Hoary Marmots of Montana By Marlene Affeld

The Hoary Marmot, largest of the North American sciurid rodents, is a fascinating, charismatic animal. Marmot population biology, their impact on the ecosystem, physiology and behavior is studied world wide. The only holiday in the United States to be named after an animal, is named for a marmot - Groundhog’s Day. Closely related to tree squirrels, prairie dogs and groundhogs, hoary marmots are the largest ground dwelling squirrels in the world.

Sociable, communicative and entertaining to observe, marmots often grow to the size of a large domestic house cat.

Although there are 14 marmot species worldwide, only two inhabit Montana - the hoary and the yellow-bellied marmot. Denning in rocky outcroppings, the hoary marmot is normally found in high alpine meadows and sub-alpine mountain slopes. Weighing up to 20 pounds, the hoary marmot is one of the largest rodent species in North America. The smaller yellow-bellied marmot builds dens at lower elevations and weighs about 10 pounds. In several parts of the world marmot meat is considered a prized delicacy and their fur is highly valued.

Marmots are normally found living in small family groups; one breeding male, multiple breeding females and their non-breeding offspring from previous years. A colony of 15 to 20 will live together in a system of burrows and hibernate together all winter. The range of a marmot colony is rather extensive and may cover several acres. The marmots roam freely and will cover most of their territory daily.

Marmot dens are usually found under large rocks or boulders which prevents a predator from digging them up and protects them from the elements. Marmot predators include the wolf, cougar, coyote, fox, owl and eagle.

Considered by many to be rat-like rodents, marmot colonies are often used for target practice, the carcasses left in the open to be devoured by the ravens. Similar to a prairie dog town, a marmot colony is destructive to a meadow and many ranchers attempt to eliminate the colony when the marmots intrude on private lands.

Marmot colonies are highly interactive and extremely vocal. Their trilling is an eerie sound. Early settlers called them “whistlers” because they emit a loud, piercing trill or whistle to alert the colony of danger. They seem to have several different alert signals, varying in pitch and intensity. “Heads Up - Here Comes A Bear” probably warrants the most attention. Marmots are an important food to both grizzly and black bears.

When they are not sunning themselves on lookout rocks, marmots are usually foraging for tasty vegetation, munching on lichen, leaves, flowers, roots, seeds and berries. A marmot's primary diet is vegetarian, however; they will occasionally snack on insects or road kill.

Relying on accumulated fat deposits, marmots hibernate through the hard cold of Montana winters. Depending on their location and the severity of the winter, marmots will hibernate from October through May.

Marmots normally have litters of three to five pups.

The marmots of Montana, and all other members of the genus Marmota, have thick, slightly curved claws. Equipped for digging, the claws are considerably heavier on the front feet than they are on the hind legs. Marmot palms are hairless with five pads, their smooth soles are also naked but have six pads.

Often described as “cute”, marmots have small, circular eyes and rounded short hairy ears. With their pelage, nature has provided perfect camouflage. The hoary marmots common name refers to its colorization which is an “icy” silver-gray. The front half of the marmot's back is normally black hair with white tips, the remainder of the back coat is dark brown. Cinnamon or brown heads tinged with a snow-white mustache give the marmot a comical expression.

Hoary and yellow-bellied marmots leave a lasting impression and are welcome addition to Montana’s wildlife heritage.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=332430&ca=Education

A History Of Lincoln Part 1 By Duncan Seth-Smith

Lincoln has a number of major tourist attractions, the main one being that Lincoln is the capital of Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire is one the biggest counties in England and is a key shire county. Despite the impression that most people have Lincolnshire is far from flat. True, out towards the east coast and the Wash, the county is flat due to the land being reclaimed from the sea. However as you go inland towards Stamford and Grantham the county becomes underrating. The further north of the county you go the hillier it becomes. Lincoln Cathedral and Lincoln Castle are high on a hill overlooking the City of Lincoln.

To the north and North West of Lincoln you enter the famous Lincolnshire Wolds and the long hills and shallow valleys before eventually meeting the river Humber.

Back in Lincoln on the hill overlooking the old city is Lincoln Castle.

