Bringing education-related news and trends to the forefront of the conversation.

Today is the birthday of a very important man who made all of our lives a little easier by perfecting something we all take a little for granted – the zipper. It keeps our pants up, the cold out, and sometimes we wish it would keep a certain person’s mouth shut. Nevertheless, our clothes would have far less opportunity to be worn if it wasn’t for the zipper.

Although Gideon Sundback didn’t exactly invent the zipper, he did perfect it. His perfection of this fastening device to clothing and accessories is honored today by the

Google Doodle, which is both interactive and informative. You can unzip the page and read all about Sundback and his accomplishments.

Sundback was born 132 years ago today in Sweden. The concept of the zipper had been around for years before Sundback, but it was clumsy and came undone easily, which eliminated its usefulness. He buried himself in perfecting the design of the zipper after his wife died and had designed the modern zipper by December of 1913. The popularity of the zipper later skyrocketed when companies began marketing it in the 1930s to mothers as a way for children to easily dress themselves.

The zipper is such a simple, yet very useful invention that many of us would miss if it wasn’t attached to our everyday clothing. The perfection of a product, such as a shoe lace or snap, are always welcomed when they allow our morning routine to be that much easier. If you have an idea of how to perfect an everyday product, ask your friends and see if it could be useful. 100 years from now, Google could be celebrating your birthday with a doodle!

Whether or not we’ve ever made it official by jotting it down in ink or saving it to an excel spreadsheet, at one time or another, we’ve probably all referred to an unforgiving checklist of what makes an “ideal” romantic partner: smart, witty, good-looking, doesn’t identify himself as a “cat-person…” Our lists go on (and on) to include the attributes we feel are absolutely necessary (and a few that are virtually impossible to find in the opposite sex, such as the ability to understand women).

Today, in honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, which spans from March 5 – 11, 2012, I suggest we all add one more trait to our lists: must be a good nap taker.

Photo Courtesy of The New York Times

Sure, you might think it’s a little silly to value someone’s sleep habits over, say, a good sense of humor, but let’s really explore this… when you’re well rested, you’re less grumpy,  your mind is clearer (which obviously leads to sharper wit), and you’re healthier! When you get enough sleep, you’re also likely to feel more ambitious and able to attain your goals! So, by that logic, many of the other traits we value would be virtually non-existent without adequate rest.

Plus, there really isn’t much that tops a shared nap on a lazy afternoon.

This is, of course, not to make light of sleep deprivation, which is a critical and national problem. The prevalence of sleep disorders is astounding, and studies performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that nearly 1/3 of all Americans simply are not getting enough sleep. This weeklong campaign, hosted by the National Sleep Foundation, aims to educate the public on the benefits of adequate sleep and the importance of identifying sleep disorders when present.

The end of this week coincides with the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, when nearly everyone in the country will have to set their clocks forward and surrender an entire hour of sleep. At UniversityDecisions.com, we encourage you to take the time to review your own bedtime habits and get plenty of rest – not just this week, but year round!

Without a doubt, 2012 is special. Not only will we all have the opportunity to celebrate the leap year with an extra day in February, but many organizations will also be celebrating their 100^thanniversaries.

Take a look at some of the most interesting centennial celebrations occurring throughout 2012:

Arizona

On February 14, 1912, after existing nearly 49 years as a territory, Arizona became the 48th and last of the contiguous states to enter the Union of the United States of America.

The Arizona Centennial Commemoration will be a statewide, multi-year observation, with events and projects taking place from 2010 through 2012 in communities across the state.

Chevrolet

photo source: chevrolet.com

The Chevrolet brand turns 100 this year. Among the many celebrations planned for this occasion is the special 2012 Centennial Edition Corvette with a black color scheme and unique design elements. To those who are interested, the 2012 Centennial Edition will be available as a special package on all Corvette models.

Titanic

The 100^th anniversary of the legendary Titanic voyage will be remembered with an auction of treasures found on the wreck of the ship. Valued at $189 million, artifacts will be sold on April 11.

photo source: girlscouts.com

Girl Scouts

The 100^th anniversary of Girl Scouts is being commemorated by a travelling exhibition, which shows the history of the organization with a variety of themes. Also on June 9^th, girls from all over the country will gather on the National Mall for the largest sing-along.

Maymont

The Japanese Garden, called one of Virginia’s most beloved places, is celebrating its 100^thanniversary. The Maymont Foundation is planning a series of events and special programs, such as photo contests, a flower and garden show, and a number of lectures given by famous professors.

Paramount Pictures

photo source: wikipedia.com

Paramount Pictures, the second oldest existing American film studio, turns 100 this year, as well. To commemorate this event, Paramount has released a “100 Years of Movie Magic” App for the iPad and is even sporting a new logo for the very special year of 2012.

2012 – the year of centennial celebrations makes 1912 the year of innovation, entrepreneurship, determination and, for its times, cutting edge technology.

