadaanku? Apakah aku ada karena aku berpikir? Cogito ergo sum ? Ataukah aku sebenarnya tidak ada?
Berbagai pertanyaan yang aku mampu tanyakan. Apakah jawabnya? Apakah aku harus bertanya pada Orangtua Berambut Putih? Apakah dia cukup tahu tentang diriku? Ataukah aku yang harus mencarinya?
Kata Bapakku : Hanifan : Lurus maknanya orang itu harus lurus sesuai dengan aturan yang telah di tetapkan oleh agama. Jadilah anak yang berbakti pada orangtua, agama dan masyarakat.
Mong :Harimau maknanya sebagai seorang yang kuat di tengah rimba hidup. Tegar, tegas dan berpendirian.
Anggero:Mengaum maknanya berani mengutarakan kebenaran dengan lantang. Bahwa yang benar itu benar dan yang salah itu salah.
Kata Ibuku : Kamu anak satu-satunya dan sudah dibiayai untuk belajar sengan segala kekuatan maka mau tidak mau harus berhasil.
Kata Tunanganku : Kamu adalah masa depanku, segala harapanku ada padamu. Berusahalah mencapai cita-citamu sebelum kamu mengajakku pulang. Tanggung jawabmu untuk menafkahiku dan anak-anakmu!

lalu, siapa sebenarnya aku?

We Will Not Go Down Gaza - Michael Heart

WE WILL NOT GO DOWN (Song for Gaza)

(Composed by Michael Heart)

Copyright 2009

Versi Terjemahan Bahasa Indonesia secara bebas a la penggemarsetia

Kilau cahaya putih yang membutakan

Menyerang langit gaza malam ini

Orang-orang berlari mencari perlindungan

Tanpa tahu apakah mereka mati atau hidup

Mereka datang dengan tank-tank dan pesawat-pesawat

Dalam kobarang api yang membinasakan

Dan tak ada yang tersisa

Hanya suara yang berteriak dalam kabut

Kita tidak akan kalah

Di malam hari, tanpa perlawanan

Kamu(israel) bisa membakar masjid kami dan rumah kami dan sekolah kami

Tapi semangat kami tidak akan pernah mati

Kami tidak akan kalah

Di Gaza malam ini

Tanpa peduli, wanita dan anak-anak

Dibunuh dan dibantai malam demi malam

Sementara pemimpin terkenal dari negara yang jauh

Berdebat tentang siapa yang salah atau siapa yang benar

Tapi kata-kata lemah mereka tak berguna

Dan bom-bom tetap berjatuhan bagai hujan asam

Tapi dibalik airmata dan darah dan rasa sakit

Kalian masih dapat mendengar suara dibalik kabut

Kita tidak akan kalah

Di malam hari, tanpa perlawanan

Kamu(israel) bisa membakar masjid kami dan rumah kami dan sekolah kami

Tapi semangat kami tidak akan pernah mati

Kami tidak akan kalah

Di Gaza malam ini

Setelah tahu lirik seperti ini, siapa yang tidak terbakar hatinya?

Bukan lagi masalah muslim dan yahudi, masalah ini adalah antara keadilan dan kejahatan.

Apa yang dilakukan warga Gaza?

Anak-anak itu? Orang tua itu?

A little secret of keys

Do you ever fell confused when doing an equations and don't have equations editor in your program?
May be this post can help.
shortcut to create square

a² alt +2+5+3 = kuadrat ( square)

find out your self, don't fear to try!!!

make square in blogger or blogspot
membuat tanda kuadrat dan pangkat lainnya di blogspot, blogger

How To Teach Mathematics II

When looking to teach maths, sometimes you are faced with a complex curriculum which outlines various ways to manipulate numbers – these are not as easy to understand as the writers think – thus the following list outlines the ways to find your way through the maze!

Number Skills

Sorting- objects sharing a common attribute are grouped together.
One-to-one correspondence – this is necessary before counting can begin.
Counting- matching number names in one-to-one correspondence to a set of object.
Ordinality- ordering according to position
Cardinality- identifying sets that is the same number of members.
Conservation- recognizing that number is conserved whatever the arrangement of the members of the set.
Symbol recognition- recognising the abstract number symbol and relating them to the sound of the number words.
Place value- the position of a digit indicates its value, for example, 7, 73 and 741 each assign a different value to the digit 7.
Number operations
Addition- counting on from an identified point
Subtraction- taking away object from a set
- Working out the difference between 2 sets
Multiplication- adding equal sets (2+2+2=)
- enlargement (2,4,6,8,10)
- arrays e.g. 2 types of bread = 6 types of
3 types of fixing sandwich

Division- sharing amounts equally between a given number of sets.

Division- establishing how many sets of a given number can be made
There are 6 fish
(e.g. how many cats can have 3 fish each? )
Fractional parts-
1/3 can represent:
- one whole divided into there parts
- a share of a number that is divisible by three
- a share of a number less than three
- a share of a number not divisible by three
- a share of three
- a share of a number less than one

ALGEBRA- a generalisation of numerical relationships

Number patterns- portrayed numerically, algebraically and geometrically
e.g. patterns of number bonds
Patterns in place value
Patterns of multiplication and division
Patterns of equivalence and specific number patterns
Manipulation of unknown quantities.
- use of letters and symbols
- use of graphs and co-ordinates

Bibliography

How to teach maths by Stephanie C Mills 2008

Myers - Briggs Type Indicator INTRODUCTION!

