Another time [the Buddha] said, "Suppose a man is struck by a poisoned arrow and the doctor wishes to take out the arrow immediately. Suppose the man does not want the arrow removed until he knows who shot it, his age, his parents, and why he shot it. What would happen? If he were to wait until all these questions have been answered, the man might die first." Life is so short. It must not be spent in endless metaphysical speculation that does not bring us any closer to the truth. - Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Keys

Buddhism is an interesting religious tradition. In fact, it is not even always considered a religion, but rather a family of beliefs and practices. Buddhists trust in what are referred to as the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha which are respectively the Awakened One, the Teachings and the Community.

The Buddha is believed to have been a man named Siddhartha Gautama who shared many teachings during his lifetime sometime around the 5th century B.C. The teachings of the Buddha tend to shy away from the so-called 'Big Questions' of life. This is generally seen as demonstrative of his aversion to contemplating these issues, as they distract from the pursuit of true knowledge known as Enlightenment, a state free from worldly pleasures and suffering. Experience is emphasized over philosophical musings, although Buddha did not actively dismiss philosophy.

The quote at the beginning of this article demonstrates the Buddhist theory of why philosophical musings on the meaning of life are futile and/or distracting. It can be seen as Nihilistic, but in fact is better described as Pragmatic.

The arrow (life) should be addressed, rather than the shooter (is there meaning/God), the source (our/the Universe's origins), or why he was shot (why are we here). This is a fairly unique stance for any religious or even quasi-religious tradition, as it leaves out the usual purpose of humanity: serving a higher power. However, the Buddhist teachings are extremely interesting and can give insight to not only the meaning of life, but also to our life as it is.

The holiday season is a great time to begin practicing for this year's upcoming standardized practice tests that most students will be taking in the spring.  These tests are becoming ever more important as they are used as a basis for admission to some private schools and colleges, as well as used for evaluating the overall performance of student and school.

Many states have adopted a national test such as the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and the TerraNova test.  Other states have a more custom test that they have their students complete such as California's STAR testing.  Whichever version of the standardized practice tests your student is taking this spring, we have practice materials for you.

Please feel free to explore our BrightEducation.com website for the practice test package that best fits your needs and budget.  We have several options starting at $29.97.

How well we put together our presentations for our job can say a lot for who we are.  A sloppy presentation with unintelligible charts and graphs can not only say that we are lazy but can also vie towards our level of visual intelligence.  On the flip side, a good presentation can attest to our success.  With computers now de facto and no longer an impressive demonstration of our futuristic thinking, now more than ever do we need to focus on our visual acuteness when it comes to creating effective presentations.

Raffael Marty from IT World in his article, "How do you create good visualisations?", describes the foundation technique for effective visualizations.  He outlines the importance to be expressive and not to overdo it when it comes to color.  Spatial intelligence can also play a key factor in visualizing good charts and graphs. 

We offer a great test called the Spatial IQ Test which specifically tests your IQ using spatial reasoning.  If you take that test in conjunction with our verbal IQ Test, you can get an idea as to how your IQ score changes when using the different reasoning centers.

Maybe now you'll know why that presentation turned out like it did!

“I mean, yes idealism, yes the dignity of pure research, yes the pursuit of truth in all its forms, but there comes a point I'm afraid where you begin to suspect that if there's any real truth it's that the entire multi-dimensional infinity of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs; and if it comes to a choice between spending another ten million years finding that out or on the other hand just taking the money and running, then I for one could do with the exercise.”- Frankie Mouse, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Legions upon legions of devoted readers of Douglas Adams will have no problem in telling you the Ultimate Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. As calculated by the second greatest computer to have ever existed, also known as Deep Thought, it is 42. The number 42. There is no more complex meaning to life than that. The problem with this, however, is that The Ultimate Question is unknown. For that solution, the greatest computer to have ever existed was built: Earth. After many eons and more random events than could be imagined, the Question was discovered: "What do you get if you multiply six by nine?" as spelled out in Scrabble tiles.

While this is, indeed, both an amusing and fictitious question and answer (also incorrect according to most known methods of multiplication), it poses a reasonable question to any searchers for the meaning of life: what if the meaning of life does not make sense or, worse, offers futility rather than meaning?

