By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Amazing kindergartner wins school spelling bee
a3188e4477
Recently, Kazim took the title at his school's spelling bee, beating out a 3rd grader when he spelled the word "sapphire" correctly. - photo by Courtesy: YouTube

While most kindergartners are learning sounds, Kazim Ali is spelling words — hard words. In fact, he spells at a 7th grade level! Recently, Kazim took the title at his school's spelling bee, beating out a 3rd grader when he spelled the word "sapphire" correctly.

His goal is to become a national spelling bee champion. Why? "Because you get a lot of money and a big trophy," Kazim says. He's definitely on the right track!

Kazim takes after his parents who were also advanced learners in their home country of India. He will be entering an accelerated program since he excels in all academic areas.

Not all children are academically gifted, but all children have special gifts and talents that make them unique. Be especially careful not to compare your kids to other siblings, friends or relatives when it come to abilities or personal weaknesses.

If your child does have difficulty in school, be sure to assist him with school work and seek the teacher's help. It may be necessary to find a tutor in some cases. Make sure you don't do your child's work for him — he can't learn if he doesn't practice. For more on this, read "How much is too much? The best way to help with your child's homework."

If you liked hearing about Kazim's awesome progress, read "Is your kid the next Einstein? 10 traits of a gifted child."

Wendy Jessen frequently does media reviews. Her email is wendyjessen26@gmail.com.

Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.