Understanding one's temperament is a central part of any personal development. The purpose of this site is to give a detailed explanation about one of the most popular and influental psychological methodology known nowadays.

When Katharine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers designed Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI), they took Jungian typology as the basis. Here you will find some facts about Carl Jung, as well as the most important chapter of his book "Psychological types". Jung used 3 scales to measure people.

• The first one was (E)xtroversion vs. (I)ntroversion. This stands how people prefer to focus their attention(interest) and get/spend energy. In the extraverted attitude the energy flow is outward, and the preferred focus is on people and things, whereas in the introverted attitude the energy flow is inward, and the preferred focus is on inner thoughts and ideas.
  
  
• (S)ensing vs. i(N)tuition. Sensing and Intuition are the perceiving functions. They indicate how a person prefers to receive data from the environment around him. These are the nonrational functions, as a person does not necessarily have control over receiving data, but only how to process it once they have it. Sensing prefers to receive data primarily from the five senses(sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch), and intuition prefers to receive data from the unconscious, or seeing relationships via insights. Often it is called "sixth sense" or "gut feel".
  
  
• (T)hinking vs. (F)eeling. Thinking and Feeling are the rational functions. They are used to make rational decisions concerning the data they received from their perceiving functions, above. Thinking is characterized as preferring to being logical, analytical and thinking in terms of "true or false". Thinking decisions tend to be based on more objective criteria and facts. Feeling, which refers to subjective criteria and values, strives for harmonious relationships and considers the implications for people. Feeling decisions tend to be based on what seems "more good or less bad" according to values.
  
  
• And the 4th scale even it could be met in the Jungian works was truly added by Myers-Briggs team. (J)udging vs. (P)erceiving. It shows how people relate to the world around them. The J person tends to prefer to create and live in an ordered environment. Words like "structured" and "controlled" come to mind. Js tend to "plan their work and work their plan." They often come across as "decisive". The P individual tends to prefer a flexible, wait-and-see environment. Words like "spontaneous" and "adaptable" and "open-minded" best describe him or her.

All these scales explained above, describe contrasting preferences. Practically it is hard to find someone that is extrovert or thinking to the absolute extreme. He/she could be 80% thinking and 20% feeling type and usually one of the preferences is dominant. So using MBTI short-hand, we can describe people by their expressed preferences: ISFJ, ENTP, and so on. There are 16 different combinations of letters - giving us the 16 different "psychological types".

From : E-MBTI.com

Proof by Intimidation

Proof by intimidation is a jocular term used mainly in mathematics to refer to mathematical proofs which are so complex, so long-winded and so poorly presented by the authors that others are simply forced to accept it, lest they be forced to sift through its minute details. The term is also used when the author is an authority in his field presenting his proof to people who respect a priori his insistence that the proof is valid or when the author claims that his statement is true because it is trivial or because he simply says so. Usage of this term is for the most part in good humour, though it also appears in serious criticism. More generally, "proof by intimidation" has also been used by critics of junk science to describe cases in which scientific evidence is thrown aside in favour of a litany of tragic individual cases presented to the public by articulate advocates who pose as experts in their field.

Gian-Carlo Rota claimed in a memoir that the term 'proof by intimidation' was coined by Mark Kac to describe a technique used by William Feller in his lectures

taken from Wikipedia.com

Mock Mathematics

A form of mathematical humor comes from using mathematical tools (both abstract symbols and physical objects such as calculators) in various ways which transgress their intended ambit. These constructions are generally devoid of any "real" mathematics, besides some basic arithmetic.

Mock mathematical reasoning

A set of equivocal jokes applies mathematical reasoning to situations where it is not entirely valid. Many of these are based on a combination of well-known quotes and basic logical constructs such as syllogisms:

Example:

Premise I:	Knowledge is power.
Premise II:	Power corrupts.
Conclusion:	Therefore, knowledge corrupts.

This is used to demonstrate that studying causes one to fail.

Study = No fail	No Study=Fail
Study + No Study = Fail + No Fail
Study (1 +No) = Fail (1+No)
Study (1 +No) = Fail (1+No)
Study = Fail

There are also a number of joke proofs, such as the proof that women are evil:

Women are the product of time and money:	women = time × money
Time is money:	time = money
So women are money squared:	women = money2
Money is the root of all evil:	money = √evil
So women are absolutely evil:	women = (√evil)2 = abs(evil)

Another set of jokes relate to the absence of mathematical reasoning, or misinterpretation of conventional notation:

Examples:

That is, the limit as x goes to 8 from above is a sideways 8 or the infinity sign, in the same way that the limit as x goes to three from above is a sideways 3 or the Greek letter omega.

(That is, the "n" in "sin" cancels with the "n" in the denominator, giving "six" and 1 respectively.) See also Anomalous cancellation.

taken from Wikipedia.com

Stereotypes of Mathematicians

Some jokes are based on stereotypes of mathematicians tending to think in complicated, abstract terms, causing them to lose touch with the "real world".

