Archive for September, 2008

“College Panel Calls For Less Focus On SATs”

It’s like a month of miracles! (The pessimist in me is concerned that a good month now will mean we’re all doomed come election month.) First the Unigo.com thing, and now this. I’m too involved with doing my happy dance (similar to the Snoopy dance, only it’s much more cerebral when I do it) to [ READ MORE ]

Unigo.com

I was bitching about college rankings about a month ago, and although I do enjoy a good vent, I wish Sam Jackson had told me that soon my pleas would be answered. I understand that the lid had to be kept on the Unigo.com thing, so I’m willing to forgive him. Because Mr. Jackson and [ READ MORE ]

What Is A College Education?

Jeffrey Hart in the Dartmouth Review asks the question, “What is a College Education?” I’m going with the theory that it’s different things to different people. For some it’s the ladder they use to get themselves up and out of a place they don’t want to be. For others it’s more of a bridge that’ll [ READ MORE ]

You Can Kiss My Math Because Smart Girls Are Hot

In honor of Danica McKellar’s new book, Kiss My Math, I’m re-posting my thoughts on the hotness of smart girls below. My daughter doesn’t have math homework yet, but I’ve already staked out helping her with it as my exclusive territory. Fortunately, my husband was a political science major, so he’s totally fine with “letting” [ READ MORE ]

Flat World Knowledge

Armed with new technology, a new business model and the good karma that comes with using one’s powers for good instead of evil, Flat World Knowledge is hoping to begin the ending of the textbook-publishing racket. I’m on their side, and am hoping they succeed in crushing the money-sucking tyrants that are college textbook publishers. [ READ MORE ]

How’d You Score THAT Gig?

Some of my vacation reading included How’d You Score That Gig? A Guide to the Coolest Jobs [and How to Get Them] by Alexandra Levit. I’m a girl who likes clear instructions that are as exact as possible when embarking on a new experience. I’m a big fan of the informational interview, and back when [ READ MORE ]

Neuroscience Geekery Will Save You From Yourself

  • September 11th, 2008
  • Posted in Life

For anyone who might want to immerse themselves in the neuroscience of memory instead of actual memories, Jonah Lehrer at The Frontal Cortex has a science geek post up today about flashbulb memories. My daughter was born on Sept. 11th 2001, four minutes before the first plane hit. This means I have more than enough [ READ MORE ]

You Can Get There From Here

The path an individual takes to become what they are when they grow up has always been fascinating to me. In particular are the bendy, twisty, non-traditional routes from point A to point B. Rik at The Click Heard Round the World just posted about his own career trajectory that landed him at Global Kids, [ READ MORE ]

Sen. Obama’s Education Reform Speech

The Chicago Sun-Times has the transcripts from the speech Obama gave today on education reform. As a sentient being and as a parent, I have always categorized the No Child Left Behind Act as something that clearly belongs in the fubar pile. There’s a good reason (probably several, even) why Barrack Obama is a politician [ READ MORE ]

Stanford and Japan

If you’ve ever wondered what Japan and Stanford University have in common, the Freakonomics Blog has the answer. My incorrect guess: the country and the university with the highest rate of Stanford Duck Syndrome, in which the affected individual appears calm and serene and swears they have everything under control, but is paddling furiously below [ READ MORE ]