Sentinel Lifestyle
3-year college degrees grow more popular in the US, saving time and cash. But critics aren’t sold
Giles Sims, 34, was sick of getting passed over for jobs because he didn’t have a college degree. But with a wife and a widowed mother to help support, he needed a quick solution. So the laid-off web developer turned to one of a growing number of three-year degree programs. “I can’t afford to be […]
How to help your kids make friends at a new school
For students starting at a new school, the first day holds many questions: Will they see any familiar faces? Who will they sit with at lunch? Who will they play with at recess? “I’m this much nervous,” said Iman Fair-Seldon, 5, holding her hands about 4 inches (10 centimeters) apart. Iman will start first grade […]
Read our big scoop: Ice-cream cones, the ingenious invention of American immigrants
DETROIT | Read this quickly, before it melts. Ice cream was a rare and expensive treat for centuries because of the difficulty of storing ice. In the summer of 1790, President George Washington spent $200 on ice cream, the equivalent of $7,259 today, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. By the 1800s, inventions like […]
Chinese Valentine’s Day is rooted in legend and tradition, not just romance
BEIJING | Chinese Valentine’s Day is not all about flowers and chocolates. Beyond the romance embraced by some contemporary couples, Qixi is an ancient tradition rooted in legend, prayer and cultural activities that survive to this day. The festival is observed on the seventh day of the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, which fell […]
How one gardener’s neighbors shared their land to help her start a flower business
When Marisa Mender-Franklin walks through any of the nine flower farms she runs in Memphis, Tennessee, her first thoughts are of gratitude. Partly for the flowers and the bees, but mostly for the support of her neighbors. That’s because members of her local Facebook Buy Nothing group shared their unused yards and gardens with her, […]
Once shaped by court rituals, China’s imperial cuisine lives on today
BEIJING | It is said that Empress Dowager Cixi once dreamed of a pastry during the final decades of imperial China. The same treat was served to her at breakfast the following morning. Delighted, she summoned her chef and rewarded him with a silver ingot. “It was originally called ‘minced pork pancake,’ but because it […]
The warming climate is forcing marathons to consider changes to keep runners cool
DES MOINES, Iowa | Paul Grinvalds has completed 114 marathons in all 50 states, but he still wilts when he races in temperatures beyond 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius). It’s the same for most runners, as the body can’t cool down during exertion, and heat makes that even harder. “One thing about marathoners is typically […]
OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot
SAN FRANCISCO | OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches Tuesday, is tailored for kids aged 13 […]
The best fabric for extreme heat? It’s more complicated than you think
When it’s really hot out, getting dressed seems pretty simple: Wear something light, loose and made for summer. But textile researchers say it’s actually a little more complicated than that. The fabric matters. But so does how heavy it is, how the clothing is made, how it fits and even what color it is. What […]
Pull up to the window, please, for a glimpse of an American icon: The drive-thru
WASHINGTON | Full disclosure: this should really be two tales. How better to pay tribute to the natural and perhaps inevitable combination of two distinctly American icons: fast food and cars? Those two massive sociological forces had already joined up, Voltron-style, early in the 20th century with the development of the drive-in restaurant – that […]