Are you also celebrating any big achievements this year? Perhaps a wedding anniversary, your children graduating college, or your success in business?

Share with us on the UniversityDecisions.com Facebook page or in the comments below!

Photo Courtesy of TurboTax

If you didn’t get to check off your wishlist over the holiday season, or win the latest Powerball drawing, your next best bet for a disposable income bonus is here. Tax refunds! Of course, this government recompense is fraught with the sometimes daunting process of tax forms and filing rules.

While many people prefer to hand over their shoebox of receipts to professionals, Intuit’s product TurboTax is geared to put tax filing squarely in the hands of its users. And by squarely, I mean on a smartphone, literally in your hands; enter SnapTax – a tax filing app for form 1040EZ filers. The app can be downloaded for free, for both Apple and Android smartphones, but upon filing will cost $19.99. Once downloaded, a user takes a photo of their W-2, and the information is imported automatically. After a few additional questions, the return is completed and e-filed.

So, who qualifies for a 1040EZ return?

• Those who don’t own a home, or have dependents
• Income only from W-2, interest or unemployment payment
• Earned income less than $100K for singles, $120K if married

If your circumstances are outside these requirements, chances are it would benefit you more to take your return to a professional in order to maximize your benefits from tax credits and deductions.

If you’re new to the tax process, filing your own return can be not only a rewarding process, mentally and fiscally, but also a good step to understanding your personal finances.

A few Tips for Beginners from TurboTax:

• Don’t wait until the last minute! You can file as soon as you get your employer W-2, and any bank documents pertaining to interest earned. The sooner you file, the sooner you can get your refund, if applicable.

• Standard vs. Itemized Deduction. For 2011, the standard deduction available for singles is $5,800, or $11,600 for married couples. Certain qualified expenses are tax-deductible, and if this amount is greater than your standard deduction, then the itemized deduction should be taken to reduce your taxable income. Typically, your tax software will walk you through a set of questions to find the larger amount.

• Some of the most commonly overlooked deductions include medical expenses, charitable contributions, moving expenses, and home office expenses – including cell phone bills. The best way to maximize your tax benefits is to remain organized and prepared throughout the year.

For more references visit the Top 10 Tax Filing Tips for 2012.

If you want to improve your personal finance skills, consider brushing up with a course in Accounting or Finance.  Happy filing!

Written by UniversityDecisions.com Guest Blogger Mackenzie Crawford.

Throughout January, everyone seems to impatiently await Super Bowl Sunday and usually a crowd favorite is the ever so hyped up Super Bowl commercials.  The average cost that companies pay to have their advertisements play during the game is $3.5 million (per commercial) so, as most would agree, they better be good.

Super Bowl Sunday is the only day of the year when most American households fill with family and friends, fueling up on tasty food, while joining together around our big screen TV’s and surround sound systems for the common goal of watching the event we have been waiting for all year.  It’s not only the football game we’re interested in seeing, however, but also the entertaining commercials and halftime performances.

This year was no different and, as in recent years, babies, dogs and celebrities were the key players in these enthralling ads.  There is the loyal dog that fetches us our Bud Light, the adorable talking babies with snappy wit and the celebrity cameos that seem to shock and awe us every time.  Whereas these characters have been popular reoccurring themes throughout the past couple years, some would say they were overkill this year.  We disagree.

As the Super Bowl game came to an end last night, the talk did not and this morning, offices and individuals alike, were immersed in conversations discussing their favorites and least favorite commercials from the game.  As most can relate, it was the main topic of conversation for the day.

The same held true in our office; and here is a list of what we liked:

FUNNY

If you were watching the game yesterday, it is no surprise to you that the Doritos commercials made our list.  Nothing is funnier than a dog bribing a man to keep quiet about a missing feline, nor cuter than a baby and a grandma duo stealing a bag of chips.

M&M used the popular LMFAO song to keep fans laughing, as the newest edition to the M&M clan was introduced- Ms.Brown.

STOOD OUT

The “powerful” Chrysler commercial, starring none other than the veteran actor Clint Eastwood, took a different approach than the others.  Whereas most of the ads used humor and banter to attract the crowd’s attention, this ad had a very serious yet emotional undertone regarding our automotive industry which definitely pulled the heartstrings of America.

SEX SELLS

The sexy Victoria’s Secret angel, Adriana Lima, starred in a commercial for Telaflora which was, of course, a crowd favorite among the male viewers.  The gorgeous David Beckham, on the other hand, starred in a commercial for H&M promoting his new body wear line which was strictly for the ladies.

CLASSIC

Budweiser took America down memory lane with both their Prohibition ad and their fun commercial during the halftime which noted memorable moments throughout recent American history.

These Super Bowl commercials may have contained enough entertainment to last until next year. If you missed any of them or just want to see them all again, watch a complete breakdown of all the Super Bowl Commercials. If these commercials inspired you as much as they did for us then consider a career in marketing, advertising or production and make your dreams come alive on screen.