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Thai's Teaser #49: Gold in Them Thar Hills

I just came back from a school camping trip to gold rush territory here in California and I can tell you the gold rush spirit is alive and well in kids today. How long would you think they can spend elbow deep in dirty water panning for little flakes of gold? We may never know the answer because we had to drag them away.

But with the California Gold Rush of 1849 on the brain, here's your teaser for your Memorial Day weekend.

James came to California to find his fortune in the Gold Rush. His first stop after arriving was the supply store where he bought the tools he needed to strike it rich. He knew he needed a weights and a balance to weigh all the gold he was surely going to find. He wanted to measure any whole number of ounces from 1 ounce to at least 12 ounces, and he already brought with him a 1-oz and a 9-oz weight. What size weight or weights should he buy?

Ready for the answer?

8 Tips for a Memorable Memorial Day Picnic

Some time ago, Memorial Day became the unofficial beginning of summer, then the unofficial weekend of picnics, then the official weekend of mattress sales. Here are some lessons to enjoy all of Memorial Day (without the mattresses)! How to Sew an Insulated Bottle Bag by Mayra at So Sew Easy Going on a picnic or giving a bottled gift? Protect that precious bottle and keep it cool in an insulated bottle bag that’s quick and easy to sew. How to Crochet a Patriotic Circle Motif by Crochet Ever After Learn how to crochet a round red, white, and blue motif that you can string up as a bunting or use as festive coasters for a picnic BBQ. Cheese Stuffed Monster Burgers by Arkansas Redneck This burger recipe is juicy and delicious, packed with flavor from the hidden ingredients. Perfect for your next backyard cookout, picnic, or camping trip! Couscous & Mango Summer Salad by Students Starving This yummy refreshing salad is a meal in itself! In this lesson, combine couscous, mango, and chunks of fresh veggies to delight vegans and vegetarians! DIY Paper Party Balls by Parties for Pennies Set a festive tone at a barbeque, outdoor picnic, or birthday party with these DIY paper party balls! This easy DIY craft project adds instant color. How to Make a Secure Table Cover by Sophie's World Don't let the wind spoil your picnic party! Learn a trick for covering your tables with plastic or fabric tablecloths and making them stay secure (and cute). How to Make Deviled Eggs by Chef Trevor Deviled Eggs are welcome everywhere—from parties to picnics to grab-and-go lunches! Learn how to make these nutritious treats in this easy cooking lesson. Beginner's Handmade Quilt Project by Crafty Gemini Learn to make a fun, modern quilt with the easy to follow lesson. Step by step instructions help with fabric selection, pattern, and sewing it all together!

Thai's Teaser #48: Words for Summer

So as summer is barreling down the calendar, some people might be concerned about getting into bathing suit shape. I, on the other hand, have nothing to worry about. I'm so far from bathing suit shape, why worry?

No, instead, let's get our brains into shape and ready for summer puzzle-solving season. That's a thing, right?

What do these words have in common?

• bulb
• month
• pint
• silver
• wolf

Ready for the answer?

6 Tips to Rock Bike to Work Day

Ditch the car and ride your bike to work! It's good for you, good for the environment, and good for bike mechanics everywhere./div> Essential Bike Riding Tips by Art's Cyclery Planning a bike riding trip? Whether you're riding a road bike or a mountain bike, following these tips can help you have more fun! Urban Biking for Beginners by Laura Lukitsch Urban biking is a fun and exciting way to explore a city, commute, and get in shape! Bike Stunt Skill Builder by ThinkBikes Have dreams beyond popping wheelies? In this bike stunt course, develop extreme biking skills such as the endo, front wheel pivot, back hop, 180, and rock walk drop. Essential Bike Maintenance for Beginners by Vilano Bikes DIY bike repair and maintenance is well within reach! Learn these essential adjustments and skip the trip to the shop. Beginner Triathlon Training Course by Trainer Davey + TwoTri Jess Go from start line to victory in twelve short weeks with this sprint triathlon training course! Essential Items to Carry When Cycling by Cycling 101 Discover the essential items you should bring with you on a bike ride, especially when you're going to be cycling for an hour or longer.