William the Conqueror's Castle & The Observatory Tower.

When William the Conqueror defeated King Harold at The Battle of Hastings on the 14 October 1066 he still faced resistance to his rule in the north of England. For a number of years William's position was very insecure and in order to project his influence over the people, he felt it necessary to construct a number of castles in the north and midlands of England. It was at this time that the new King built major castles at Warwick, Nottingham and York. Once in control of York, the Conqueror turned southwards and arrived at the Roman and Viking city of Lincoln.

When William reached Lincoln he found a Viking trading centre with a population of 8,000. The remains of the old Roman walled fortress located some 200 ft above the countryside to the south and west, proved a strategic position to construct a new castle. Also, Lincoln represented a vital crossroads of the following Roman routes, The Ermine Street, a major Roman road and very important north-south route connecting London and York.

The Fosse Way - another important Roman route connecting Lincoln with the city of Leicester and the south-west of England. The Valley of the River Trent - a major river giving access to the River Ouse, and thus the major city of York. The River Witham - a waterway that afforded access to both the Rivers Trent and the North Sea via The Wash. The Lincolnshire Wolds - an upland area to the northeast, which overlooks the Lincolnshire Marsh.

William saw how a castle here could guard several of the main strategic routes and form part of a network of strongholds of the Norman Kingdom, roughly the area of the country that is today referred to as the East Midlands. It could also form a center from which troops could be sent to repel Scandinavian landings anywhere on the coast from the Trent to the Welland.

The castle was built in the south-west corner of the upper walled town, the remainder of which was occupied by the town. The Doomsday Book entry for Lincoln records how 166 residences were knocked down to make way for the castle. Of the original 1164 residences, 600 will have been in the upper town.

Work on the new fortification was completed in 1068. It is probable that at first a wooden keep was constructed which was later replaced with a much stronger stone one. Lincoln castle has two motes. To the south, where the Roman wall stands on the edge of a steep slope, it was retained partially as a curtain wall and partially as a revetment retaining the motes. In the west, where the ground is more level, the Roman wall was buried within an earth rampart and extended upward to form the Norman castle wall.

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How to Distinguish the Legitimate Online University By Christos Varsamis

Online education has a tremendous growth in the last 10 years since the spread of the internet community. New online schools have been developed and the established campus universities have also created similar or even better online training solutions.

But the question is still arises. How can we distinguish the real online universities with the relevant bachelors or masters from the bogus ones? Although there is not the 100% certainty on how to avoid the fraudulent online training “vendors”, there are some fundamental principal you can focus on.

1) Degree in 2 months! Just display your personal and working experience and you are done!

Doesn’t it ring a bell? It should be obvious, that is a scam degree. There is not a single one prestigious and legitimate educational institute that will provide a degree or even a diploma under these circumstances. Thus, when you find these claims you should stay away. Diploma mill is the name of the bogus Degree.

2) What kind of accreditation you should search for? One of the most important factors for your online university choice is the accreditation. Some online schools have no accreditation at all and should be avoided at all costs. Some other have regional accreditation but most of the times this is not enough. It’s possible your degree or master from an online vendor with regional certification to be rejected from your potential employer. What you need is national or even worldwide accreditation in order to be certain for the quality of you education.

3) Credits. Do they allow credits transfer? If you have credits from your previous education experiences you should check if they allow the credits transfer and what kind of credits do they accept. This will be a useful indication on how legitimate the online training is.

4) The tuition is another important issue and especially if there are any other hidden costs or fees. Most of the times the tuition of the online universities is comparable lower than the regular schools. The lack of campus expenses is the main reason for that. Online schools or universities which are more expensive than the regular ones should be avoided because they profiteer. There is no excuse for having so high costs.

5) Another issue is the longevity of the college although this factor is not the absolute criterion for the legality of the school. On the other hand it is known that the prestigious institutions have been around for decades.

6) Support and Address. It may sound obvious but it is essential to ask for support and information from the online school in order to verify as much as possible for the background of the university.

