Spell check on exams

The Oregon Department of Education is going to allow test takers to use spell check on state exams.  This is a dumb idea.1

I remember when I had to take a big exam after grad school – I handwrote the exam because I didn’t want to be one of those victims of a sudden power outage.  There were times when I would have liked to have used a longer more high-falutin’ word, but I am a profoundly terrible speller.  If you can’t spell a word, don’t use it.  It’s a simple as that.  Yes, I suppose your students won’t have to concentrate on spelling so they can theoretically focus on content.

Grr.

  1. I’m hoping to increase their SEO mojo for the keywords “dumb ideas” [↩]

What is SyFy without SciFi?

Seriously, ask you.

  • Destination Truth, Ghost Hunters.  Are these supposed to be pseudo-science shows?  I don’t think they purport to be fiction or entertainment.  The people on those shows seem to take themselves pretty seriously.  Perhaps they would be better suited to the “SuFy” channel.
  • I refuse to watch “professional” wrestling on the SyFy channel.  Let’s not even go there.
  • Caprica1 , Dresden Files, Stargate Universe, Stargate Atlantis…  what are they doing?
  • I can’t watch Doctor Who on SyFy and instead tune into BBC America

When the SyFy channel doesn’t show any science fiction shows left…  what is it’s reason for existing?

  1. Which I did not like [↩]

It’s alive!

I’ve got my Thing-O-Matic operational.  There were some initial hiccups, but it seems to be working.  However, I definitely need to calibrate Skeinforge and the “end.txt” cool down settings for this machine.  More on those details over at the MakerBot blog.  My initial print, a mini mug1 , turned out reasonably well – but is a little too sparse for actual toasting.

  1. Natch [↩]

Math videos and math puzzle sculptures

While at Botacon 0 I had the singular pleasure of attending George Hart‘s presentation on “Cool Geometric Forms” and then actually meeting him afterward.  His mathematical and geometrical sculptures and puzzles are spectacular.  If you haven’t seen them, you really need to check out his website.  In any case, earlier this week I learned of a web video/blog series from someone named Vi Hart where the author would post videos of math doodles, puzzles, games, accompanied by whimsical and informative narration.

It wasn’t until I read her post about using a MakerBot for the second time, just this afternoon, that I realized that the father she referred to was none other than the George Hart I had met at Botacon.

I can only hope, that if I am a very very good father, teacher, role model, and example that one day someone will meet my daughter and then tell me what a wonderful/intelligent/witty person they think she is.  George, if you read this – you should feel as proud as I one day hope to be.

I still think it’s a good idea

A few weeks ago, I forget when or where, I was someplace where someone was talking and then finished with, “Any questions?”

I said, “Yes!  Why hasn’t anyone else invented a papasan / beanbag chair?”  No one answered, just cold stares. 123

Seriously, wouldn’t that be cool?

  1. I suppose more people might take my questions seriously if I were actually part of the initial conversation. [↩]
  2. Or fully clothed. [↩]
  3. Or not covered in rubber ducky stickers. [↩]