HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

With the news of school districts in various areas consolidating or downsizing, folks with dreams of getting their Teacher Certification are reconsidering their strategy. Even so, there is a dire need for science and technical teachers.

The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship is encouraging college graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (“STEM”) to get a Master’s in the field to become a teacher. To qualify, you must have carried a GPA of 3.0 or better in an undergraduate degree and your graduation date can be no later than June 2011. Selected candidates will receive a $30,000 stipend to start and complete the Master’s degree which will include field experience. While no one can predict what the demand might be in the future, the candidate must commit to teaching in a high school classroom setting for at least three years. Therefore, applicants must be U.S Citizens or legal permanent residents.

Right now, the Fellowship partners with colleges and Universities in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. You may receive your undergraduate degree from any accredited university or college, but the Masters must be completed at select institutions within these three states.  To apply or for more information, visit http://www.wwteachingfellowship.org.

At right: Former college professor, and of course, President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson

From August 16 through August 26th, merchants of handmade and vintage goods will band together in Support of Saving Shelter Pets, Inc. Each sellers pledges a minimum of 20% of their sales during those days as a donation to SSP. There is still time for Etsy sellers to sign up. Simply email info @ savingshelterpets.com and express your interest. Remember to include your shop name and link. When the promotion is over, tally up your sales and submit 20% via paypal to SSP. It’s as simple as that. During the promotion, SSP and their friends will promote the sale on their website, blog and other social media outlets such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter. It’s a win for SSP, for you, and the animals.

Saving Shelter Pets, Inc. is a registered 501(3)c charitable organization. Proceeds will go towards their very important Spay and Neuter Program. For more about SSP, visit past articles at HoundsGood.com HERE or visit the official website, Savingshelterpets.com.

Don’t forget to SHOP from August 16 through the 26th. You might be introduced to some great items from sellers that you haven’t discovered yet. Stay tuned on HoundsGood for seller profiles as the event draws near!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Mission Foods. All opinions are 100% mine.

Mission Foods is a proud supporter of Share Our Strength, a movement committed to stamp out childhood hunger.  Share Our Strength reaches out to communities by educating families on how to cook healthy, budget friendly meals, and assists local organizations that assist children and families concerning poverty related hunger issues.

What is the Mission Menus Challenge?  Aspiring chefs submit creative recipes incorporating Mission products. The stipulation? The recipe must include Mission Flour Tortillas, and in the spirit of Share Our Strength, the recipe must feed a family of 4 for $10 or less. With so many cooking challenges revolving around foods that require a large investment or that are not available everywhere geographically, it is refreshing to see. Perhaps the menus will also help families when the winning recipes are released to make a budget friendly nutritious meal for their families, and will choose homemade instead of fast food.

Winners will have a chance to compete in a Los Angeles cooking challenge hosted by Chef Sarah Moulton, whom you may know from the Food Network. Other prizes include a kitchen makeover. Submit your recipes starting TOMORROW, July 28, 2010. Entries must be received by August 9th.  To be eligible, entrants must be 18 years of age or older and be permanent legal residents of the United States, excluding territories.

A friend recently sent me a video of Otter Swimming Lessons at the Columbus zoo. It really brings new meaning to the concept that even a “Natural” has to taught. The baby Otters don’t know how to swim until Mom Otter patiently teaches them beginning at the age of 30 days. So, the next time you envy a sports figure, a singer or even a champion pig caller, don’t fret. Sure, some of us are gifted with the tools to be better at some skills than others, but there was a time when they had no clue how to ice skate or dance. Someone showed them. Sure, they might have picked things up faster than other students, or they might have just practiced more, but they didn’t come out of the womb singing like some American Idol Contestant introduction videos might want you to believe.

The next time you need to pick yourself up and dust yourself off, or that someone is better than you at something, have Faith – even someone who seems like a natural wasn’t so natural at first.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ashworth College. All opinions are 100% mine.

Off and on I have been continuing to explore the idea of online degrees, only the costs are much high, it seems, than a community college or regular university. Apparently, the cost of materials is figured into the price rather than figuring it separately, so that may be partially why. The bonus is that you pay as you go and don’t accumulate student loans. Credits for online schools can culminate into a degree or can be transferred. Ashworth College, out of Georgia, is one such school where the fees seem to be competitive. Other online schools typically accepts these credits, as do some community colleges and universities.

There are many stay-at-home moms and even folks who run online businesses that are going for degrees because the schedule is flexible, as long as you have the self discipline to set aside time to study. It doesn’t matter what hour of the day or week it is, but it still has to be figured in. An hour or two after bedtimes or before taking photos for your online store is enough time.  I was pretty much trapped in the house a few years back and struggled to keep myself motivated. Tele-learning can help someone who feels a bit isolated feel in control and work towards the next step.

However, before you enroll, think about what you are doing down the road. If you are trying to knock off some classes to get into a degree program elsewhere, make sure that the receiving college does not only accept credits from regionally accredited programs. Schools offering an Online degree are often nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), and their degrees stand on their own. However, some courses of study, institutions and employers requiring continuing education in some states demand coursework from REGIONALLY accredited schools if you intend to transfer into their program.

