RICE. a) grain. b) new. c) lesson. d) good deed.
I donated rice to the United Nations today and built my vocabulary at the same time, on a new Web site that’s close to magnanimous and far from plebeian.
In simpler words, the site www.freerice.com donates 20 grains of rice to the U.N. for every vocabulary word you click the correct definition for.
The site gives you harder words as you answer correctly, and simpler words when you get hung up. How was I to know that a tilth is cultivated land?
Still, I showed the site I wasn’t a blockhead, racking up 540 grains of rice.
The rice is paid for by advertisers, whose banners display at the bottom of the screen.
According to the U.N., about 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes.
And with just a few minutes a day, you can virtually donate food while developing a new bond with the English language and becoming your local vocabulary queen or fugleman.
Every word in italics, by the way, came up in my surprisingly fun and altruistic little vocab quiz.
Wendy K. Kleinman
Staff Writer
Bargain or Bust?
According to the Southern Regional Education Board, Oklahoma colleges have the 4th lowest tuition in the 16-state region.
Tuition and fees in the past academic year averaged $3,493; only Louisiana, Florida and Georgia were cheaper.
That amount is the average of all public colleges and universities in Oklahoma. Certainly, tuition at the University of Oklahoma is much higher. And it doesn’t take into account books, transportation and living expenses. If you factor all those things in, the cost of gaining a four-year degree in Oklahoma can add up to nearly $53,000, according to a recent report by State Regents.
Still, that’s a bargain, they tout, because having a college degree raises earning power so much that it pays for itself with a decade or two.
What do you think? Is tuition a bargain here? Is the pay-off worth the price? Are you still paying off your student loans — and maybe a child’s loans as well?
E-mail me at ssimpson@oklahoman.com or call me at 405-475-3930.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Are you working over the semester break?
For many college students, the winter break is a month-long vacation from studying, but not from work.
Instead of hitting the beach – or Mom and Dad’s couch – they put in 40-hour weeks to earn money for tuition and books.
And with the cost of both of those rising each year, having a job is essential for some.
Will you or a family member be working over the break to help pay for college education? I want to know your stories.
Email me at ssimpson@oklahoman.com or call me at 405-475-3930.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Tie one on
Some of you may have added a new name to your holiday gift-giving list — Oklahoma State’s next president V. Burns Hargis.
You may even be tempted to buy him an orange tie or two since he’ll be wearing them 24/7 now.
As a former regent, Hargis has more than a few orange ties, I’m sure. But can you ever really have too many? He joked this week that he might call up former president David Schmidly, now at the University of New Mexico, and see if he still had any to spare. I’m betting Schmidly didn’t make it out of the state with any orange ties.
Today, Hargis was a guest at the OSU Regents meeting in Oklahoma City. I complimented him on his tie, which featured tiny elephants on an orange background — a perfect portrayal of his devotion to both OSU and the Republican Party.
This time Hargis quipped that he’ll have to shop for some non-partisan ties — a neutral shade of orange, you might say.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
Plant one here
There’s a neat story in this week’s Home & Garden section about the yearly poinsettia sale at Oklahoma State University’s campus in Oklahoma City. It included the statement that poinsettias aren’t toxic to humans, as is commonly thought.
I wondered if it was safe for pets too. I’d like to get some plants this year but have three dogs and a cat, all known to sample a leafy lunch.
According to Dr. Sandra Morgan, an associate professor at OSU’s veterinary school, the pretty holiday plants have gotten a bad rap over the years.
“Like any plant, if a dog or cat eats too much of it, it will get ill,” she said. She warned that mistletoe is far more toxic to animals than poinsettias.
That’s good news for my pets — and my holiday decor. Not such good news for my husband, who won’t be getting any kisses under the mistletoe.
Susan Simpson, Education Writer