7) Another question is the number of students that have graduated from the school. If the number of graduates is small this is an indication of instability. On the other hand if the number is high the opposite happens. Are there many students that are currently enrolled in the online college? The answer to the above questions will provide a clear view about the background of the university.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=337598&ca=Education

Handsome Fish Hunters - Osprey in Montana By Marlene Affeld

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus), when hunting on the wing, seem to glide effortlessly over the water. Smaller than an eagle, an osprey is still an impressive raptor. With wingspans of up to 72 inches and up to 24 inches in length and a weight of almost 5 pounds, the osprey is a wonderful addition to Montana’s rich abundance of bird life.

A Handsome fish hunters, the osprey has a distinctive white head and belly with rich, dark brown feathers gracing its back. The undersides of the wings are also snow-white except for dark patches and barred-brown flight feathers. Ospreys vocalize with a series of piercing whistles and chirps that become more intense if the nest is approached. Osprey nest just about anywhere in close proximity to water that provides safety and an abundance of food.

Osprey prefer to nest on the top of dead trees, however; their nests are visible on power poles, bridge trestles and rocky outcroppings. Montanans respect the osprey’s freedom and honor that by establishing nest locations. All along the rivers of Montana nest platforms especially designed for osprey safety and comfort have been installed. Such platforms are an integral part of re-establishing the osprey in areas where they have disappeared.

Even during their autumn migration to Central and South America, osprey follow the river valleys to stay close to water. Ospreys fly south from Montana in October, returning during March and April to rebuild their nests. Both the female and the male work to gather driftwood, branches and twigs to build their nest. However, it is the female of the species that does most of the labor of fabricating and crafting the nest. Ospreys assure the safety and comfort of their hatchlings by lining the nest with soft leaves and grass. Female ospreys frequently decorate their nests with bright bits of material, paper or plastic they have found.

Like the eagle, osprey will reuse nests from the previous year, patiently adding new material, repairing wind and weather damage and enlarging their comfort zone. Over time some osprey nests have grown to jaw-dropping dimensions.

The osprey's affinity for water is based on his diet which consists almost entirely of fresh fish. They rarely eat anything else. The osprey hunts by hovering over the water at altitudes of up to 200 feet, then diving feet-first to grab a tasty trout. Mother Nature has provide the osprey with extremely sharp, long claws and barbed footpads called spicules that enable it to grasp a slippery fish. The osprey also has a dense, oily plumage as well as nasal valves that prevent water from invading the nostrils when the osprey fiercely dives to capture its prey. Oddly, the feet of an osprey each have reversible front toes that facilitates their grasp in the water. However, ospreys can’t swim and several have been known to drown. This happens if they find their talons stuck in too heavy a fish and cannot become airborne.

When an osprey successfully snags a meal, it dramatically shakes its wings as it clears the water and then repositions the fish in its talons to face forward to reduce drag. The osprey will fly to a perch or if it has young, return to the nest to enjoy its meal.

In late April or early May the osprey lay their eggs. The normal clutch has three. Curiously, the eggs do not all hatch at once, with the first chick hatching up to five days before the last. Often the oldest chick becomes an overbearing bully, snatching up the choicest food brought to the nest by the parents and depriving its siblings of much needed nutrition.

The speckled appearance of osprey chicks in the nest provides excellent camouflage, however; many still fall victim to raccoons, owls and eagles. If they escape the claws of predators and are able to obtain enough food, the young ospreys will leave the nest in July or August. At about two months of age they are developed to the point of caring for themselves.

Ospreys have a complicated social structure. Normally ospreys pair for life, however; if the mating is not successful, they will seek new partners. When a female osprey chooses her mating partner, she doesn’t judge by good looks or fishing skills, but like her human counterpart, chooses the male with the best house (nest) in the best neighborhood (location). When ospreys are tired of the duties of parenthood, they will often withhold food to forcefully encourage the fledglings to leave the nest. Still wanting an adult to provide for them, osprey fledgling will often move to nearby nests where they receive food from other parent osprey.