No, Gladys Knight is not involved in this venture, but Midnight is and Georgia is.  Midnight is a sweet little kitten with a severely broken leg.  While the sweetie doesn’t seem to be in much pain, the leg needs to be broken and reset or amputated, depending on if the vet can save it.  A rescue has agreed to take this kitten in, but a ride needs to be arranged.  The journey is far, but if everyone drives just a little bit, Midnight will be transported from the county pound to a rescue, where medical treatment can occur and a good family an be found.

The following are the legs of the journey needed.  Check back for updates:

The journey will occur on Saturday, July 24, 2010 from Franklin, GA to Hattiesburg, MS.  A volunteer form the Maine Coon Rescue will meet the last person on the transport. Are you on this route? Can you help drive just an hour or two? Contact details are below. Contact my friend Emily to help out.

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 7/21 at 4:58 PM

View Larger Map

SATURDAY July 24, 2010

15 minutes has been added to each leg for handoffs
All legs are flexible!

Leg 1 Filled – Thanks Heather!
Depart: Franklin GA 8:30 am EDT, 7:30 am CDT
Arrive: Oxford AL 9:45 am EDT, 8:45 am CDT
1 hour 15 min

Leg 2 Filled- Thanks Kris!
Depart: Oxford AL 9:00 am
Arrive: Birmingham AL 10:00 am
1 hour

Leg 3 Filled — Thanks Debbie!
Depart: Birmingham AL 10:15 am
Arrive: Tuscaloosa AL 11:15 am
1 hour

Leg 4 NEEDED
Depart: Tuscaloosa AL 11:30 am
Arrive: Meridian MS 12:30 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 5 NEEDED
Depart: Meridian MS 12:45 pm
Arrive: Hattiesburg MS 2:15 pm
1 hour 30 min

End of Transport – Foster will drive to rescue

TRANSPORT COORDINATOR:
Emily Cherry Goff (cherryharley)
cherryharleysavinganimals @ yahoo.com
(334) 744-5590

PLEASE PROVIDE:

Day and Leg(s) you are offering to take
Name
Address
City/State
Home #
Cell #
Can you receive text messages?
Email
Do you have email access after 5 pm and on weekends?
Emergency Contact phone #
Vehicle Desc
License Plate #

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 7/21 at 4:58 PM

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PBM Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am always looking to stretch a few dollars and shave my grocery bill or pet care bills when I can. I want to be a better steward of my money in general, but a few extra dollars means that I can donate to a cause that I care about versus refraining or that can collect interest in the bank for a rainy day. There are some areas where corners just cannot be cut for quality or health reasons.Walletpop offers a list of 10 Products to Always Buy Generic. The list includes:

• Over the counter medications, such as aspirin and cough medicine.
• Cereal
• Pantry items, such as flour and baking needs.
• Soda
• Gas
• Beauty Products
• Batteries
• Cables (computer cables, electronic cables)
• Produce
• Baby formula. Not some mystery label, but store brand formula.

The biggest surprises for me?  Gas and baby formula. I didn’t know that there really was such a thing as generic gasoline. However, its not really generic in the manner that I thought. There is no small family business refining their own oil on a small scale. It just means to simply hit up the Costco or Meijer gas station or try the local single-location place in town. Check prices vigilantly, however.

Baby formula is not something you want to mess around with. I was surprised that store brands have comparable ingredients.  I know, some of my readers will ask me to take the opportunity to promote feeding babies the way nature intended, but some moms don’t have that ability or have medical complications that create separation from baby and preclude them.  Store brands and generics must meet the same FDA health standards and nutrition guidelines as the pricier brands. Also, families using WIC can stretch their dollar farther that way, as it is a WIC item.

For produce, make sure you check the country of origin on conventional produce, and also remember that locally grown items from farm stands support local families.  I have noticed that if you buy the 365 brand, which is the Whole Foods Store brand, you can score some good deals on items that are just as well monitored as juices and crackers made by the big names. I know I have.  In fact, the 365 brand nutrient water is sometimes less expensive than conventional Vitamin Water.

Which one of these items do you always buy generic or store brand? Are there any local small-name companies you buy from that have value instead of boutique pricing. Also, were there things on the list that surprised you that you now are going to check generic’s on?

Every so once in awhile, some sort of new spam software seems to come out. I am not on any sort of notification list. Rather, I notice patterns in spam comments.  A year or two ago, it was about a little incomprehensible text followed by a list of links for enhancement pills or casino sites.  About six months ago, there was a bigger influx of comments in broken English, such as.

Good share. I search internet whole day for it. This day is Wednesday.

Then, it was the march of the really, really generic comments.

This is the best article ever. I was saying to may friend the other day that this is the best website ever on such an important subject like the one you write about.

In the past week or two, many comments have actually related somewhat to the article in a very general way.

