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Over on our questions and answers community, roguekiller23231 began a discussion about things our parents told us when we were young which may – or may not – have been true. “Your face will freeze that way if you do that!” How many times did you hear that growing up? I’m willing to bet your face is intact and not frozen into some grotesque mask. What things did the adults in your life tell you that you now know for a fact were a fib?

One thing my parents said was that too much time on a computer would hurt me. I’m pretty sure I busted that myth. Another thing I was told was that playing RPGs would lead to Satanism. Uhm… I’ve never worshiped any type of demonic creature, seriously. I’ve played plenty of RPGs and loved them, though!

Now that my dad has his own YouTube account, perhaps he’ll respond to this video. He can let you know about things they told me when I was a kid that did turn out to be true.

What about you? What types of white lies or fibs were you told as a child?

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The Truth as Parents Know It

The USA Today is the top-selling print newspaper in the country. Today, they announced that the USA Today app for the iPad will be available beginning tomorrow. Access will be completely free until July 4th, thanks to Courtyard by Marriott. Once Independence Day has passed, the app will only be available by paying a subscription fee.

Newspaper officials say that the app will provide a rich news experience which include graphics and photos. Matt Jones, VP of mobile strategy and operations, said this morning: “Our team is very excited to see the launch of the USA TODAY app for iPad. With its sleek format and vivid touch screen, the iPad is the perfect device to display USA TODAY’s signature design and content. We think we’ve delivered a very high quality product and I can’t wait to see people explore and interact with our news and information in a whole new way.”

The popular paper has been downloaded by millions of people using the iPhone or Android devices. The app looks much like the physical news source you would pick up off of your doorstep in the morning. The layout and design are virtually the same, and using your finger to “turn” pages should make it feel similar, as well.

Maybe if we all switch to reading our newspaper in this manner, a few trees can be saved!

USA Today Delivers News Right to Your iPad

The iBook app is a free download, and does something that I think is pretty cool. When opened on your iPad, a bookshelf will appear. They built the app in a way that truly makes your book collection appear to be sitting on a bookshelf in your living room. In the upper left corner of the screen you will find the Store button. Tap that and watch your bookshelf turn around like the ones on Scooby Doo used to do! After the shelf turns around, the iBookstore will appear automagically.

The iBookstore lets you browse through popular titles (and some not-so-popular ones) in a variety of ways: by genre, by author and by keyword. Once you see something that interests you, you can tap to read a preview or review – or read a small excerpt from the story itself. As soon as you purchase the lexicon, it will appear on your bookshelf so that you can read it whenever you like.

Reading a book on the iPad is better in some ways than when you have a hard copy. You’re still going to turn pages and hold the device with your hands. However, you can adjust the brightness and contrast on your screen to adjust it to work with your eyes. Not all of us have perfect vision, and changing the settings on the display can bring you an entirely new reading experience. You can also adjust the font size – or the font itself.

I enjoy reading a good book when I have the time. Having an iPad may make it quite a bit easier for me. Instead of watching a movie when I am on the airplane (or listening to music as I stand in line), I can pick up where I left off with my latest tome. Since the iPad bookmarks the spot where I left off, it only takes a few seconds to dive right back in.

The only question now is… what books do you recommend I check out first?

Turn Your iPad Into a Bookshelf

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It’s a well-known fact that 99.997% of users on YouTube are illiterate. If you don’t believe me, take a read through some of the comments there. In all seriousness, illiteracy is a large problem in our country today. You would be surprised at how large the actual percentage is of people who have difficulty reading and comprehending written words. There’s a website that can help – by giving you access to a huge library of books. There’s no cost – other than your computer and Internet connection.

Read Print is a site full of books – a virtual library for students, teachers and just plain reading enthusiasts. You’ll find thousands of books, poems, stories, play and even essays – all waiting for you to curl up in your computer chair to read. There are more than 8,000 books by 3500 authors, just waiting for you to click and read.

You’ll find printed materials (remember – for FREE!) by Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Jane Austin, Shakespeare, and even Mark Twain. Sit back and enjoy old favorites like The Great Gatsby, 1984 and The Invisible Man. These are books you can enjoy over and over again. Why worry about your copy becoming dog-eared from too many turnings of a page? Just read the book online at your own pace, and don’t worry ever again about hurting your hard copies.

Reading is essential. It is a vital part of education and personal growth… and helps to open your mind, letting it soar to places it otherwise may never go. Take more time to read, will you?

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Can You Read?