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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Sunspots 405

Things I have recently spotted that may be of interest to someone else:

Education: The New York Times reports on a school district that has found out how to make schools (and students, mostly poor, and many Hispanic) successful. No charter schools, no firing of poor teachers. Read it.

Science:  (And history) The skeleton of England's King Richard III has been found, according to the National Geographic, and many other news sources. It was identified by comparing DNA from the skeleton with that of relatives currently alive.

The LA Times reports that a thirty-year-old explanation for the extinction of the dinosaurs, namely that there was a large meteor impact that altered the earth's climate, seems to be correct.

It has been known for some time that salmon find their way to their home streams by smell, but a report in the New York Times says that they also use detection of magnetic field characteristics.

The Arts:  (and computing) Gizmo's Freeware points us to a web site that posts free MP3 music for use.

Philosophy: (or marriage) "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." Author unknown. Cryptoquote, The Greenville News, February 5, 2013

Computing: Gizmo's Freeware suggests that you might want to install "Should I Remove It?" which examines the programs on your Windows computer, and may suggest some that should be removed.



Image source (public domain)

2 comments:

atlibertytosay said...

I'm a believer in early education and you can tell the parents that read to their children and actually sat with them and guided them.

That said, the education system needs complete reform in my opinion.

Why fail anyone? Why have any dropouts?

If we went to concept education where you remediated everything and had peers that excelled assist in tutoring those behind in concepts.

By age 16, if the students continued to be unable to progress in high school they could choose vocational school or military. No drop-outs.

It is also my belief that later high school and early college should be more hands on and apprenticeship or lab work and later college should be job placement.

This system rewards the gifted and talented but doesn't punish anyone.

Martin LaBar said...

Thanks, atlibertytosay. Those are bold proposals.

I'm not sure about later college being job placement. Some students want to go to graduate or other professional school, and some positions require it. That being the case, some students should be readied for those options, rather than for a job, per se.