He says the problem with teachers is, “What will a kid learn from someone who chose to become a teacher?” He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.

    I decide to bite my tongue instead of biting his and stop myself from reminding the other dinner guests that it's also true what they say about lawyers—that they make money from the misfortune of others.

    “I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor,” he says to me. “Be honest. What do you make?”

    I wish he hadn't asked me to be honest, because now I have to teach him a lesson.

    You want to know what I make?

    I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

    I can make a C+ feel like a great achievement and an A－ feel like a failure.

    How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best?

    I make parents tremble in fear when I call them:

    I hope I haven't called at a bad time,

    I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.

    Billy said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?”

    And it was the bravest act I have ever seen.

    I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be.

    You want to know what I make?

    I make kids wonder.

    I make them question.

    I make them criticize.

    I make them think.

    I make them apologies and mean it.

    I make them write, write, write.

    And then I make them read.

    I teach them to solve math problems that they once thought impossible.

    I make them understand that if you have brains then you follow your heart and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you teach them a lesson.

    Let me make this simple for you, so you know what I say is true;

    I make a great difference! What about you?

    A heated debate is currently going on in our town.Should we allow the cinema to be constructed in the Havenswood Shopping Center? There is just one large lot left to build on,and the theater would use up all of that space.Some people are excited at the idea of finally having our own movie theater.Others would rather travel ten miles to the nearest theater to keep our quiet town the way it is.They say it is enough to have Marvin's Movie Video Rentals.After all,Marvin's store keeps thousands of the latest videos.

    There are certainly benefits to renting videos.For one thing,you can plan your own schedule when it is convenient for you.You can relax on your sofa,and take a break whenever you need one.You can also talk to others without bothering any strangers seated nearby.In additional,it is a less expensive way to view a movie compared to going to a theater.

    On the other hand,seeing a movie in a theater is an experience all its own.First,you can see the movie on wide screen as the filmmaker intended.To be viewed on a television screen,a film must be changed in some way to make it smaller.One is the “pan-and-scan” method,which involves removing some of the details in the picture.The other way,called “letterboxing”,keeps the image the way it is on the big screen,with one annoying exception; because the big-screen version is wide,the same picture on a television screen must be long and narrow.

    Another problem is sound.The sound from a television cannot compare to the sound system in a theater.Your experience of a movie improves when you can clearly hear all of the sounds.Furthermore,at home,viewing companions often talk during a movie,which makes you miss out on what's happening in the film.

    Besides,having a movie theater will not mean that you can't still go to Marvin's! You will just have a choice that you didn't have before.Isn't it time for Havenswood residents to enjoy a little progress?

    A unique experience awaits you at the Centre for Alternative Technology on the edge of the beautiful Snowdonia National Park.

    Over thirty years ago a group of people decided to try out alternative technologies. They chose a remote empty place, where rock used to be dug from the ground, as their base. Here experiments offering solutions to the world's energy problems were carried out, and nowadays many of these ideas have become common practice. You can experience all these for yourself in just one day with us, and then take away what you have learned and put it into practice at home. Be assured it will help you save on your household energy costs!

    Your visit to us begins with a ride up a steep 60-metre hillside on a railway which is worked by using the weight of water. At the top of the mountain you will enjoy beautiful views to the distant coastline. Then interactive displays show the power of wind, water and sun, while showing you what can be done in an ordinary household to reduce your influence on the planet.

    There was no soil when the project was started, so we created our organic gardens using our own home-made soil. You can enjoy woodland walks or even notice spring flowers growing on the roofs of environmentally-friendly buildings.

    In 2006 we opened our new eco-adventure playground for children, and we also run workshops where they can make models and become inventors of the future by putting wind, water or solar power into their own designs.

    The Centre for Alternative Technology is open all year round and has good rail, road and cycle links. In fact we offer a 50% reduction on the admission price if you arrive by bicycle. There is wheelchair access for disabled visitors—telephone us in advance if you would like assistance.

    Believe it or not, we all have an inner-child living inside of us. One of the greatest problems is people's desire to silence the inner-child. Instead, welcoming this voice to the conversation can be very beneficial and help you in many areas of your life.

    Why is it so important to listen to your inner child?