I really like cats! They are my favorite.

While a legitimate reader may make a general declarative statement, watch the “name” and the homepage of the poster. Some editors and bloggers do not accept comments from folks with keywords for names.  I don’t always abide by this because there are many people that use “handles” or the name of their blog or website as their name.  I do watch when their name is long or quite sploggy, such as ‘buy pharmaceuticals direct on the internet” or their homepage url is long and suspicious.  One other observation is that spam comments often include an asterisk “*” or a dash at the end.  Of course, real people can do this too, but more often than not it denotes spam.  In the past week or so, the symbols has been disappearing. Maybe whatever software spammers use is getting “wise.”

Either way, be careful out there.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am an incessant sun screen user in the summer. In the past year, I have become very conscious of the chemicals in sun screen and have ditched a few that contain titanium dioxide and now use one with zinc oxide exclusively. Not only am I not burning, but I noticed any redness from dermatitis on my face is no longer red. Sure, it could be the Vitamin D of the sun, but I attribute it to the zinc. Because of the thick consistency, I am hesitant to use it elsewhere on my body.

There is another product that uses zinc oxide, Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, which is a diaper rash cream. It is also good for razor bumps, and I have heard some folks using it for prickly heat and psoriasis. I am not surprised, also, to hear folks using it for their scalp. The first time I heard about it was actually when I ran into someone who used it for their dog. The dog has alopecia and was always suffering from a raw tail. His tail would wag so much and beat against chair legs that the skin would be very dry and it would crack and bleed.

The ingredients are natural and contain zinc oxide and balsam oil. Just make sure you don’t have a balsam allergy before you try it.

Right now, you can receive a free sample if you send a 6×9 self addressed envelope stamped with $1.39 in postage to:

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
1600 Brian Drive
Columbus, IN 47201

Let me know what you think of it.

P.S. Balsam Pear plants are poisonous to dogs and cats.  The Balsam pine will upset stomachs if large quantities are consumed, but is not fatal, especially in the sparing amount in a tiny dot of paste.   Of course, keep all topical applications out of the reach of children and pets, even if non-toxic in normal use.

Bingo, the sweet orange tabby cat does a little dance. He “sits up” like a dog and slaps the air. This kitty almost didn’t have much to dance about. He and his mom and siblings were at a county pound. Thankfully they were rescued, but many other cats at the shelter don’t get as lucky.

On YouTube, there are video commentators that say that this particular shelter, Heard County Animal Control in Franklin, GA, is not such a bad place. It is true that the tiny two person staff, Kaylene and Angela, DOES care, but the situation is always very dire for cats. Just like any other county pound, when the shelter is bursting at the seems with cats with no takers and the cats have passed the time of their stray hold, euthanization occurs. Please don’t take any shelter that you “think” doesn’t have the same problem for granted. Spay your pets to avoid unwanted litters. Adopt dogs, pups, cats and kittens from a shelter or rescue group instead of purchasing one. Some of the best and some with the most personality are waiting for a chance. Of course, do not do so if you don’t have time for or the means to take care of a pet.

When there is a fire, sometimes a well meaning neighbor tries to break in to save the day. Unfortunately, precious minutes are wasted when 911 could be called if the helper does not know what they are doing.  While it doesn’t make for a Hollywood-style rescue, rescue workers use a Bump Key to free people and pets. Bump Keys are like skeleton keys that firefighters and locksmiths use to open doors in emergencies. If you see a neighboring house on fire, call 911 first, insure the safety of your own family. Then, be prepared to provide a safe haven for displaced pets and people.

Hillarys Blinds has been well known throughout the UK for over 40 years for their made-to-measure blinds and other window coverings. Did you also know that hillarys blinds doesn’t only give your home a new look, but also gives back to the community? For one Red Nose day, £212, or $318 as of this writing, of each order was donated. Red Nose Day is a telethon to benefit Comic Relief, a charity created by comedians to aid famine relief in Ethiopia. Children in Need and Cancer Research is another recipient of corporate and employee generosity.  Book sales, charity football games and raffles generated over £2200.

Another £18,000 was generated in a Charity Duck Race.  How does one race ducks? Over 8,000 yellow rubber duckies sailed down the River Trent in Nottingham during the Riverside Festival.  Entrants paid £2 to enter a duck, and the individual who picked the lucky duck who crossed the finish line first won a cruise.  Certainly, much of the raise is sheer chance, but it sounds like a lot more fun than purchasing a ticket and comparing your numbers against those that the announcer called.

Next time you are shopping for window coverings and are interested in patronizing a company that gives back, waddle on over to Hillarys.

There are numerous folks crawling the web, offering to buy established websites.  One of them approached me. At first, I deleted the email assuming it was spam, but they persisted. Just a heads up that there are legitimate people out there buying websites, but thoroughly check them out. Do a search to find out if they are who they say they are, and just know that there is no way to take your site back once sold.  As for me, HoundsGood.com will not and will never be for sale. So save the digits and send a sales pitch to someone else.