When ospreys are 3 to 4 years old they will find a suitable partner and mate. Most male ospreys will return to the area from which they themselves fledged. The magnificent saga of the osprey continues.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=332035&ca=Education

Paying For College With College Scholarships and Student Loans By Mark B. Allen

It is getting harder to pay for a college education these days, but it is by no means impossible. Getting college scholarships is still the best way to go, and there are plenty of them still around - even though money may be getting tighter. Here are some tips about how to get money to pay for your college education with college scholarships and student loans.

GET AS MANY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AS YOU CAN

The best way to go to college is to go free. College scholarships can enable a student to go to college without cost - if there are enough of them. In order to get as many as is needed to go without cost, you will need to apply to as many scholarships as possible. Of course, you want to only apply for those college scholarships that you have a good possibility of actually winning.

Finding the right college scholarships to apply to will require some work - and possibly some imagination, too. There are college scholarships for just about everything you can think of these days - and possibly some that are almost out of reach of the imagination, too. You can find them for academics, sports, hobbies, uniqueness - like a special last name or for left-handers, etc., your locale, and some that are just plain weird - like the duct tape prom college scholarship.

In order for you to learn about what college scholarships are available, you will need to do some homework. This includes researching them online, in the library, letting scholarship groups help you (be careful of these - some are scams), talking to your school counselors, and more. You can also look at the Web sites of the colleges that you are interested in, and they will show you what college scholarships are available there.

LOOK FOR COMPANY SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS

Many companies also offer college scholarships, too. They do this because they want to have a qualified and trained pool of potential employees available when they need them. They usually look for exceptionally bright prospects that can bring much to the table if they should hire them.

Getting a college scholarship or an internship with a great company can lead to a great job right out of college. Sometimes, you may even be able to find your needed college scholarship simply by looking at the various companies you would dream of working for after you get your college degree. Look at their Web sites for more information.

APPLY FOR COLLEGE STUDENT LOANS

Because college scholarships may not cover your entire school bill, you may also need some college financing. Direct loans are available from the government, which will also give you the lowest interest rate possible on education loans.

Direct student loans, which includes the Stafford loans and the PLUS loans, accumulate no interest while you are in school (because the government pays for it while you are in college), or drop to less than half-time. You will not need to make any payments on the loan until you have been out of school for 6 months.

Graduate students and families of college students have access to PLUS loans for education and they also have the same terms as the Stafford loans – but a little higher interest rate. All government loans can be consolidated after graduation for easy payments.

GET STARTED EARLY

If you want to get the most out of college scholarships and student loans, then you will need to get started early. In fact, you should get started earlier than was necessary in previous years. With less money going around and with some college scholarships going on a first-come, first-served basis - you have no time to lose.

Finding the right college scholarships takes a considerable amount of time, and so does filling out scholarship applications and writing scholarship essays. In addition, in order to get a Direct loan, you will need to have filled out the FAFSA form, which is required for all government student loans.

FILL OUT SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CAREFULLY

College scholarship applications require that they be filled out accurately and carefully. A little carelessness (or haste) in answering a question or two could needlessly cost you a college scholarship. This could mean that you may need to take much longer to pay off a college loan - when you didn't have to.

Writing a quality college scholarship essay that will win a scholarship requires that you understand what the group offering it is looking for. Make yourself look like the person that they would like to represent and promote their company, college, etc., and you could walk away with the free college education you want. Be honest, though, in what you write - and you'll be glad you did.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=333595&ca=Education

Pronouncing Italian Vowels and Consonants By Scott Wells

The correct pronunciation in Italian can be difficult for some beginners. Yet it is standard and stays the same. Once the rules are understood it is simple to pronounce each word correctly. Here are some step by step instructions on how to pronounce the Italian vowels.

A - sounds like a in father
E - has two sounds: short vowel like e in pen and the long vowel similar to ai in fair
I - sounds like ea in tea.
O - has two sounds: like o in cozy or similar of o in cost
U - sounds like u in rude.

Italian vowels are always spoken in a sharp, clear fashion; they should never be slurred or pronounced weakly. Vowels always keep their value in diphthongs. Italian is a phonetic language. This means it is spoken exactly the way it is written. Italian and English use the same Latin alphabet, but the sounds by the letters are different in the two languages.