    Do you remember you wanted to be an adult more than anything else when you were young? But now you're an adult, and do you ever find yourself thinking, "I wish I were a kid again?" That's where your inner-child comes in. That's the voice inside of you telling you to have fun, be silly and let loose. Adult life is full of important responsibilities, but once in a while you just have to let go and have fun like a child. It's healthy and good for the soul to not take things so seriously all the time.

    We can tell bad choices and mistakes of the past, but unless you help your inner-child heal and recover, planning for the future will always be difficult. The inner-child will relive these painful experiences until you learn to accept them, forgive and let go. We must show love and acceptance to our inner-child, as this is the only way to heal, move on and not continue to suffer from the pain of these unpleasant times. This is the opportunity to go back in time and let you know just how wonderful, beautiful and special you truly are.

    One of the most common times your inner-child is likely to appear is when you're facing a decision you are unsure about. Naturally, when we were children, doubt and uncertainty scared many of us. So, it's no surprise that when faced with these moments as adults, the inner-child decides to show up. Don't let this scare you; instead, listen to that voice as it is trying to guide you in the decision-making process. Ask it questions, speak with it.

    When you can start to see your inner-child as your partner who helps guide you through this crazy life, it's amazing what can happen. Don't fight it. Go with it and see how it changes your life for the better.

    Nobel prize winners sometimes display as much uniqueness when deciding how to spend their prize money as they did on the work that won them the award in the first place.

    When Sir Paul Nurse won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2001, he decided to upgrade his motorbike. A fellow winner in 1993, Richard Roberts, installed a croquet lawn in front of his house. Austrian author Elfriede Jelinek, who won in 2004, said the prize meant "financial independence."

    Lars Heikensten, executive director of the Nobel Foundation, said there were no obvious shopping trends among winners.

    "I think it depends a lot on which country they come from, their personal finances... what kind of incomes they have when they get the prize," he said.

    Real estate, however, is a popular option, at least among those willing to reveal what they spend the money on. Phillip Sharp, the American co-winner of the 1993 medicine prize, decided to splash out on a 100-year-old Federal style house. "I took that money and bought a little bit bigger house... It's a beautiful old place," he told AFP(法新社), adding that "The money is a nice part of the process", but "the important thing about the prize is the recognition."

    For winners of the peace prize the decision is often more clear-cut, as the honor tends to go to politicians, organizations and activists who are under more public supervision. Many, like US President Barack Obama in 2009 and the European Union in 2012, donate to charities.

    Literature winners tend to be more private about how they use the money, but the choice is often equally straightforward. "Even if Nobel-winning authors are quite well known, many of them will not have made much money from writing," said Anna Gunder, a Nobel literature expert at Uppsala University. While the prize might keep the wolf from the door for some years, giving them freedom to write, it can also briefly have the opposite effect. "It really changes their careers… During the first year after they've won they often write less, but they generally continue after a year or two," said Gunder.

    The holidays are the best time to ask the elders in your family for advice. For most people, the approaching holiday season includes more time with the extended family, including the elder generation.

    Unfortunately, older adults are often unseen in the popular media. Yet there's a big body of evidence that shows the benefits of older adults' wisdom and the value of developing communication across generations.

    First, over the course of human history, older people have played very important roles as advice-givers. Anthropological (人类学) research shows that survival in pre-literate societies was dependent on the knowledge of the oldest members.

    In recent times, most of the researches about intergenerational communication occur within formal programs, such as ones including older adults in public schools or having youth visit assisted living facilities. Also, you can apply many of the lessons of the researches to your own family gatherings.

    There is clear evidence that it is good for young people to spend time with older adults. The youth who participated in intergenerational programs showed more respect toward older adults, less anxiety, and higher self-esteem. Research also shows that interacting with younger people is good for older adults. A systematic review found that older adults who participated in intergenerational programs were likely to experience more satisfaction with their lives, higher self-esteem and fewer symptoms of depression. Interactions during intergenerational programs can be positive even when an older adult is experiencing memory or cognitive problems.

    Having children teach computer or video games to the older generations can be a fun way to spend time together. A study found that intergenerational games can help family members to bond. Another idea is to encourage the youth to ask older family members for their advice about life.

    The youth can ask older adults specific questions about the lessons they learned from their life experiences.

    The take-home message is that time with older relatives is one of the true gifts of the holiday season. Make the most of it by spending time with the older generation!