Many of these jokes compare mathematicians to other professions, typically physicists, engineers, or the "soft" sciences in a form similar to those which begin "An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman…" or the like. The joke generally shows the other scientist doing something practical, while the mathematician does something less useful such as making the necessary calculation but not performing the implied action.

Examples:

A mathematician and his best friend, an engineer, attend a public lecture on geometry in thirteen-dimensional space. "How did you like it?" the mathematician wants to know after the talk. "My head's spinning," the engineer confesses. "How can you develop any intuition for thirteen-dimensional space?" "Well, it's not even difficult. All I do is visualize the situation in n-dimensional space and then set n = 13."

A mathematician, a biologist and a physicist are sitting in a street café watching people entering and leaving the house on the other side of the street. First they see two people entering the house. Time passes. After a while they notice three people leaving the house. The physicist says, "The measurement wasn't accurate." The biologist says, "They must have reproduced." The mathematician says, "If one more person enters the house then it will be empty."

An example of a joke relying on mathematicians' propensity for not taking the implied action is as follows:

A mathematician, an engineer and a chemist are at a conference. They are staying in adjoining rooms. One evening they are downstairs in the bar. The mathematician goes to bed first. The chemist goes next, followed a minute or two later by the engineer. The chemist notices that in the corridor outside their rooms a rubbish bin is ablaze. There is a bucket of water nearby. The chemist starts concocting a means of generating carbon dioxide in order to create a makeshift extinguisher but before he can do so the engineer arrives, dumps the water on the fire and puts it out. The next morning the chemist and engineer tell the mathematician about the fire. He admits he saw it. They ask him why he didn't put it out. He replies contemptuously "there was a fire and a bucket of water: a solution obviously existed."

Mathematicians are also shown as averse to making sweeping generalizations from a small amount of data, preferring instead to state only that which can be logically deduced from the given information – even if some form of generalization seems plausible:

An astronomer, a physicist and a mathematician are on a train in Scotland. The astronomer looks out of the window, sees a black sheep standing in a field, and remarks, "How odd. Scottish sheep are black." "No, no, no!" says the physicist. "Only some Scottish sheep are black." The mathematician rolls his eyes at his companions' muddled thinking and says, "In Scotland, there is at least one field, containing at least one sheep, at least one side of which appears black from here."

A variant has the punchline "No," says the mathematician, "all we can say is that there is at least half of a black sheep in Scotland." Another variant with cows was featured in the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon.

Pure mathematicians are mainly concerned with the properties of the abstract systems under study, not their actual applications. However, such applications are sometimes found in mathematics itself, resulting in new insights as old problems are cast in new light. In striving not to miss such connections, mathematicians often see problems in novel (but theoretically valid) ways, which unfortunately are not always as illuminating as one could wish for:

A sociologist, a physicist and a mathematician are all given equal amounts of fencing, and are asked to enclose the greatest area. The sociologist pauses for a moment and decides to enclose a square area with his fence. The physicist, realizing he can fence off a greater amount of land with the same amount of fencing, promptly sets his fence in the form of a circle, and smiles. "I'd like to see you beat that!" he says to the mathematician. The mathematician, in response, takes a very small piece of his own fencing, and wraps it around himself, proclaiming, "I define my location to be outside of the fence!"

A small set of jokes involves only mathematicians, such as the following involving statisticians:

Three statisticians go duck hunting. Their dog chases out a duck and it starts to fly. The first statistician aims and takes his shot, and it misses a foot too high. The second statistician aims and takes his shot, and it misses a foot too low. The third statistician says, "We got him!"

The humor there is derived from the fact that the average of the shots hits the duck, and so it is dead.

An engineer and a physicist are in a hot-air balloon. After a few hours they lose track of where they are and descend to get directions. They yell to a jogger, "Hey, can you tell us where we're at?" After a few moments the jogger responds, "You're in a hot-air balloon." The engineer says, "You must be a mathematician." The jogger, shocked, responds, "yeah, how did you know I was a mathematician?" "Because, it took you far too long to come up with your answer, it was 100% correct, and it was completely useless."

taken from Wikipedia.com

Three is equal to four

Theorem: 3=4
Proof:

Suppose:
a + b = c

This can also be written as:
4a - 3a + 4b - 3b = 4c - 3c

After reorganizing:
4a + 4b - 4c = 3a + 3b - 3c

Take the constants out of the brackets:
4 * (a+b-c) = 3 * (a+b-c)

Remove the same term left and right:
4 = 3

One equal to one half

Theorem: 1 = 1/2:
Proof:

We can re-write the infinite series 1/(1*3) + 1/(3*5) + 1/(5*7) + 1/(7*9)
+...

as 1/2((1/1 - 1/3) + (1/3 - 1/5) + (1/5 - 1/7) + (1/7 - 1/9) + ... ).
All terms after 1/1 cancel, so that the sum is 1/2.

We can also re-write the series as (1/1 - 2/3) + (2/3 - 3/5) + (3/5 - 4/7)
+ (4/7 - 5/9) + ...

All terms after 1/1 cancel, so that the sum is 1.

Thus 1/2 = 1.

Teachers Need More Knowledge of How Children Learn Mathematics

by Constance Kamii

Teachers need as much scientific knowledge about how children learn mathematics as physicians have about the causes of illnesses. Because of this need, teacher-preparation programs must change. Specific examples from classrooms illustrate this need.

