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Microsoft's new streamlined Edge browser From January 12th, 2016, Microsoft will cease to support all older versions of the Internet Explorer web browser, meaning users will have to switch to the latest version of IE 11. What is unknown is whether Internet Explorer will be replaced by the newly announced Edge or if this is an alternative browsing experience being packaged with Windows 10.

What we do know is that Edge (formerly Project Spartan) looks clean, lean and clever to boot. We can expect the Windows 10 browse r to support all of the plug-ins currently available for Chrome and Firefox while, visually, it appears to have some Safari-like elements: you can add pages to a reading list and view them in a reader-friendly mode.

Additionally Edge will support Cortana (Microsoft's version of Siri) and automatically sideload relevant information such as directions and contact details when navigating to business websites. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/browser-for-doing Lessons in diplomacy from 'Game of Thrones' What can Game of Thrones teach us about modern life? As with all science fiction and fantasy, public radio producer Eric Molinsky sees themes that resonate with and often mirror reality. On a recent episode of his fortnightly podcast Imaginary Worlds he talks to law and diplomacy academic Dan Drezner, who declares that he "wasn't sold on Game of Thrones until they killed Ned". This plot development tells the audience that there is no salvation for the pure of heart; if you don't play by the rules, there will be consequences. Then there's Daenerys Targaryen: her wielding of three dragons from afar is likened to a nuclear threat while Joffrey is essentially Kim Jong Un. And you get the picture. This podcast is an alternative to the spittle-flecked outrage of fanboys nitpicking over plot inconsistencies. https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/imaginary-worlds/id916273527?mt=2 Brush up on 'Aesop's Fables' As children, most of us will have been exposed to our first life lessons through Aesop's Fables. The Hare and the Tortoise taught us that persistence and consistency win out over flash and overconfidence. The Boy Who Cried Wolf taught us that a) it's only funny the first time and b) don't work with sheep.

Like me, many parents may be a little rusty on their Aesop's fables so this free resource from Alison. com might do the trick: it's a mini-course on the lessons to be learned from the popular children's stories. The material is simply written with some lovely illustrations and the moral is revealed at the end of each tale making this a nice activity for a parent and child on a rainy afternoon.

To complement this, go to http://www.aesopfables.com for some free audio versions of the fables.

http://alison.com/courses/Aesops-Fables