Muggles can sign up for Hogwarts classes
Muggle-born fans of Harry Potter can now get educated from Potter’s alma mater from the comfort of their own homes.
Hogwarts is Here (www.hogwartsishere.com), a website created by Potter superfans, is offering a full catalog of “Ministry-approved” online classes for aspiring wizards and witches.
The site’s banner displays “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry” and the professional-looking layout could be mistaken for a small private school or community college. The website offers classes in the same subjects studied by Harry, Ron and Hermione.
You can sign up now for free. You even receive your very own Hogwarts acceptance letter, which is really just a fancy email confirmation notifying you that you registered on the site.
The enroll page notes that even though “first years are typically 11 years of age, do keep in mind that our first year lesson material is written for an older audience.”
While any credits or accolades you may receive from completing coursework won’t transfer to other colleges or universities, Hogwarts is Here takes its courses seriously, including homework assignments, essays, quizzes and tests.
— Matt Mauney
Orlando Sentinel
Hints from Heloise:
Plastic sleeve in hotel good to cover remote
A Reader in Merrimack, N.H. writes: When traveling and staying at a hotel, turn one of the plastic sleeves covering the drinking glasses/cups inside out and cover the possibly unsanitized TV remote control. (Heloise adds: Good for folks in a hospital, too!)
Suzy in Kansas writes: In the party-planning section of large grocery stores, you often can find heavy-duty plastic plates in a variety of colors and sizes. I use them when I give food to people, whether cookies, leftovers, etc. I never have to worry about getting my dishes back, and they look better than a plain paper plate.
Pam LaRoche in Dover, N.H. writes: When traveling, I always pack a plug-in night light and a couple of binder clips. I plug in the night light in the bathroom so I can find my way in the middle of the night. I use the binder clips to hold window curtains closed, or to hang slacks or skirts if no pants hangers are available.
— King Features
Study: Young renters not carrying insurance
The majority of young renters don’t have renters insurance, according to a survey released last week by Nationwide Insurance.
The survey found that 56 percent of renters ages 23 to 35 don’t have insurance.
More than 40 percent of those without insurance don’t think it’s needed, even though 68 percent of those surveyed estimated their belongings are worth more than $5,000.
The Columbus-based insurer, which has paid more than $184 million in renters insurance claims since 2008, released the survey to correspond with a new advertising campaign for renters insurance.
The cost of renters insurance varies by location and coverage but averages about $180 a year, Nationwide said.
— Jim Weiker
Columbus Dispatch