I once wondered why some first graders were getting such answers as 3 + 4 = 4 (*1+1=11). By watching them, I found out that they were putting three counters out for the first addend and then four for the second addend, including the three that were already out.

Errors of this kind result from prematurely teaching a rule to follow. According to this rule, one must put counters out for the first addend, more counters for the second addend, and count all of them to get the answer. This rule works for children who already know that addition is the joining of two sets that are disjoint. However, the rule is superfluous for those who have constructed this logic, and it causes errors for those who have not constructed it.

Another example of imposing a rule that is either superfluous or premature is teaching counting-on to children who are counting-all. Counting-all refers to solving 3 + 4 by counting out three counters, then four other counters, and counting all of them again ("one-two-three-four-five-six-seven"). In counting-on, by contrast, children say "four-five-six-seven."

With scientific research replicated worldwide, Piaget showed that all children construct, or create, logic and number concepts from within rather than learn them by internalization from the environment (Piaget 1971; Piaget and Szeminska 1965; Inhelder and Piaget 1964; and Kamii 2000). Studying the research leads teachers to understand that addition involves part-whole relationships, which are very hard for children to make and which cannot be taught through practice and memorization. To add two numbers, children must put two wholes together ("three" and "four," for example) to make a higher-order whole ("seven") in which the previous wholes become two parts. When young children cannot think simultaneously about a whole and two parts, they count-all by changing both the "three" and the "four" into ones. Making them count-on is harmful when they cannot mentally make the part-whole relationship necessary to count-on.

When teachers study Piaget's theory and replicate the aforementioned research, they can understand why some first graders cannot count-on. When children have constructed their logic sufficiently to make the part-whole relationship of counting-on, they give up counting-all, just as babies give up crawling when they can walk. I hope that the day will come when teachers entering the classroom and those already in the classroom have as much scientific knowledge about how children learn mathematics as physicians have about the causes of illnesses. To reach this vision, the teacher-preparation programs must change.

References

Inhelder, Barbel, and Jean Piaget. The Early Growth of Logic in the Child. New York: Harper & Row, 1964.

Kamii, Constance. Young Children Reinvent Arithmetic. 2nd ed. New York: Teachers College Press, 2000.

Piaget, Jean. Biology and Knowledge. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1971.

Piaget, Jean, and Alina Szeminska. The Child's Conception of Number. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 1965.

Constance Kamii, ckamii@uab.edu, is a professor of early childhood education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She studied under Piaget for parts of fifteen years to become able to use his theory in early childhood education.

*in indonesia often happened

How to calculate square roots without a calculator

Many mathematical operations have an inverse, or opposite, operation. Subtraction is the opposite of addition, division is the inverse of multiplication, and so on. Squaring, which we learned about in a previous lesson (exponents), has an inverse too, called "finding the square root." Remember, the square of a number is that number times itself. The perfect squares are the squares of the whole numbers: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100 …

The square root of a number, n, written

is the number that gives n when multiplied by itself. For example,

because 10 x 10 = 100

Examples

Here are the square roots of all the perfect squares from 1 to 100.

Finding square roots of of numbers that aren't perfect squares without a calculator

1. Estimate - first, get as close as you can by finding two perfect square roots your number is between.

2. Divide - divide your number by one of those square roots.

3. Average - take the average of the result of step 2 and the root.

4. Use the result of step 3 to repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have a number that is accurate enough for you.

Example: Calculate the square root of 10 () to 2 decimal places.

1. Find the two perfect square numbers it lies between.

Solution:
3² = 9 and 4² = 16, so lies between 3 and 4.

2. Divide 10 by 3. 10/3 = 3.33 (you can round off your answer)

3. Average 3.33 and 3. (3.33 + 3)/2 = 3.1667

Repeat step 2: 10/3.1667 = 3.1579
Repeat step 3: Average 3.1579 and 3.1667. (3.1579 + 3.1667)/2 = 3.1623

Try the answer --> Is 3.1623 squared equal to 10? 3.1623 x 3.1623 = 10.0001

If this is accurate enough for you, you can stop! Otherwise, you can repeat steps 2 and 3.

Note: There are a number of ways to calculate square roots without a calculator. This is only one of them.

http://www.math.com

The Advantages of Organic Food

You Are What You Eat

Do you really know what goes into your food? Discover the advantages of organic food on this site and see exactly what producers have been adding to your fruit and vegetables to make it less healthy than a few years ago.

In the rush to produce more and more crops to satisfy growing demand producers have had to resort to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control disease and insect attack.

Good news for their bank balances perhaps but not good news for your health, this is why you need to be informed of the advantages of organic food.

Did you know that if you consumed an average apple you would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after you have washed it?

The quality of food has definitely gone down since the second world war. For instance, the levels of vitamin C in today's fruit bear no resemblance to the levels found in wartime fruit.

Organic food is known to contain 50% more nutrients, minerals and vitamins than produce that has been intensively farmed. Read more about this here.

You will have to eat more fruit nowadays to make up the deficiency, but unfortunately that means eating more chemicals, more detrimental affects on your health eating something that should be good for you!

Also don't forget about the cocktail of anti-biotics and hormones that cattle and poultry are force fed.