Pronouncing Italian Consonants

In Italian pronunciation can be difficult especially for beginners Yet much like the vowels the sound each consonant makes is a regular sound and remains the same, so once the rules are understood, it is simple to pronounce the words correctly. Here are the step by step instructions on the way the consonants are pronounced in Italian.

The consonants B, F, M, N, and V are pronounced exactly as they are in English.
When the C is before a, o, u and before a consonant it has the sound similar to the English letter K. When the C comes before the e and I it sounds very similar to the English sound of the Ch.

D is much more explosive in Italian than it is in English; with the tongue near the tip of the upper teeth but with no aspiration.

When G comes before a, o, and u and before consonants it sounds like the g in good; when it comes before e and i it sounds like the g in general.

Gli sounds like ll in million and Gn sounds like the ny in canyon.

The H in Italian is silent.

The L sounds like it does in English except with a sharper tone and more forward in the mouth.

This is a continuation of the article: Learning Italian Vowels and Consonants - Part 1

P sounds as it does in English, but without the aspiration, which sometimes happens in English.

Qu sounds as it does in English like in the word quest.

R is very different from the English; it is pronounced with one flip of the tongue against the gums of the upper teeth. This will make the trill sound of the r.

S before vowels and unvoiced consonants such as c, f, p, q, s, t is pronounced like the s in the English word rose.

T is pretty much like the T in English, but with no escaping of breath to go along with it in the Italian.

Z can be voiced, like ds in beds, or it can be voiceless, like ts in bets.

All Italian consonants have a corresponding double consonant, whose pronunciation is similar to, but not exactly like the single consonant. The mispronunciation of the double consonants can result in miscommunication.

Italian is known as a musical language because every sound is clear and distinct but stays soft rather than hard. The consonants will never lose their sound value even when linked together with syllables and words.

When they say Italian is a phonetic language, they mean it is spoken the way it is written. Italian and English share the Latin alphabet, but the pronunciation of each letter differs between the two languages.

Don't you wonder how all of these languages that share the same alphabet became so different in countries that are so close together?

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Montana's Woodpeckers By Marlene Affeld

If you spend time in the woods of Montana, you are undoubtedly familiar with the rhythmic rat-tat-tat of the woodpecker as it chisels its beak into the bark of a tree. Their familiar drum rolls are heard most often in the spring but are common all year long.

This drumming cadence is unique to the woodpecker and a welcome sound in the forest canopy. Both sexes of woodpeckers drum throughout the year, however; they are even more rambunctious and noisy during the breeding season. Drumming or hammering serves to advertise their territory and to attract a mate.

Much of the signaling, foraging and breeding activities of woodpeckers involves the woodpecker's bill. Woodpeckers have extremely strong bills for drumming and drilling on trees and long sticky tongues to extract food. Although used repeatedly over its lifetime, the woodpecker’s beak never needs sharpening. It can cut into a tree like a steel chisel and never dull.

To prevent brain damage, nature had provided a number of adaptations to protect the woodpecker’s brain. The bird’s brain is rather small and is positioned to minimize contact between the brain and the skull. The woodpecker’s eyes are also unusual in that a millisecond before contact with the tree, a thick nictitan membrane closes over the bird’s eye to protect it from flying debris. The slit-like nostrils are also protected by special feathers to cover them from wood dust.

Woodpeckers exhibit a diverse variety of vocal sounds including a strange rattle-like sound that is often vocalized during antagonistic encounters with other birds that encroach on their territory. Woodpeckers also emit a high pitched squeal that sounds like an injured animal. This sound is an unsettling warning to predators and has been known to “run cold chills down the back” of many a hiker.

Woodpeckers are monogamous and both sexes share incubation duties and care for the young. They will usually have from 3-6 hatchlings and normally mate once a year.

Woodpeckers are quite beneficial as they eat huge quantities of insects. They are especially appreciated for the role they play in controlling the current infestation of Mountain Pine Beetle that plagues the Northwest. When the beetle burrows into the bark and lays its eggs, the larvae feast on the substance of the tree for a year before reaching adulthood. About the size of a grain of rice, millions of these grubs are devoured by woodpeckers. With its barbed, long sticky tongue, a single woodpecker can consume as many as 14,000 grubs in a single season. A woodpecker’s diet also includes seeds, berries, fruit and tree sap. Huckleberries are a favored treat.