We search because we want to know our purpose, to know that we mean something in a universal, not just a local, sense. The problem with searching is always what we might find. If, in fact, the reason for being is not for our own sakes but for some others' needs or even a cosmic gag, is the search still meaningful itself?

Can't get enough of those brain teasers?  The Ultimate IQ Test Book may just help.  It is a great resource freely available on the internet which includes a whopping 300 pages of IQ Test practice questions.  These tests would be great not only for the daily brain teaser to keep our neurons firing, but also as a mock practice test for the big day when you buckle down and take a real PhD-Certified and calibrated IQ Test such as our Free IQ Test.

Have any of you used this resource?  If you have used a resource such as this and then taken our IQ Test, please post your results as a comment.  It will be very interesting to track whether those who use an IQ Test practice resource would actually score better on the IQ Test than those who had not.

Ever wake up the next morning and regret an email you wrote when you had a little too much to drink the night before?  Well, Google has the solution!  Google recently released a new Gmail feature called, Google Mail Goggles, which makes you take a short IQ test in order to determine if you are sober enough to write an email intelligently.  This new feature is getting quite a bit of "buzz" (pun intended) on the internet.  Whether it catches on or not is to be determined, but none the less it is a very interesting concept.

What if we need to take an IQ test before we can operate our cars?  We would not only reduce DUI's but also reduce the number of people on the road making stupid mistakes that cause 10-car pileups on the freeway!  If this mini-IQ Test policy was in place for driving a car, what would the minimum IQ be?  Let's say it is 100 which is the average IQ score.  Would you be smart enough to drive?

Take a free IQ Test and find out what your actual IQ score is.

Should our country require an IQ Test in order to be a registered voter?  What's your opinion?

There has been quite a bit of talk on the Internet on the subject especially in the wake of this upcoming hotly debated and historic election between John McCain and Barack Obama.  As more and more people become a firm supporter of one side or the other, we are beginning to see more and more jabs back and forth from everyday voters going beyond the typical political mudslinging that comes with every presidential election.  This one's personal!

George W. Bush, whatever his actual intelligence might be, is not generally known for his impressive IQ.  Many Obama supporters have claimed that McCain is also IQ-challenged just like W.  And the stabs go back to Obama as being inexperienced and not ready to lead the country.

But what about our voter's IQ?  Should we have a minimum intelligence level ourselves in order to vote for a candidate?  That might solve many problems but create many others.  This country was founded on the principal that everyone has a say in who our leaders are - from the uneducated retail clerk to the highly educated doctor.  We all should be represented according to our forefathers.  True, the more educated might be better fit to see past the acting and empty promises, but there are no guarantees and our liberties would be sacrificed by such a policy.

Just for fun, let's say there is an IQ Test that is required before you can vote.  The average intelligence is around 100 IQ points, so let's say the cut-off for voting in the election is 120 points which would mean that only the top 20th percentile could vote.  Would you be included in this group?  Take one of our Free IQ Tests and find out!  

Post your IQ score as a comment to this blog.

This week saw record losses in the US stock markets.  The DOW Industrials closed on Friday at below 9,000 points, its lowest level in four years.  Investor confidence is near an all-time low.  The housing market, gas and food prices, and many other industries seem to ever more volatile than before.  What about your job?

If you are in the construction, mortgage, or transportation industries most likely you have already felt the effects of a tightening economy.  Perhaps you even lost your job or are one of the lucky ones who still has a job but for how long?  In the Business Week article, “How to Bounce Back from Career Setbacks”, Marshall Goldsmith outlines how we can mentally deal with the setbacks that come with this uncertain economy of ours.

Now is a better time than ever to start re-examining your career options and seeing what else is out there that you might be good at.  Why not start with something fun like a free IQ Test or “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” free quiz.  Then when you are ready to tackle it, try our in-depth Career Personality Test.  That Career Test will give you insight into your personality and what career options would be a good suit for you.  From there, you can determine whether you need to go back to school for a new degree or can explore new career options directly.  Taking a quiz like this would be a great free way to start doing something about the uncertainty in your career and not wait until it comes crashing down around you!

All of the ups and downs of the mortgage industry over the last five years has come with both great wealth and great losses.  Some invested wisely and made a fortune.  Some took out bad loans and lost their livelihood.  Some brokers sold loans honestly, most did not.