What happens to those chemicals when the animal dies?

Digested and stored in human bodies is the answer, have you seen pictures of animals in severly cramped conditions in battery farms?

It just does not make sense to state that any animal kept in these conditions is healthy and produces high quality food.

If you are as worried as I am about the health of your family then you need to read the articles on this and seriously consider converting your family to the organic lifestyle with the organic food information you are going to learn on this site.

Trust me, once you try some organic produce and taste an apple the way it should be, and perhaps how you recall it tasting in your youth, you will never go back to mass produced fruit again.

Sure there are issues with availability and cost but with a bit of research you should be able to find local stores who stock organic produce.

Also, don't forget about your local farmer, I'm sure you will be able to find one that has seen the light and opened up a farm shop to supply local residents.

You should be able to get some very keen prices from these shops, why not take a look around and see who is offering produce in your area?

Some more startling facts now. Pesticides in food have been linked to many diseases including:

Cancer
Obesity
Altzheimer's
Some birth defects

Not a nice list is it? There are probably others but if you think about it, how can it be okay for you to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body. Our bodies are delicately balanced wonderful machines. Any form of foreign chemical is bound to cause irritation at the least.

Please take advantage of the organic food articles and information on this site and do consider taking a closer look at what you are eating. It's for your health after all!

Virginia Louise

www.organicfoodinfo.net

The Idea Of Gardening

“In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.” - Abram L. Urban

A home flower garden is above all a place to create and dream. It is also a place to play, to work hard, and to rest, contemplating what human beings and nature can create by working together.

No matter the size of the garden plot you have to work with, your time and budget constraints, or your personality, you can design a flower garden that allows you to expressive your creativity, to get closer to nature, and to further enjoy being human.

Planning and setting up a flower garden may initially seem like a daunting task, but learning a few basics will set you firmly on the path to joy and beauty.

Flower Gardening Methods: How to Get Closer to Nature
“Gardening is any way that humans and nature come together with the intent of creating beauty.” - Tina James, 1999

There are two basic kinds of gardening methods. Unfortunately, the most common gardening done today uses chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. These chemicals over the long run destroy helpful soil organisms and throw flowers and other plants out of their natural balance. This system of gardening focuses on treating plant diseases and pests without strengthening the plant’s immune system and is harmful to the environment. Sadly, today it is practiced by most commercial gardeners and farmers.

The other method is organic gardening, which works to create a natural balance in your flower garden. This approach considers your garden as a living ecosystem, and uses the laws of nature to produce healthy plants that are resistant to diseases and pests. Organic gardening focuses on building up the soil, using plants wisely, and maintaining an ideal balance. Organic gardeners recognize that pathogens attack weak plants that live in poor soil. An abundance of soil organisms, from earthworms to fungi, provide needed nutrients to plant roots and keep your flowers healthy.

Organic gardeners also understand that some plants grown together will benefit the entire garden-ecosystem. Roses and garlic are a classic example and are discussed in detail in the book Roses Love Garlic, by Louise Riotte. Likewise, some plants grown together may actually create problems for overall garden health. This concept is called " companion planting."

We recognize that organic gardening is closest to nature and is beneficial to the environment and to your family. For this reason, it is the method that we’ll focus on in this website. If you are looking for a good source of organic fertilizers, organic pest control products, and quality gardening tools, we recommend Clean Air Gardening.


These ultra thin-but-tough nitrile gardening gloves let you feel what you're doing while weeding, thinning, pruning, even picking up individual seeds.

Considering Your Region: Looking to Nature’s Garden

“None can have a healthy love for flowers unless he loves the wild ones.” - Forbes Watson

When you begin thinking about planting a new flower garden or expanding your current flower garden, you can look to the natural landscapes of your region for ideas. Wherever you live, there exists a diversity of micro-climates and eco-zones to explore. Next time you take a drive or a walk in the country, pay close attention. Depending on where you live, grassy plains may give way to rolling hills which turn into steep, rugged mountains. The edges of streams and creeks near your home also have unique, “riparian” ecosystems. Each of theses areas represents a unique community of plants working together in harmony.

It’s important not only to pay attention to the individual plants, but how they interact. Note the way larger plants provide shade for low-lying plants. What other relationships do you observe? Study these landscapes and take notes.

While the natural scenery that surrounds us is a work of nature created over hundreds of years by environmental conditions, gardens are our immediate creative expressions using the raw ingredients of trees, plants, soil, rocks, etc. Nature has worked hard to find a balance of soil, climate, plants, insects and animals. For this reason, we can look to the native plants of our state for inspiration. If we plant a flower garden primarily of natives in thoughtful combinations, we will inevitably create a more harmonious and carefree garden. Using natives, your flower garden can also read like a picture book of the natural history of your region, blending the open spaces around your city or town with your created landscape. You will also attract birds and beneficial insects and your garden will become an extension of the natural world that surrounds you.

The Nature of Natives: Deciding Which Flowers to Plant
“We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?” –Wendell Berry

Native plant species can form the basic template for our garden design. However, it is important to remember that the natural landscapes that surround us are dynamic. Climates change and ecosystems shift. Throughout time, humans and animals have introduced non-native plants and they have naturalized to our area to become common sights.