Wood-peckers inhabit coniferous and mixed forest groves across the state and resident woodpeckers can be seen throughout the year. Wood-peckers normally build their nests in dead or burned trees and are particularly attracted to areas marked by forest fire. Scientific studies show that woodpeckers are up to 20 times more abundant in burned areas versus unburned forests.

Montana is home to seven species of woodpeckers; Downy, Hairy, Black Backed, Three toed, Red-headed, the Northern Flicker and the Yellow-bellied and Red-bellied Sapsucker. These bird species are in the Family Picidae and are collectively called woodpeckers.

Cold north winds are a reminder that wild food is scarce for all the birds for the duration of the winter. Woodpeckers are attracted to birdfeeders that offer suet, raisins or peanut butter. Enjoy the delightful color of woodpeckers and happy birding.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=332032&ca=Education

This Devil is Kind of Cute By John Parks

Down in Tasmania, beady little eyes watch you, eyes of a devil, the Tasmanian devil that is. Tasmania is the only known habitat for this little creature. Tasmania is an island separated from Australia by the Bass Strait (a channel running 80 –150 miles long). It’s a mountain island similar to Australia; its climate changes moderately. This is probably why the creatures have inhabited it for well over hundreds of years. This little guy is no bigger than the family pet, but not always as sweet and a tad bit more muscular. They possess a strong jaw and are black in color with some white spotting towards the backside. They have an odor that can rival a skunk when they feel pressured.

For a small guy, the little devil picks on large prey such as Lizards and Kangaroos. Those inhabitants of Tasmania like to hide up in the hills and are generally loners, but sometimes dine with others. They are excellent night hunters and they are known to hold fat in their tail and one can tell it by the thickness of their tail, if ill. Hunters and farmers protecting their farm animals are the main cause of their death of late, not to mention a fast spreading cancer that has aided in their demise. Their average life expectancy is about six years. Those that remain in Tasmania are part of what is considered to be the only meat-eating marsupials around today.

The mating season in Tasmania is generally in the spring. The female is most fertile when reaching about two years of age. The male devils battle for the right to be with the female, who usually chooses the victor. If the male is not careful the female will wonder off after mating, so one should keep his eye out on his prize.

The lucky female will give birth to about 30 tots. The young, like the males will battle for the mother’s pouch, as there is only room for about four at a time. With age the pouch will shrink, so some younglings have it tougher than others finding a place to feed. Once settled in the pouch they will nestle there for about 100 days, feeding from the female’s nipple.

The devil, which has become a symbol for Australia, Tasmania to be exact, is honored in many different ways. National Parks use the devil as symbols as well have some sports teams and it’s even imprinted on an Australian coin. Literature and film have taken a liking to the furry imp; as well as it is the subject to many tours in Tasmania, as well as Australia. Perhaps Tasmania was put on the map with the creation of Warner Brother’s Tasmanian devil, Taz, a hot-tempered little bugger. He was so popular that in the early 90’s he received his own TV show called “Taz-Mania”. Not bad for a little critter found in the land down under, more commonly known as Australia, or to the devil, Tasmania.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=333465&ca=Education

Is College Still an Option? By Horace Miskel

Has times ever been this difficult? For those born well after the Great Depression, the current economic recession is probably as low as it has ever been.

From upper middle-class families who once gave to the needy now receiving free meals to single mothers choosing welfare over work because the cost of transportation and child care would be more than their paycheck, the recession is forcing many out of their normal lifestyles and forcing them to reassess their financial future.

With families struggling to stay in their homes, many parents have had to make the difficult decisions of delaying their child’s college education or forcing them to narrow their choices to those that fit into their current budget.

However, what about the parents that are determined to send their child to college despite their economic circumstances? Where should they go to began preparing in advance for their child’s higher learning?

Alex Brown has recently launched a website, Zadoodie.com, which will assist children in finding funds for their college education.

“Many children and young adults are faced with the problem of not having enough money to attend or complete college,” said Brown. “The earlier you start to save the less you have to worry about when the time comes to pay for a college education.”