With all of this investor turmoil, we have to also look at how the ups and downs affected the job market.  From 2002-2005 we saw a enormous increase in housing industry jobs including mortgage brokers and real estate agents.  As the market cooled, those jobs went away.  According to monster.com, one out of every six job losses in 2008 came from the financial sector.

So, what are former finance industry workers to do now?  Why not start with a free career test and find your perfect alternate career!  Perhaps your perfect career is actually as a teacher... or government worker.  Perhaps you are best suited for hotel management.  Take one of our free quizzes today!

Are you the type of person who has to see something in order to fully understand it?  For example, a diagram with a concise pictorial representation makes much more sense than a chart with a bunch of words and numbers.  If this describes you, then you are most likely a visual learner and not an auditory learner.

There is nothing wrong with either type of person, but how you study and understand the world might be very different.  Since ideal methods of learning need to differentiate, why not methods of testing?  That is a main reason why we created our Spatial IQ Test.  It provides a visually-based alternative to the standard IQ Test for those of us like myself who best learn visually.

The Spatial IQ Test is a free quiz, so why not give it a try and test out your intelligence, spatially!

If you have ever had a son or daughter bring home a piece of homework that you had no clue how to complete yourself, then you're not alone!  Many of us who have children face this staunch realization of how much knowledge we have actually forgotten from our school years.  Has time really worked that much havoc on our factual knowledge skills?

At FunEducation, there is a way to fine-tune those factual knowledge skills in a fun and informative way.  Complete a free quiz and find out once and for all the answer to the infamous question, "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?".

Perhaps it would be better to start with 1st grade.  You can also test your 1st grade factual knowledge against our new "Are You Smarter than a First Grader?" free quiz.

The questions for both of these free quizzes are taken directly from actual 1st and 5th grade content standards.  This is the exact material real 1st and 5th graders are studying today.  Both tests are free, so you have nothing to lose!  Take a quiz now and find out if you really are smarter than a 5th grader.

The standardized tests are fast approaching for many schools throughout the nation.  These tests vary by state and district and include tests like the ITBS, TerraNova, CAT/6, STAR Testing, Texas TAKS, PSSA, SOL, and many others.

FunEducation is the parent company to Bright Education which is a website dedicated to standardized practice tests.  Now is the perfect time to sign up for a standardized practice test such as our test prep for the ITBS.  Please visit our Bright Education website for more information.

How much money does my neighbor (or coworker or friend or ...) make?

Even though most would not ask this question out loud, it is still in the back of many of our minds.  This question is a part of our curiosity and maybe even our competitive drive.  While it might not be a good thing to actually ask your neighbors or friends about their finances, it is definitely beneficial to understand the career options out there.  This is especially true if you are struggling to make ends meet and want something better for the future.

What about checking out the MSN article, "How Long ‘Til You Earn Your First Million?".  The article includes a list of current salaries for a variety of career options.

Ok, so now you know how much a neighbor or friend in a different career might be making, but how do you know which career is right for you?  

At FunEducation, we offer several free tests and quizzes to explore what career would be best for you.  The best and most accurate one is the Free Career Test. This test gives you a very detailed 3-section report about your personality and which career would best fit that personality.

You might also try the free quiz, the Business Management Aptitude Test.  That test allows you to see if you are indeed management material or need additional education to accomplish this goal.

If you do find you need to go back to school to get the job you want, why not try one of the online schools for business professional?  You can get started searching for the perfect school in our Career and Education Center.

Our free quiz, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?, compares your results to the results of actual 10-year-olds. This great quiz can be found along side our IQ Test, Personality Test, and other great tests and quizzes on the FunEducation website. 

Once you have had a chance to take the 5th Grader quiz, why not check out our brand new quiz, "Are You Smarter than a 1st Grader?". This exciting 15-question quiz tests your knowledge of first grade material. 

Take the test if you dare and find out if you truly are smarter than a 6-year-old!

"In modern times there are opposing views about the practice of education. There is no general agreement about what the young should learn either in relation to virtue or in relation to the best life; nor is it clear whether their education ought to be directed more towards the intellect than towards the character of the soul.... And it is not certain whether training should be directed at things useful in life, or at those conducive to virtue, or at non-essentials.... And there is no agreement as to what in fact does tend towards virtue. Men do not all prize most highly the same virtue, so naturally they differ also about the proper training for it."