With this in mind, how do we define what a native plant is? This is a very complex topic worthy of a long discussion. To get a basic idea, we recommend reading plant identification books and other references specific to your area. These books will help you find plants that professional botanists consider native and which are relative newcomers. This government website can also help you explore the idea of native flower gardening (link is to a PDF file).

As far as your flower garden is concerned, you can be as strict as you wish when planting your garden and using natives. There are many non-natives that are very adaptable and will fit in very well with natives without disrupting local plant communities. The key is to find a combination that works for you while being environmentally responsible.

You don’t have to give up your favorite ornamental non-natives, but be aware that many exotic species can be aggressive and disruptive in your garden and out-compete natives. Many exotics are weedy and aggressive simply because their natural predators are not present in their new environment. The more you educate yourself about the natural history of your state, the better. The North American Native Plant Society maintains an excellent website.

Planning: Flower Garden Ideas with Nature in Mind
“Who would have thought it possible that a tiny little flower could preoccupy a person so completely that there simply wasn't room for any other thought....” - Sophie Scholl

Once again, the best lessons for planning your flower garden come from nature. Take the time to closely observe relationships in local plant communities and you will learn a great deal. Also, it’s good to familiarize yourself with the different forms of plants that exist in nature and how they grow. In this website we’ve arranged information that will introduce you to the basics of perennials, annuals, bulbs, vines, etc. Read over this information briefly to get yourself further acquainted with the wonders of the plant world.

As soon as you’ve read this information and you’ve got a good picture of what’s out there in your natural landscapes, write down your observations and start thinking about plants and plant combinations you’d like to try in your flower garden. Next, consider issues such as your available space, and your time and budget constraints.

It may be useful for you to start looking at flowers in nurseries to see what they have in stock. We recommend shopping at your local family-run nurseries that specialize in native plants. They are generally more helpful and knowledgeable than the big chain nurseries and can assist you in choosing specific plants and give you tips on planting and maintenance.

You may also chat with other gardeners where you live about what has worked for them. Visiting their gardens will also generate new ideas. Local extension agents are another source of information and most now have web-based services.

Next, consider that a flower garden should appeal to all five senses. Picture the flower colors you’d like and the color combinations you think might go well with your home and your yard. Also reflect on the texture of the flowers and plants, as well as their heights. You should plan your garden in three strata: trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. Think about the smells you’d like to have in your garden, and perhaps choose a few plants that also provide edible fruits. Also think about the possibilities of raised beds, borders, walkways, benches, trellises, and other peripherals. Clean Air Gardening is one site that sells containers or planters for gardening that might be helpful.

If you have recently moved to a new home and are planning your garden, it may be better to wait a year before planting a large, elaborate flower garden. This way, you can observe the amount of sun and shade, temperatures, soil conditions, etc. that you’re working with. Also, if you’re relatively new to gardening, you’ll probably want to start small your first year to see what works and what doesn’t. You can add to your garden each year as you discover nature’s secrets.

Flower Garden Specifics: Map it Out
“Just living is not enough ... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” - Hans Christian Anderson

Now it’s time to determine the size of the plot you’re going to plant and to make a rough sketch of your property in relation to the plot. If you like, you can buy drafting paper and draw your map to scale so that it is more accurate. Color pencils are great for making maps so buy a set. Tracing paper is also a useful tool so you can make different layers of trees, plants, grasses, etc. and experiment before making your final drawing.

As you make your sketch, don’t forget to map out utility poles, faucets, existing plants and trees, sidewalks, etc. If you’ve done a good job of watching the sun and shade patterns of your yard, you can map these out as well. Make note of seasonal changes in sun and shade with different colors. If you’re interested in blocking out the wind with shrubs, draw in the direction of prevailing winds with arrows and indicate the season as well. Other factors to include in your map are slopes or hills, gullies, areas of special interest such as nice views you want to preserve, etc. The Garden Composer computer program might be helpful if you have a large and complex area to plan.

All this information you’ve compiled can now serve as your base map. Now you can begin the exciting process of defining your vision for your flower garden.

Flowers and Design: Working with Nature

“The Earth laughs in flowers.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

As different flowers come out at different times of year, you should think about the time you want your flowers to bloom and for how long. You can have them bloom all at the same time, or you can stagger them throughout the growing season so your flower garden evolves through time.

This is a wonderfully creative element to flower gardening. Imagine seeing your spring flower garden emerge in blues and purples with grape hyacinth and lilacs and then evolve to a rainbow of colors as your Four O’clocks come out later in the year. Read up on the flowers you want to use to familiarize yourself with their flowering times.

Another fantastic part of planning your flower garden is that you can actually set up thematic sections in yard. Consider these themes for your gardens: Butterfly Garden, Bird Garden, Wildlife Garden, Rose Garden, Perennial Garden, Shade Garden, Succulent Garden, or Water Garden, among others. This U.S. Department of Agriculture has great tips on adding unique and ecologically-minded themes and features to your flower gardens.

Now that you’ve got your base map and you’ve got a set of ideas and tools to work with, you can map out which plants you wish to place in your yard. There are no hard and fast rules when drawing your design, but in general it’s best to draw large shapes for themes such as “shade garden” and use symbols for more specific features such as an individual tree or a bird bath. You should draw in the shapes of trees and shrubs as if they were their mature sizes, not their planting size. This technique will help you visualize your mature garden and reduce crowding.

