The Lounge

This is a guest post by Yona Williams, Priceless Writers Travel and Recreation blogger.

Since children are the future – it is quite important to expose youngsters to the ins and outs of science and technology at an early age. You never know when a simple trip to a science and technology museum will cultivate the seeds that blossom into the next Albert Einstein or Bill Gates. Almost every town or city has a local museum devoted to science and technology. However, the real joy comes when you are able to explore the ones scattered across the U.S. A few to keep in mind include:

The Children's Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) 
250 Jordan Road
Troy, New York
Children and parents gather at the only science center situated in the Tech Valley where young imaginations expand with an introduction to the fascinating discoveries of the surrounding world. Exhibits include the latest in interactive displays, such as "Go Power!" – sponsored by GE. Here - kids will explore energy pathways and transformations with simulated power lines decorating the scene. The paths travel about the walls, floors, and connect to appliances found throughout a simulated kitchen. This entertaining exhibit features the wonders of electricity, natural gas, and alternative energy sources.

With the "Weather Front" exhibit – guests will uncover the magic behind weather forecasts shown on TV. Some of the topics include weather systems and the technology that takes place behind the scenes. Kids will get a chance to practice their own weather forecasting in front of a green screen and watch their efforts unfold across a large television.

General - $5 (for ages two and up)
Dome Shows - $1 per person per show

September – June
Thursdays – Sunday
10am – 5pm

July – August
Monday – Saturday
10am – 5pm

The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology
55 South First Street
Newark, Ohio
Are you ready for a hands-on journey that explores the ins and outs of science and technology? Allow The Works in Ohio to tickle your child's curiosity regarding how things work. A wide-range of programs, exhibits, and other services are offered at the museum – providing three different areas of investigation – the Museum Works, Art Works Gallery, and Glass Works.

Museum Works is found in the Scheidler Machine Works building, which dates back to 1861. In the past, the factory manufactured steam engines and line shaft sawmills, but today – it showcases historical landmarks, a revamped interurban car, and the Land of Legend Shops.

Art Works Gallery – This educational wonderland is filled with the talent of regional and national artists. New shows rotate on a 2-month timeframe.

Glass Works Gallery – The ancient way of glass blowing comes to life at this gallery where the eyes of children widen to the sight of a studio furnace that reaches 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Adults - $6
Seniors - $4
Kids - $2
Works Members – free

Tuesday – Saturday
9am – 5pm

October – April only
Sundays
12pm – 5pm

MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts
A variety of displays and exhibits call the MIT Museum their home, as children and parents come to enjoy the beauty and awe of investigating the world of science and technology. The museum offers an assortment of exhibitions – some ongoing and others just making a brief stop. It's a great opportunity to explore the past, present, and future research of the ever-changing world. High-tech artifacts, interesting scientific tools, holograms, a scientific aquarium, and underwater robots are just some of the things to look forward to.

Ongoing exhibits include "Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT" with interactive displays; "Holography: The Light Fantastic" with eye-catching illustrations that involve both art and science; and "Mind and Hand: The Making of MIT Scientists and Engineers" that introduces the kind of study your child may pursue at MIT in the future.

Mark Your Calendars: Starting April 26th and continuing until May 4th, you can catch the Cambridge Science Festival, where more than 200 free science and technology-related events are offered to the public.

Adults - $7.50
Youth under 18 - $3
Seniors - $3
Children under 5 - free
MIT ID – free
Sundays (10am – 12pm) – free

Daily
10am – 5pm

This is a guest post by Danielle Bullard, Priceless Writers co-owner and self-improvement/education blogger.

A great deal of sweat and tears goes into any small business endeavor, whether you’re starting up a contracting service or launching a home-based business online. If you’re like me, you want to do as much as you can to ensure the success of your new project – without spending a ton of cash.

There are all sorts of online courses available, absolutely free, that can provide you with extra skills and knowledge to improve your business. I’ve gathered a few that I have personally found to be the most useful in my own businesses.

1. Recruit and Hire the Best – This five-week email course will guide you through creating detailed job descriptions and will provide you with excellent tips on finding, hiring, and keeping the best employees for your business.
   
   
2. The Small Business Tax Workshop – A must for US business owners, these 10 video lessons share a wealth of information on various tax issues, including online filing, and advice on topics such as retirement and payroll.
   
   
3. My Own Business – Including tests, sample templates, and in-depth resources, this 14-session course guides entrepreneurs through every single step of launching a successful business and points out the most common mistakes to avoid along the way.
   
   
4. Taking Your Small Business Online – Complete with review questions and interactive modules, these four lessons will walk you through building and maintaining a website for your business that will multiply your profits.
   
   
5. Identify Your Target Market – This course, along with the advertising and promoting your business courses, will help small business owners build an effective marketing plan without the need for a huge budget. Each 30 minute course offers a variety of marketing advice to help your business succeed.

Do you know of other useful online courses that are free to small business owners? Feel free to share them in the comments!
 

