When I was in school I had a graphic design professor a very smart individual who graduated from Yale and whose expertise was fonts. I spent two hours a day for an entire semester building fonts with a pencil and a clipboard. As the professor did not know how to use a computer, he did not require any of his students to either. This class was boring, but what was worse is that it was completely useless.

Rarely is a real company going to pay for a font. They are going to pay for business cards, logos, web sites, CDROMs and commercials but not a font. Many professors at prestigious schools with good reputations are relics of a past age. Graphic design requires technology, and technologies change and adapt. Oftentimes those that teach graphic design remain stagnant and enforce archaic concepts and methods. Academic graphic design is much closer to fine art than commercial graphic design (the type that makes money).

Avoid classes with names like The history of Byzantine Graphic Design, The Stencil as Design Tool or Dimension in Design.

You should design your schedule around your portfolio, your web site and your resume. The best classes are those that teach software and can provide tangible art that employers will want to see. Look at the want ads and then look at your schedule. If the class teaches or requires Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Flash, or HTML then take it immediately. Look for teachers who have worked in the world of graphic design and understand concepts like deadlines, client needs, and real world application.

The most important way to jumpstart your career is by establishing a web site early and constantly adding to it and improving it. Your web site should be the crown jewel of your arts education. If you can improve the site each year by adding flash animation or streaming video then you will have a job magnet when you are ready to graduate.

A college degree is a wonderful thing to have, but sometimes software certification is more important for finding a job. A Flash developer certification from Macromedia can lead to a job much faster than a graphic design degree from even the best university. software certification can open doors that a degree cannot. You have four years of art school to learn and improve yourself. You will never again have the time and resources to pursue certifications. The best part is that you can probably receive academic credit for anything that you do if you just fill out a little of the correct paperwork.

Michael Long is a Seattle area graphic designer, web designer and flash developer that has worked for some of the biggest names in the Fortune 500. He is the former CEO of Overdrive Media and currently works as a design consultant. Sponsored by: Art Schools Digital - Seattle http://www.artschoolsdigital.com/

Well, we're on a roll with causes of bed wetting theories. Here's one that seems to make sense. I'm still pretty much sold on the idea that it's a hereditary issue - but it seems like if there are other causes of bed wetting, they may be more controllable. If it's just heredity, you kind of have to wait it out until your child reaches the pre-set magical age of dryness. By nature not especially patient, the idea of waiting it out doesn't appeal to me.

So, here's what I've learned about the food and drink leading to bedwetting theory.

Chocolate

Oh no! Say it isn't so! Well, actually it's not necessarily the chocolate; it's the caffeine in chocolate that may cause bed wetting. What does caffeine do? It stimulates the body, including the bladder. So that evening cup of cocoa or slice of chocolate cake may be a problem. (Gosh, now I'm craving chocolate!)

Soda

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles. Carbonation is rumored to do strange things to immature bladders. Actually, for any adults who drink soda, you know first-hand that a can of Coke is a ticket to the restroom. It's an effect that's compounded by caffeine - and the sugar's probably not helping matters either.

Oranges and Grapefruits

OK, if you've actually got a child who will eat grapefruit, I'd like to hear about it! But oranges are another story. I get a strange reaction when I eat oranges (and raw cranberries for some reason) - my face gets hot and I feel kind of funky. So, I'm assuming it's possible to be allergic to citrus. The citric acid is the most likely culprit. Try cutting back on the orange juice and citrus in your child's diet to see what happens.

Spicy Stuff

There are some spices out there that could probably be rated pharmaceutical grade. Think of the effect Chinese mustard has on your nose! No doubt some of these spices have an equivalent effect on the bladder. Salsa, Asian food, and other hot, hot, hot foods may be contributing to the bedwetting problem.

Food Allergies

I've heard of people whose children are allergic to everything from eggs to wheat, and have to say that dealing with bedwetting is nothing compared to the trouble they have to go through just to feed their children. Couple a serious food allergy with bedwetting, and it's enough to make you want to retreat to the bath tub for the next ten years! Some allergies cause bladder spasms - which of course, means a bedwetting accident. It's not just food, either. Some people are really sensitive to preservatives, dyes, and other additives. It doesn't seem that the only effect of a food allergy would be bedwetting, though. So don't throw out all your groceries just yet. But if your child has multiple challenges, it's something to consider. You may have to shop around for an allergist - so be prepared.

So what do you do if you discover your child's bedwetting problem is caused by a food sensitivity? It's not like being allergic to a cat - get some shots or send Fluffy to live with Grandma. You'll have to enroll your child's compliance on this (so what else is new?). Get your child to see the value, the what's-in-it-for-me of staying away from what may be a favorite food. Dry nights are pretty valuable - and your child may come to see the tradeoff as worthwhile. The sensitivity may be temporary, too - and that should help.

after all, just the thought of never being able to eat chocolate is cruel and unusual punishment.

Sue LaPointe is the owner of http://www.bedwettinghelpformoms.com - a site aimed at encouraging, supporting, and educating parents of bedwetters. Request your copy of the free report Got a Bedwetter? top 10 Mistakes to Avoid.

If you want to reduce your household energy bills then its worth considering your water heater. water heaters account for a third of all household energy consumption.

There are four ways to cut your water heating bills:

Use less hot water,
Turn down the thermostat on your water heater,
Insulate your water heater,
Buy a new, more efficient water heater.

Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters often arrive from the manufacture with high temperature settings, a setting of 49C provides nice hot water for most people.

Reduce the amount of baths that you have within any given week, try to take more showers. Or if you have children let one child take one bath and then another child can use the water. This may sound not very hygienic but there was a time when water was not running from taps and people had to be a lot more economical with water that they would collect from wells.

If you have an old electric water heater storage tank insulate it with an insulation blanket, be careful not to cover the thermostat as this can skew your temperature control.

Insulate the first 6-8 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.

Most water heaters last for around 10-5 years, it's best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Research whats on the market before your current water heater fails as this will enable you to select a heater that meets your needs.

For long-term savings dont skrimp on your initial purchase a standard water heater may cost less initially, however look at the big picture and the savings that can be made through buying an energy efficient heater, year on year.

Consider natural-gas on-demand or tankless water heaters. Research has found there to be massive savings of up to 30% compared with standard natural-gas storage tank water heaters.

water heating Ltd has over 30 years experience in water heating products. Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site