When you have finished making your design, you can actually map it out in your yard. Place string, pegs, rocks, or other markers to outline the shape of the garden plot. Outline the shapes of the various plant concentrations. You might even want to lay out colored paper or something similar to represent the flowers and other plants. Mapping your garden accurately will give you a good idea of how it will look when it is done, and what effect it will have on the appearance of your house and the rest of the yard.

You can consider purchasing several samples of each of the flowers you are thinking of using and placing them in the appropriate locations in your mapped-out flower garden. You can take back the ones that aren’t quite right and purchase others. You will eventually find the perfect flowers and other plants for your garden. After you have a good idea what your garden will look like, you’ll need to prepare your soil for planting.

Preparing Your Flower Garden for Planting: Here Comes the Digging!

“My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view.” - H. Fred Ale

Soil Basics for Flower Gardening
Soil is often divided into various categories, such as clay, sand, silt, and loam, although there are actually an infinite number of soil varieties because soil compositions can vary widely in organic matter, large and small rocks, minerals, pH, and other factors.

Most gardeners consider soil that has a combination of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter to be good soil. Measuring the pH of your soil is also a good indicator of how your flowers will perform and will help you determine if you need to make changes to the soil composition. Here is a terrific little electronic soil testing tool that can tell you how your soil is doing quickly and easily.

pH and Flower Gardening
pH is a scale used to measure the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. Acidic substances have smaller pH numbers and more hydrogen ions. Alkaline substances have larger pH numbers and fewer hydrogen ions. 0 is extremely acid; 7 is neutral; and 14 is extremely alkaline. Limestone is an example of a very alkaline mineral. Sulfur is an example of a very acidic mineral. Note that arid regions tend to have alkaline soils and regions with heavy rainfall tend to have acidic soils.

Although the pH scale only has a 0 to 14 range, it is a logarithmic scale that is designed to measure vast differences. Think of the Ritcher Scale of earthquake magnitude as another example of a logarithmic scale. For example, a pH of 7 is neutral, but a pH of 6 is ten times more acid than a neutral 7. A pH of 5 is a hundred times more acid than a neutral 7, and a pH of 4 is a thousand times more acid than a neutral 7. Likewise, a pH of 8 is ten times more alkaline than a neutral 7. A pH of 9 is a hundred times more alkaline than a neutral 7, and a pH of 10 is a thousand times more alkaline than a neutral 7.

Testing Your Soil pH
To test your soil, it is a good idea to dig out samples from several places to see what the soil is like. Soil that hasn’t been worked is seldom ready for new plantings. It may have too much clay, too much sand, tons of rocks, very little organic material, a high or low pH, or other issues that you’ll need to deal with before you plant.

A good way to test the texture of your soil is with the “Ribbon Test.” After you take a soil sample, roll it back and forth in your hand. If it sticks together easily, it is high in clay, if it simply falls apart, it is probably has a lot of sand. Clay soils don’t drain well and are difficult for the roots to penetrate. Sandy soils drain well but don’t retain nutrients. Adding organic material will help both sandy and clay soils

You can test the pH of your soil with a simple pH testing kit. A good quality pH test kit is worth the extra expense because inexpensive ones are often inaccurate. The most accurate way to test the overall health of your soil is with a Garden Soil Testing Kit. These kits are relatively inexpensive and come in various styles. You can even buy an electronic soil tester that will also test the pH, as well as fertility, how much light you are getting, and other aspects for effective flower gardening.

The Magic of Compost for Successful Flower Gardening
If your soil is extremely acid, which can happen in an area with heavy rainfall, or with soil that has had overdoses of chemical N-P-K fertilizer, you may need to add limestone to ‘sweeten’ the soil.

Adding compost can also work wonders if your soil is out of the ideal pH range. This technique will also improve soil that is too sandy, has too much clay, or is low in the organic material that plants need to thrive. If you don’t know much about composting, don’t worry. You can find more information on composting at the Compost Guide.

Soil drainage is also critical to flower gardening. Mixing in compost is the best way to improve drainage. You can also try digging out a good quantity of the soil, around 16 inches deep, and placing a layer of fine gravel at the bottom.

Mulch and Flower Gardening
If you don’t have humus available from well composted material, you can help your garden through mulching. Mulching is nature’s way of composting. Forests provide a good example of nature’s mulching and composting system.

Forests are a complex growing community. Everything in a forest is related and works together. Leaves and dead branches fall from trees and other forest plants. Bacteria, fungi, nematodes, earthworms, and other habitants of the soil help break down the leaves and other debris into humus.

Humus is a natural living environment that benefits tree and plant roots.
To reproduce the mulch that forests naturally create, you can use garden waste from your home, such as shredded leaves, hay, shredded bark, or other similar substance. By spreading the material over the top of your garden dirt, you are mimicking the decomposing leaves and branches that make up a forest floor.

Mulching helps to keep weeds from growing and facilitates moisture retention in the soil. Mulching also begins the process of natural composting. Between treatments, soil organisms help to decompose the mulch that is closest to the ground. Earthworms and other critters that live in the soil pull composted material into the ground and naturally feed your plant’s roots.