Thank goodness for technology! I'm Samantha Cummings, co-owner of Priceless Writers and author of the Priceless Writers Home and Garden Blog. This week, I'm invading my partner Danny's technology blog to show his loyal readers just how 'modern' gardening can be. I've brought the 10 coolest garden gadgets with me! So, if you're picturing overalls, a straw hat and dirty knees, let me show you the flashy side of gardening!

# 10 – Rolling Garden Tool Cart
This is a handy little gadget to have, as you can load all the tools you will need in the cart and simply push it around your garden with you. Of course, this means no more trips back and forth to your shed or storage area. This trendy little gadget holds 150lbs, so you can place heavy pots, soil and bags of mulch on it. Carry rakes, shovels and other garden tools all at once! Okay, not too 'mod,' but we're just getting started!

# 9 – Rain Drain Rain Removing System
So this is a neat little thing. Rather than having your rain water come straight from the downspout, creating erosion and an unsightly puddle – you can utilize this device. The rain drain distributes the water further out and instead of one stream, it spreads the water into a larger spray. You simply unroll it when you want to use it and roll it back up when it's not in use! This is a great way to protect your foundation or crawlspace.

# 8 - Electronic Soil Tester for Garden Plants
If you're not sure about the PH of your soil, this device will come in handy. You can easily and quickly test the Ph of your soil, the soil moisture, light intensity and more. This is a really easy way to help you have a bit more of a green thumb! If you're not completely sure when to water your garden plants, the electronic soil tester will help. You can use it to determine if a certain location will be sunny enough for sun-loving plants or if you should plant something else there. A really helpful tool for any garden!

#7 – Lawn Aerator Shoes
Wow! This may not necessarily be a 'must have,' but who wouldn't want a pair of shoes with twenty 1.25" spikes coming out of the bottoms? The technology behind these shoes is this – when you walk around your garden or lawn, the spikes drive into the ground, opening up holes in your yard. This allows the water and nutrients to reach further into the compacted ground, reaching the roots. As this happens, your lawn becomes healthier. You can aerate your yard while you're cutting the grass, checking your plants or watering your flowers!

#6 – Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter
The Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter allows you to plant vegetables, flowers and even herbs upside down in a special container. What does this do? Well, it's perfect for small spaces where you don't want to take up room in the garden. It's also great for those who don't have a garden or even a backyard! You can grow any sort of vegetable, even by hanging them on your patio. The roots are encased in a container which acts like a greenhouse, exploding the growth of the plant. Because the plants are upside down, nutrients and vitamins are better able to get into the fruit, so your vegetables are…even healthier!

#5 – Oxygenating Watering Can
This is definitely one of those products that make you wonder. While your tap water contains around 30 to 40 percent oxygen, using the oxygenating watering can allows up to 150 percent oxygenation in your tap water. What does this mean? Well, plants create oxygen but the root system also needs the proper amount of oxygen to grow and thrive. By plugging in the electric watering can and allowing the process to work for 5 minutes, you can increase the oxygen to your plants! Enjoy healthier, more beautiful plants and flowers.

#4 – Electronic Slug and Snail Fence
What? That's right. It's a tiny electric fence that you place around your garden area and it will keep slugs and snails from destroying your beautiful plants. Someone really thought small scale when they created this device. If the slug or snail touches the fence, they get the tiniest shock you could imagine, and chances are they will move on to someone else's yard! Don't worry if you have pets or children because the shock which comes from this fence is undetectable by pets and humans. A snail fence – go get one today!

#3 - Yard Garden Motion Activated Animal Repellant
Do you have problems with animals or pests getting into your yard? From deer to raccoons to skunks, now you can keep those animals away from your vegetable garden, your shed, your garbage cans and more. Using the Yard Garden Motion Activated Animal Repellant, the animals will not keep pestering you. Designed to be changed for each type of animal, this device is motion activated and creates ultra sonic blasts to keep the animals away. This handy little item is waterproof, mountable and will cover up to a 4,000 square foot area!

#2 – The Pocket Chainsaw
So, how cool is this! This little chainsaw runs from batteries and is able to cut a 3" diameter limb in less than ten seconds. Don't worry about getting out your heavy power tools to take care of a few garden projects; just pull out your handy pocket chainsaw. You can clear weeds, cut small limbs that are in the way, cut hedges, shape bushes and much more. It weighs only 5oz but packs a great amount of power. This is a very neat little tool that you can keep right in your pocket just incase!

#1 – High Tech Plant Examining Glasses
This is one of the coolest gadgets you can get. Wearing these special glasses, you can detect whether your plants are stressed, dying, need water or are being attacked by predators before the plants would reveal it to the naked eye. This is one more way to transform someone who doesn't own a green thumb into a master gardener. You may not look like the sharpest thorn on the rose bush when you're wearing them, but they are developed using NASA technology and you can easily tell when your plants need a little extra TLC.

So, there you have it. Ten of the coolest garden gadgets you can get. Gardening can be very cool; or at least you can have a ton of fun trying out these amazing gadgets. They are all available here. Be sure to visit me at my own blog and for unique custom content, you can find Danny, our other amazing partners and me at Priceless Writers.

* If you enjoyed this guest blog and you wish to read more of Samantha's fun and sometimes irreverent tips, please visit her at her Home and Garden blog!