Thai's Teaser #47: Teens and Their Phones

I will warn you that some of this story is true, some of it's not, and some of it is delirious, caffeine-induced pablum. Let's proceed:

So John came into the office the other day, baffled by his kids (something that happens quite often). One of his kids is a teenager and, like many teens these days, goes through the day with her nose buried in her phone.

"I was trying to talk to her," John said, "but she just wouldn't look up from her phone. Then she finally stopped and said 'Fine. I'll put away my phone if you tell me this: what's the next item in this sequence?'

  444, 7, 44, 666, 66, ??

"I'm just trying to talk to her and this is what I get?" Can you help John out?

Ready for the answer?

Thai's Teaser #46: Nerdy Animals II

Wow! The response on the last puzzle was really incredible. It received tons of correct answers, which means that you are really that good at solving puzzles, or are really that into zoo animals. My money's on you being good at solving zoo animal puzzles, so we're going to try it again. Don't let me down!

Again, from the recent scavenger hunt I put on for our team, what creature is suggested by this clue?

Thai's Teaser #45: Nerdy Animals

Work hard, or hardly work? Trust me when I tell you that we work hard at Curious, bringing you the best educational content on the web. But all work and no play make Jack something, something, so we all recently took an afternoon to hit the zoo. As Curious' resident puzzle maker, I designed a scavenger hunt with puzzles that all solved to an animal. Yes, we solve puzzles in our free time, too!

Do you have what it takes to join the Curious Crew? Well, here's one: what animal is suggested by the following clue (it's one clue so one animal total, not six different animals)?

• Ray Kroc
• 
• γ-tocopherol
• Project for Statistical Computing
• Potassium
• Shift-2

Ready for the answer?

Top 6 Ways to Make Your Mother's Day

Because you know gas station chocolates aren't gonna cut it... Beginner Wire Art Projects by Heather Boyd Wire Wire sculptures and wire jewelry make wonderful homemade gifts that look professionally made! How to Draw Mom in 3D Letters by DrawingTeachers Create the perfect DIY Mother’s Day card with the help of this drawing lesson. Hatha Yoga for Beginners by AlchemYoga New to yoga and don't know where to start? This intro course walks beginners through breathing practices, postures, and terminology. Homemade Granola with Nutella by Hot Chocolate Hits Homemade Nutella granola is the perfect breakfast, lunch, or quick snack for yourself or a special someone. Mexican Chorizo & Green Chile Recipes by Kimberly in the Kitchen Turn your kitchen into a cantina with this course on cooking classic Mexican recipes! Everyone will be impressed when you prepare some seriously delicious dishes! Head and Face Massage Techniques by Psyche Truth Want to help mom relax? In this lesson, discover how to perform head and face massage therapy techniques.

Top 6 Jazzy Lessons to Start Your Weekend

Did you know April 29 is Duke Ellington Day? You did? Well, then you don't need these jazzy lessons, but you can share them with your not-nearly-as-cool friends. Fundamental Jazz Guitar Techniques by Sam Dunn Jazz Guitar Ready to master the essentials of jazz music? Learn the swinging harmonies and melodic soloing of jazz in this course. How to Play Jazz Triplet Drum Fills by JohnX Drum Lessons Play like the jazz drumming greats! Break down the basic triplet fill with several variations and learn a few 3/4 fills in this lesson. Beginning Mandolin Jazz Improvisation by Pete Martin The mandolin isn’t just for bluegrass! In this lesson, learn the basics of jazz mandolin using the G major scale and the classic jazz standard, "Mack the Knife." Jazz Chords & Tuplets in Notation by Kalani Music Jazz chords are not as complicated as they look! Explore common tuplets (triplets and duplets), and learn to make these easier to play. Playing Jazz Blues by HPCrazy In this lesson, pro guitarist and guitar teacher HPCrazy demonstrates how to play jazz blues licks on guitar, sharing techniques for timing and improvisation. Mutli-Tonic Jazz Systems by Tone Viking Learn the concepts behind multi-tonic systems and how they can be applied to compositions.