That's right, ladies and gents, this is not a joke. Not only is Ed McMahon still alive, but he's still agile enough to produce not one, but two rap music videos. McMahon, once notably famous for representing American Publisher's Clearing House as well as hosting "Star Search", is currently pursuing a career in the music industry. Well, not really.
According to this article on CNN.com, McMahon has been approached by FreeCreditReport.com to launch two rap videos. The videos, featuring the 85 year-old McMahon chauffeured around in a Cadillac Escalade golf cart, highlights his financial troubles. The lyrics to one video include: 
"I had money and glory/I bought a house for 6 mill/I thought nothing could touch me/Until my credit went south, and debt started to crunch me/Next thing I know, instead of playing gin rummy, I was scrambling just to make ends meet/It wasn't funny."
The lyrics don't lie, either. McMahon did spend carelessly, and recently fell behind nearly $644,000 on his mortgage payments, but has negotiated his finances with a private buyer.
The lesson? Don't over-spend. Oh, and look for McMahon's videos during commercials; they're set to air soon.
It's every student's dream: getting paid to go to school. While this still may just be a pipe dream, there are companies willing to pay for to at least pay attention during your classes. According to a recent article from InsideHigherEd, students may be able to earn money simply for having great notes. And papers. And other study materials.
Thanks to a driven Babson University drop out, students may be able to earn dough for taking good notes, writing great papers, and providing great study materials not only for fellow classmates, but also (hopefully) for researchers and professors. The site is called Knetwit, and it is poised to become the largest "one-stop-shop destination for educational content." The site offers free registration for all users, as well as other features including user profiles, groups and communities and file sharing.
For many, the site's user-related content raises eyebrows and legal questions. School officials are concerned about plagiarism, cheating and copyright infringement. However, Chuck Cantrell, the vice chancellor for university relations at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga states, “One of our faculty members ... met with some of the Knetwit folks and felt that they had some safeguards in place to protect intellectual property,” he said, “and also, I guess the bottom line is, the world is changing, and this is a new way of sharing information."
As
the last days of summer slowly come to an end, people everywhere are gearing up
for the fall semester of school. Whether you’re enrolled in classes online,
moving into a new apartment, or settling in at an on-campus college, check out these
unique back-to-school gifts that will surely help anyone feel more at home.
1. Twirl
& Scoop, Unite!
It’s
no secret that many college-aged students opt for quick, delicious meals like
Ramen’s Cup-o-Noodles. However, this delicious, almost-instant meal can be
tricky to enjoy: do you twirl with a fork or do you scoop with a spoon? Why not
both? Try eating this slimy yet satisfying meal easily with a stainless-steel
spork. The spoon-like scoop plus
tines of the fork make twirling and sipping this delicious snack even easier!
2.
Maximum Chill, Miniature Size
If
you’re prone to all-nighters full of endless energy drinks, can’t open your
eyes without a Starbucks double shot, or find yourself having frequent
must-have-Ben-and-Jerry’s cravings, you’re the perfect recipient of a mini
fridge/freezer. These compact units are ideal for any room and can be easily
stored under lofted beds or discretely underneath desks. Also, you can control
the settings to either keep leftover pizza warm, or chill ‘soda’ and other
beverages.
3.
Shoot ‘em Up: Toy Marshmallow Shooter
You’re
never too old for toys. In fact, what’s better than a toy and a snack at the same time? This fantastic toy Marshmallow Shooter
combines play time and snack time with its rapid-fire marshmallow shooting
capabilities. The Shooter can easily fit up to 25 mini-marshmallows, or 20 foam
cubes. Whether you’d like to give unsuspecting friends a treat or hone your
aiming skills, the Marshmallow Shooter is the perfect, tasty gift!
4.
A Foreman for Everyone
If
your student is like most college-aged kids, their diet most likely consists of
soda, late night take-out and other unhealthy, yet quick options. Give the gift
of a lean, mean, grilling machine like this George Forman Grill. The Forman
line of portable grills is guaranteed to reduce the fat on most products, and
offers the added convenience of non-stick cooking. It’s small, portable and so easy
to use; it’s perfect for anyone, and cooks just about anything from sandwiches
to veggies.
5. It’s Electric!
A
cell phone charger, computer power cord, iHome and desk fan are just some of
the appliances the average student has plugged in at any one time. In order to
avoid shorting out appliances and potentially losing the unsaved draft of those
last minute ten-page papers, invest in this
expandable power strip. The strip, which provides 6 sockets, can
expand and contract, and has the
ability to fit those annoying three-pronged plugs.
6. Building Blocks
If
your one of the millions of people with an iPod, you’ve probably purchased a white
speaker system with changeable faceplates. Want something different? Even if
you aren’t a Lego or Linking Logs devotee, these retro iPod block speakers are compact,
sturdy and colorful. With these speakers, you’ll no longer worry about mixing
up whose speakers are whose.
7. Conformity is the Spice of
Life
When
your mother told you being different was good, she lied. Well, no, she didn’t.
Being different is great, especially when it comes to decorating your room.
Motivational posters are ubiquitous and a thing of the past. Purchase an
atypical poster like
Conformity to decorate your walls; it’s a guaranteed conversation
piece and potential hide-the-hole-in-the-wall cover.
8. Say ‘So Long’ to the Sniff
Test
We’ve
all been there, done that: it’s early morning, your laundry is in heaps, and
you can’t distinguish between your clean and dirty piles, so you sniff your
clothes to determine its wear-ability. With these "Wash" and "Wear" laundry
bags, you’ll not only stay organized, but also, no longer have to suffer
through Psych 101 wearing last Saturday night’s shirt (again) by accident.
9.
Delivery, Please
Does
this mantra sound familiar: “If it’s not delivery, it’s not for me”? Then check
out this handy take-out menu organizer. With enough space for 60 delivery
menus, plus tabs for quick searches, this binder is ideal for the stay-at-home
diner. This organizer also comes with a tip sheet, so you’ll never over or
under-tip again.
10.
Dolla, Dolla Bill, Ya'll
This
gift hardly needs explaining: students, parents, kids…everyone loves, wants and
needs money. But when students are focusing on their schoolwork and rarely have
time for a part-time or weekend job, their spending is limited. So, when in
doubt, offer to donate some dough on behalf of their studious cause. If you’re
concerned about where cash will go, give gift cards to local pizzerias, the
school bookstore, or a favorite clothing shop.
Are
there more gifts you’d like to see on this list? Add a comment and let us know
what you think!
Rodney Dangerfield knew that it was never too late to go "Back to School". In this 1986 classic, both middle aged Thornton Melon and his young son Jason return back to school to earn their degrees. They had the right idea: no matter how old or young you are, it's never too late to return to finish or start your degree. Though many fall on-campus semesters have already begun, you can start an online degree program almost immediately!
After you fill out an online school's application and submit an application fee, your application will be reviewed immediately. Depending on prerequesites and eligibility, you may be enrolled in your degree program in as little as 7-10 business days!
Check out the newest speciality degrees offered at eCollegeFinder's:
Unlike most on-campus programs, earning your degree online will enable you to work from within the comfort of your own home, around your own busy schedule. Don't wait, start your career today with an online degree program.