Zadoodie.com is designed to help parents begin saving funds early in their child’s maturation so they can avoid the economic uncertainties that many are facing today. The website is working with a United States government 529 college savings plan and offers information to parents who are unfamiliar with the 529 college savings plan and/or have not set up an account.

According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) government website, “A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future college costs.” Legally known as “qualified tuition plans,” 529 plans are funded by states, state agencies, or educational agencies and are commissioned by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code.

The two types of 529 plans are pre-paid tuition plans and college savings plans. Each state, including the District of Columbia, commissions a 529 plan. Furthermore, some private institutions of higher learning sponsor a pre-paid 529 plan.

Furthermore, loved-ones can donate funds to a student’s personal account by visiting Zadoodie.com, who in turn transfers the money to the student’s fund. The website also allows members to earn 10 dollars annually for each new member they bring to the site. Furthermore, Zadoodie.com shares up to 50% of the adverting revenue from the site with active members and offers weekly scholarships to those members.

Before launching the site, Zadoodie.com had already helped students earn up to $1,000 for their college education.

In spite of the current economic conditions, it is still imperative that the leaders of tomorrow be offered the same educational advantages of previous generations, and that journey for knowledge begins with the financial preparation of their elders. As Malcolm X said, “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=336781&ca=Education

A History of Lincoln Part 2 By Naz Daud

The raising of the siege of The Castle of Mont Sorel and Lincoln Castle.

The army of Louis and the barons of England arrived at Dunstable, and there spent the night. In the morning it marched northward, hastening to the relief of the castle of Mont Sorel, Earl Ralph of Chester and the others who were with him besieging it, were informed of this by their scouts, and retreated to the castle of Nottingham, where they determined to watch the progress of their approaching enemies.

When the barons then arrived at the castle of Mont Sorel, after pillaging in their usual custom all the cemeteries and churches on their march, it was determined to march to Lincoln, where Gilbert de Gant and other barons had carried on a long siege without success.

They marched through the valley of Belvoir, and there everything fell into the hands of these robbers, because the soldiers of the French kingdom were the refuse and scum of that country who left nothing untouched. Their poverty and wretchedness was so great, that they had not enough clothing to cover their nakedness. At length they arrived at Lincoln, and the barons then made fierce assaults on the castle, whilst the besieged returned fire with missiles and stones and deadly weapons.

The king of England assembled an army to raise the siege of the castle of Lincoln.

Whilst these events were passing here, William Marshall, the guardian of the king and kingdom, by the advice of Walo the legate, Peter bishop of Winchester, and others by whose counsels the business of the kingdom was arranged, persuaded the castellans belonging to the king.

He also persuaded the knights who were in charge of castles in different parts of the kingdom, ordering them, on the command of the king, to assemble at Newark on the second day in Whitsun week, to proceed together to raise the siege of Lincoln castle.

They had a desire to engage with the excommunicated French, and also to fight for their country. They arrived at the time and place pre-arranged, with the legate himself and many other prelates of the kingdom. With horses and soldiers, to assail with prayers as well as arms, these enemies of their king, and rebels against their lord the pope, it appeared to them they had a just cause of war, especially as he was innocent, and a stranger to sin.

When they were all assembled together, there were four hundred knights, nearly two hundred and fifty crossbow men, and an innumerable host of followers and horsemen, who could on emergency fulfil the duties of soldiers. The chiefs of this army were William Marshall, William his son, Peter Bishop of Winchester, a man well skilled in warfare, Ralph Earl of Chester, William Earl of Salisbury, E. William Earl of Ferrars and William Earl of Albemarle

There were also there the barons, William D' Albiney, John Marshall, William de Cantelo, William his son, the renowned Falkes de Breaute, Thomas Basset, Robert de Viport, Brian de L'Isle, Geoffrey de Lucy, and Philip d'Albiney, with many castellans of experience in war.

They stayed three days at Newark, to refresh the horses and men, and in the meantime they went to confession asking for the Lord’s protection against the attacks of their enemies. All of them were prepared for extremities, and were determined to conquer or die in the cause of right.

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