You should add a little more mulch each year to your flower garden to keep the process going. You can use mulch even when your soil is in excellent shape. The mulch will keep the soil healthy and productive. You can further support your soil by adding a dose of organic fertilizer. Your mulch will work best when you add this natural fertilizer over the entire garden bed so that the whole area will gradually become healthier.

You can also go here for more information on mulching.

Flower Planting Tips: Off to the Right Start
“There is no spot of ground, however arid, bare or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an impression of beauty and delight.”- Gertrude Jekyll

-- Make sure you’ve got healthy soil with plenty of organic material and an appropriate pH level.

-- It is best to plant your flowers, trees and shrubs on a cool or cloudy day to minimize the stress of transplanting. Planting in the early morning or late afternoon also helps.

-- Most flowers should be planted in the spring. Some plants can be planted during other times of the year. Ask your local nurseries for planting tips on the specific plants you want to use.

-- Dig a hole in your freshly worked soil. Put the soil aside to fill the hole back in later. The diameter should be about twice the diameter of the root ball but the same height as the root ball.

-- Take out the plant from its container, and gently work you hand over the root ball to stimulate the roots. For trees and shrubs, remove any wires, burlap, etc. from the root ball after taking your plant out of the container.

-- Place the plant in the hole. Make sure it’s positioned at the correct soil line. It’s very important to place the roots at the proper level so that the plant’s roots aren’t exposed and the foliage of low-lying plants doesn’t get too wet. Some plants such as strawberries are subject to rot if their foliage is planted so that it remains wet.

-- Fill the hole about half full with the original soil.

-- Gently pack the soil to remove any trapped air.

-- Give the plant a good drink.

-- Top off the hole with soil, pack it again, and water one more time.

-- You can build up a small berm of soil in the shape of a circle around the hole so that your watering is more effective.

-- Cover the base of the plant with a good mulch. You can use recycled garden materials such as leaves, bark, nut shells, hay, grass clippings, etc. See here for information on mulching.

-- After planting, follow the watering instructions appropriate to your plant. Keep your plants well watered for the first year until they establish a good root system.

How To Get A Scholarship

1 Step One

Start looking for scholarships at least one year before entering college.

2 Step Two

Consider whether you are a member of an underrepresented group, in financial need, or interested in certain fields of study. Scholarships are available for those with special talents in many areas, including sports, art, science and music.

3 Step Three

Think about applying for a fellowship - a scholarship for graduate students - if you want to go to graduate school.

4 Step Four

Recognize what you can expect from a scholarship when you apply for it. Some schools offer to pay all your expenses, while others only pay for room and board.

5 Step Five

Use a No. 2 pencil to complete the application form.

6 Step Six

Be prepared to answer general questions such as name, address, social security number, date of birth, citizenship status and marital status.

7 Step Seven

Provide any necessary financial information such as total family income, number of children in your household, and number of children in college. Round dollar amounts to whole number values.

8 Step Eight

Supply information about the talent required by the scholarship for which you are applying.

9 Step Nine

Mail all the paperwork to the address listed on the application.

10 Step Ten

Endure the weeks or months of waiting to find out whether you got the scholarship and how much money you will receive from it.

Tips & Warnings :

Talk to your school counselor; he or she is paid to help you make decisions about your future.

Learn How to Win A Scholarship

To win a scholarship application you need a true strategy. The students that win the most scholarships may not have more positive qualities than you, but they use the following strategy to get noticed by the scholarship committees:

Get Prepared:

Get letters of recommendation from teachers or guidance counselor or leaders in your community. Choose these wisely (make copies). Get a copy of your high school or college transcript (make copies). Get involved in your community or in school activities or in your church. If your time is limited due to personal circumstances, working to help with family expenses is also an advantage. Start writing an essay about your goals and what you have done to date to achieve them. Think about what makes you unique. Get a picture of yourself. A school picture is perfect. Anything smaller than a wallet size head shot, will do.

Buy some clear plastic binders.

The goal here is to have numerous packages made up ahead of time, ready to submit to the various scholarship committees.

The package will include:

* a clear plastic binder and within the package

* the scholarship application ( you will have to insert this later when you have received each individual application)

* followed by an essay that gets you noticed

* followed by your transcript (some scholarships do not require this, but if it’s impressive, send it)

* followed by letters of recommendation and then

* place you picture in the front inside cover(on top of the application) in the lower left hand corner (this is not a requirement, but it helps to put a face to the person, for the scholarship committee deciding who receives the awards)

Get Organized:

Begin researching scholarships that match your criteria. Consider using a scholarship search service, like I used FastWeb! . Once you have the scholarships for which you want to apply, keep track of the deadlines. Create a chart to keep on top of all dates.

The chart should include:

* Scholarship name and phone number

* Date application must be received by scholarship committee

* Date you requested the application

* Date you received the application

* Date application with above package was mailed

* Date you called the Scholarship Agency to verify they received your application package

Get Noticed:

As important as being prepared and organized, it is equally important that you have an essay that gets you noticed. Even if you feel you master the english language, your essay should be critique by someone who has experience in essay writing. Ask an english professor to review your essay or consider using an essay editing service.

Get Prepared, Get Organized, Get Noticed, Be Persistent and Don’t Give Up!