Droppin' some science on pop can color archetype,
the online petition, and "snippet education".
via womansday.com
Alright, I know it's from "Woman's Day", but any compilation of crazy-looking burgers gets me interested. Of particular interest is the "1UP Mario Burger" that looks cool, but I would never eat, the "Luther Burger" which uses donut halves for buns and should be nailed to door of a church, and the "Butter Burger" which scared my heart into a new zip code just reading about it.
via youtube.com
In as much as I have trouble staying concise (especially when I get on a roll) the ability of a person or organization to convey a story or message in a short period of time is admirable. It is a skill that especially becomes necessary when acknowledging that learning skills are diversifying to include "snippet education".
I can't complain. Most of my knowledge of US History (being a Canadian) came from three minute Schoolhouse Rocks cartoons sandwiched in between the Superfriends and Laff-a-lympics. I suppose that's where I also got my basic knowledge of Parts of Speech, because Verb is What's Happenin'.
I do not think, however, that either extreme of learning can be sacrificed totally for the purposes of today's educators. The one-minute long Amnesty International video showing the different faces and horrors of war over the centuries is a fine example of making an impact in a short period of time. But, as much as we might like to believe this is learning in a minute, the process of comprehension and analysis takes us far beyond what could be termed "snippet education".
The descriptor "snippet", which I like to join to not only education, but journalism as well, doesn't really speak to a full education process in as much as an introduction of a concept. But that is really what the web is turning into, brief (sometimes very brief) introductions of concepts. The Twitter link referral often doesn't even introduce a concept so much as provide an advocacy gateway for the link itself. The greatest use of "snippet education" can be derived from elective learners, i.e. people who get to pick what they want to learn next. Quite frankly, if someone doesn't want to learn history or grammar or multiplication tables, even one minute is too long.
So while there is a constant push to integrate web2.0 and like technologies into modern education, there is often an inconsistency between the methodology and the pedagogy. The web has become the great repository of elective learning and, for that purpose, is unequaled in scope and accessibility. While education advocates have been clamoring for free education for years, the web can provide a great tool for self-instruction and free learning. The web and its like technologies are not, however, the be all end all of formalized education.
Multimedia can be great, but can also cloud a concept. As much as students are more likely to think an impactful snippet is cool or memorable, such an impact is shallow. The deep learning starts to arrive through discourse and discussion, which, on an individual level, could be facilitated by the web, but on a real life level is much better achieved through face-to-face interaction.
Someday all public schools will be able to afford the tools which will allow these methods to be meshed together seamlessly, but one or two computer labs doesn't cut it. Until then, a thousand shallow dents of knowledge is probably better than tabula rasa, but one or two deep wells of knowledge is probably preferred in the long run.
via youtube.com
Okay... was running short on consciousness, but wanted to get a post in before the night was through. Perhaps one of the most classic sketches from SCTV. If you're too young to know - learn. If you're old enough to remember - laugh!
Eugene Levy as Alex Trebel, John Candy with the Flock of Seagulls Coif, Andrea Martin as the dim-witted Blanche, Joe Flaherty with the Karl Malden nose, and Martin Short as the determined Lawrence.
The online petition has become perhaps the most redundant form of social activism. Much like the Facebook group that can be set up for something meaningful or to talk about types of guacamole, the ease at which the online petition can be started has rendered the former effort that such an enterprise usually entailed monumental by comparison.
For the same reason that emails don't mean as much to politicians as a written letter, the online petition has become next to meaningless. It serves one purpose: education, although the same purpose could be achieved by a simple information page. The redundant act of pressing a "Join" button takes the same effort as eliminating one defunct square in a game of Minesweeper.
At least the paper petition took the time of having to listen to someone's pitch, ask one's questions and put pen to paper. There was, the sense that a commitment was in process due to the signing act that we normally attribute to contracts and marriage licenses. Traditionally our signature has been our word, our bond, our guarantee. Does any of feel the same way about clicking a "Join" button?
I'd never claim that the web hasn't been a great tool for social activism. If knowledge is power, the scope of independent media that is afforded to the average user far outranges anything that one could find in a local or national newspaper. Admittedly, the craftwork in telling the stories is mostly lacking, but the bare bones of issues and attrocities are often evident for all to see. And I certainly don't mind the Facebook Event feature that allows one to call attention to a real life rally, protest, or strike, although I'll admit the "Maybe Attending" has become my best friend in conveying the best of intentions while harboring no real commitment.
I admire those who spark interest in social issues and think the web is a great venue for fostering followers and growing a base, but if the end result is an online petition, there is a serious flaw in the effectiveness of one's political action. If over 1.7 million people made the work-intensive decision to join the uberactivist tour de force "Petition Against the New Facebook", how seriously can we really take online petitions. If a mouseclick is the end result of web activism, social justice is doomed.
But I'm really not that jaded. The social communities on the web can inspire. Those that would never have had the tools to inspire thought and critical thought now have a venue. Those that would have been doomed to a narrow view of humanity and the world, now have the ability to absorb the grand parade of lifeless packaging that is world society. Just don't let it begin and end with a click. Surely we could make it more difficult to commit to a petition than just a click. Maybe we could add audio and make people record their assent for all to hear. Perhaps we could add some calesthenics to the equation or a brain teaser or two.
I'm not sure that 1.7 million users against a new Facebook layout is any more impressive than 100 people who petition to get a new stop sign or 50 people who get a pothole filled. I do know that the work that went into getting the 100 or 50 people to commit, smacks of a greater effort and dedication than the mouseclick ever will. Here's a final thought: before you click "Join" next time, think about whether you'd put your name to paper or show up for a rally on the same cause.
Yeah, I know the above logic is all muddled. If you don't like it, go start a petition.
Remember the cartoons you used to watch just because they were the only ones on. Sometimes running over a lunch hour as you were scarfing down a bowl of Hamburger Helper or at 6:30am before any real programming came on, these cheap ass cartoons were the saving grace of 70's kids who couldn't stand watching test patterns... where I grew up anyway.
The Mighty Hercules... "Iron in his thighs."
Rocket Robin Hood... "Band of Brothers marching together."
Kum Kum... this made for some bad acid trip lunches.
Hammy Hamster... wow! I just wanna chill to late night Hammy, Maddy and GP.
Concerning the lacklustre first week of Internet
Explorer 8, the whining about Facebook changes, and yet another idea of how
someone can make money on all these "free" social networking
services.
via plime.com
I've either found a wicked new name for my next band or I just threw up a little. While I have no doubt that this probably tastes just fine. There's something very wrong about this picture. Now I'm not one who's all about presentation at restaurants. For me, good food and good portions win the day. This, however, has crossed the line of culinary decency. Maybe this would be a nice summer treat add-on to Pork Cones or Headcheesecake.