The statement above was written by the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle over 2300 years ago.  But even though Aristotle's "modern times" are today's ancient times, there remains an ongoing debate about what students should be training toward in their formative years.  Proponents of training 'directed at things useful in life' (i.e., vocational education) like California high school teacher Chris Peters say a radical overhaul could make U.S. secondary schools more effective. High schoolers should spend their first two years meeting basic standards, supporters say, then if they pass subject exams, they could choose between a college-prep track and a variety of community college vocational programs.  

The question is a global one - recent reforms in Sweden led to the creation of a chain of “Knowledge Schools” that have been compared to IKEA and McDonald's for their emphasis on standardization.  These private schools that are free to the students achieve success by setting the expectation that students must be able to establish their own learning goals by the time they finish high school.

While the education experts may disagree, Aristotle recognized the difficulty we all face when trying to decide the path to personal virtue.  Following the links in this post should assist with your journey. 

Do you have the business sense to be the next Warren Buffet?  Maybe you are just not in the right career!  Take one of our free tests or free quizzes to discover yourself.  You can find your perfect career with our Free Career Test or perhaps find out whether you are management material with our Free Business Management Aptitude Test.

You might also check out MSN's article titled, "Is Buffet Smarter Than You?".  It gives a great overview of some of the business savvy Warren Buffet has employed over his successful career.  Maybe YOU will be the next big success story featured on MSN!

Check out our new "Education & Career Center" that was just launched today on our website.  This new feature allows you to search for the perfect college to fit your interests.  You can search for a college by entering information into the "Find a School" box and clicking, "Find School".

Also included in the channel is the article, "Why should you earn your degree online?".  This is an interesting and informative article making the case for why you should go back to school as a working professional and earn your advanced degree.

We also have links to career-oriented free tests and quizzes such as the Free Career Test, the online Free IQ Test, and many others.

Most employees have asked themselves at some point in their careers if they have what it takes to be a manager and not just an employee.  Likewise employers have asked the same question about their employees.  Good managers are hard to find.  Our Business Management Aptitude Test simplifies this process and allows you to get an good assessment of whether an employee is management material.

In addition to the Business Management Aptitude Test, you might also want to explore one of our other free tests such as our Career Test.  The career test allows you to find out what careers best fit your personality.  It is a PhD-Certified assessment, so you can be sure the results are accurate. 

You also might want to search for colleges using our new college and career tools.

We are about ready to launch our new education portal which will allow you to search for the perfect college for you, take exciting free tests and quizzes to discover your perfect career as well as provide other useful free tools for career and education advancement.

In these tough economic times, there have not been better times to re-think your career.  In researching your career, a good place to start is with our free Career Personality Test which is designed to provide a complete personality profile as well as rate you on how well your personality fits into over 300 career choices.  It is a free test, so you have nothing to lose!

After taking the Career Test, you might want to use our new College Search tool to find a college that is right for you.  There are now many online and campus schools across the nation that provide advanced education to working professionals.  Those with advanced degrees typically earn much more than those without degrees, so this might be a good option to look into when considering a new career.

You hear the term, "IQ", used everywhere.  What's my sports IQ?  What's my 5th Grader IQ?  How well do you score on IQ Tests and Quizzes?  How much lower is Bush's IQ than mine?

Where does this term actually come from and what does it stand for?  IQ stands for Intelligence Quotient in English and is the translation of the German phrase, Intelligenz-Quotient, which was coined by the German psychologist, William Stern, in 1912.  Modern IQ tests measure intelligence based on a Gaussian bell curve with a median value of 100.  This means that 100 is used as the baseline for intelligence tests.  Those who score below 100 on IQ Tests are considered below average and scores above 100 on IQ Tests are considered above average.  Of course realizing a score on one particular IQ Test or other free quizzes such as the Free IQ Test does not deliver the entire picture of intelligence.  Many people are more visual learners and others are more auditory learners.  This is one factor that could affect intelligence scores. 

When taking IQ Tests on our website, we recommend taking both the Verbal Free IQ Test and the Free Spatial IQ Test.  That will test you in several different ways so you can be sure to get an accurate score.