RabbitMage

I'll be working with a third grade class in our after school program this coming semester. I know last year I had a hard time getting my second graders excited about reading, so this year I'm doing a point system with the books so the kids can earn rewards.

I'm trying to stick with non-material rewards. For their big reward (1000 points) I will come to school dressed as a pirate. For one of the lesser rewards I'll teach all day with a funny accent. I need three more 'rewards', but I can't think of any! So what do you think?

Also, no candy/sweets/soda/etc. Absolutely not allowed in our program! Thanks everyone!

My old Creative Zen Micro finally bit the dust (or, well, was dropped in the dust) and I'm in the market for something new.

I'm looking for a 4-ish gig player with some kind of display screen so I can see what song is playing and browse my music. I DO NOT need a big screen, I do not need a color display. I do not need it to play videos, display pictures, remind me of my appointments, or cure cancer.

Doesn't have to be itty-bitty, but not overly bulky. Will be mostly used at home and in the car, not for jogging or anything exciting.

I'm not really interested in an iPod. I was considered the Creative Zen V, but I've read a lot of mixed reviews on it. Ideally, it will be in the $100 range, too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlNybGMigfQ

Does anyone else not find videos like this funny in the least?

You see stuff like this on YouTube and America's Funniest Home Videos all the time and all I can think about with the bigger horses are the dangers involved in getting thrown off especially without a helmet, or caught in a stirrup, etc.

THIS video cheeses me off to no end, though. The kid is easily double the size of what a Mini should be carrying, and looks to be a young horse at that-far too young to be ridden! They used to have a comment up under this video telling people to back off, because according to them Minis can carry THREE TIMES THEIR OWN WEIGHT.

To me, this is just borderline abuse.

Does anyone else think this sheer idiocy should never be allowed near the internet or horses again?

I'm having trouble locating a betta breeder that's somewhat local to me. In a few months I'm planning to get a small collection of fancy bettas (not the sort you see in the pet store) for some small tanks I'm setting up.

I've checked aquabid, and I see a lot of very pretty bettas...in Thailand. If I can avoid dealing with a transhipper I'd like to, and I'd also prefer to get all my bettas (4-6) from the same source.

If you can provide any useful links it would be much appreciated. I'm in Central California and I am still willing to ship or drive if the fish are somewhat local. Thanks.