First post since the eclipse!

Wow. I was so surprised today to see that I have not made a posting here since the solar eclipse back in July. It is not that I have no topics to write about or no opinions to give. I have been writing, just not posting.

After some time off in August and a relaxing time spent in Vancouver, I have had a hard time to get back on track and get motivated again. This reminded me of a quick note I'd created recently. We are a society with an attention deficit.

Attention deficit society
People are losing a MASSIVE amount of time, because they are not focused, me included. Tools and methods are useful. Getting in the habit is CRITICAL.

To change? Change you habits. Model your behaviour against those who are succeeding. The best people have a coach. Perhaps you should get a coach, too.

Decide - from Latin dēcīdere, to cut off

Longest Total Solar Eclipse and its impact on Ocean Temperature

July 22, 2009. The Longest Total Solar Eclipse of the 21st century will pass over India, China and through the Pacific Ocean off the Southern tip of Japan. What is its impact on ocean temperature and current. An eclipse is an amazing natural phenomenon. The sun's light is blocked by the moon. During this time sunlight is dimmed, the air cools. Birds are tricked into flying back to their nests and flowers close. How much will this change in direct sunlight and cooling affect ocean temperature and air along the path of the eclipse. It is the longest solar eclipse and passes over significant swath of ocean. We will soon find out.

Free Education: The end of schools?

For a while I have been thinking, planning, researching the prospect of launching an online education business. It is a real challenge to determine the right business model in the massive sea of other online education, training and eLearning sites. I know there are opportunities, I'll keep thinking.

Recently The Obama government announced a program to develop free online courses at American community colleges.

U.S. Push for Free Online Courses

In fact, now there are a vast array of free online learning resources - either courses or even textbooks.

More than 100 free places to learn online and counting

The question is: Are they being used? Well, really, there are an array of questions: Are they being used? By whom? How? Are they used only by those who have access? How long will it take for a shift (if it happens) toward these free resources and How will this change 'formal' education?

You can learn for free now: go to a library.
You can explore a vast array of information and knowledge: use the Internet
Need to learn a process?: Watch a "how to" video on YouTube
Thousands of parents who do not like the public school system have opted to "home school" [Home Based Learning] their children

What role does formal education fulfill? What was it's purpose in the first place and where is it going? Are schools fast becoming outdated?

Well, before we consider this, we need to think about the role of formal education.
This is a topic to be explored in future posts.

Paralyzed by choice

This is me. This is how i feel. Too much choice can by paralysing.

The Future of the Internet

200808 the Future of the Internet

I am Canadian

Try living next to the US. 35 million Canadians versus 350 million Americans. They have an uninformed / stereotypical view of Canadians which is challenged in this very, very popular beer commercial of the 1990's.

Follow along and read my comments below the video:

Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader
and i don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber or own a dog sled
and i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, although I'm certain they're really, really nice.
I have a prime minister, not a president.
I speak English and French, not "American"
and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"
I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack
I believe in peacekeeping, not policing
diversity not assimilation
and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal
a touque is a hat
a chesterfield is a couch
and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".
Canada is the 2nd largest land mass
the first nation of hockey
and the best part of North America
my name is Joe and I am Canadian
thank you.

Explanation:

Hey, I am not a lumberjack or a fur trader
and i don't live in an igloo
or eat blubber or own a dog sled

[Still...Americans think this is the image of a typical Canadian. They ask us..sometimes...those that know where Canada is...]

or i don't know Jimmy, Sally or Suzy from Canada, though I'm certain they're really, really nice.

[Funny because it is not uncommon if you tell an America that you are from Canada, they will ask: "Ah, from Canada, do you know Jimmy in Toronto?" -- I am not kidding. This is why it's funny. It is true. Canadians find this hilarious...but annoying]

I have a prime minister, not a president.

[they think every country has a president]

I speak English and French, not "American"
and i pronounce it "about" not "aboot"


[Very common for American to ask Canadians: "Say "about", Say "about"!". They think it is hilarious....we think it is annoying. We do have more of an "oo" sound compared to "ow" - especially in eastern Canada, where they really do say "aboot"! And I ask people from Nova Scotia to say "aboot" ;-) ]

I can proudly sew my country's flag on my backpack

[For many, many years Canadians traveling abroad will sew a Canadian flag on their packpack so they will not be mistaken for American. Canadians pride themselves on an excellent global reputation of not invading, attacking or overthrowing nations. In Europe, if you speak English people assume you are British, or worse: American. When you tell them you are Canadian, their expression changes, their face lights up. It is so nice. I always appreicate it and never get tired of it.

FYI - Americans know about this flag on the backpack and some American travelers sew Canadian flags on theirs. Shameful.]

I believe in peacekeeping, not policing

[Canada is a long time supporter of UN Peacekeeping missions. In fact a former Canadian Prime Minister: Lester Pearson created the UN Peacekeeping Forces for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize]

diversity not assimilation

[America's vision: E Pluribus Unum - it is on the back of the US dollar bill - it means: from many, one. People move from many countries and many cultures to America. When you move to America, you must assilimate - become American. Canada has a vision and a policy of multiculturalism. People move from many countries and many cultures to Canada. When you move to Canada, you can be or do anything you like - continue to practice your beliefs and culture. Diversity]

and that the beaver is a truly proud and noble animal

[mmm....?]

a touque is a hat

[this is a Canadian word.]

a chesterfield is a couch


[From the English furniture maker. my parents always refer to the sofa as a "Chesterfield". Sound strange? What do Japanese call a stapler?...]

and it is pronounced "ZED" not "ZEE", "ZED".

[It is.]

Canada is the 2nd largest land mass

[It is.]

the first nation of hockey

[It is.]

and the best part of North America

[It is.]

my name is Joe and I am Canadian
thank you.

[Canadians are known for being very, very polite - compared to Americans. Thus the "thank you" at the end.]

Now you have a much better understanding of Canadians :-)

Thank you.

High Tech Japan?

Japan is a wealthy country, isn't it? It is, in fact, the second largest economy next to the United States.

Japan is known for high technology, isn't it? It is, in fact home to dozen of global technolgy leaders such as Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Casio, Nintendo, Sharp and Mitsubishi. It is a nation that prides itself on high tech innovation.

Why, then, has this wealth and high tech talent not shown up in Japanese television? I am not talking about the television sets. I am talking about television content. It's pathetic. Production values from the 1960's. Something that American high school kids would do. No. Strike that. American high school kids would use far more computer graphics than TBS, Fuji or NHK.

It is a regular scene to see TV presenters holding up a cardboard sign and pealing off pieces to reveal the content beneath. This reminds me of very early days of American television.

In America, CNN has adopted a very cool technology called the "Magic Wall" that was introduced during the US Presidential election race.

Meanwhile, back in Japan, The Daily Yomiuiri website regularly crashes my browser.

But wait, I really must be careful what I say. It is not that Japanese television does not use any computer graphics. They do. In fact they use too much. Too many words on the screen, too many spinning kanji characters. Grotesquely sized and colours subtitles. Endless annoying pinging and sparkling sounds. Utterly intrusive and annoying. Just endless visual pollution and noise, noise, noise.

It is not confined to one type channel or one type of program. The problem is wide spread.

It is bewildering that a culture known for Zen and peace and serenity behaves this way. Why do they?

And, it is wildly ineffective. People just drown it out.

I recommend to the television industry in Japan get a Mac Powerbook and learn to use the very basic computer graphic and video production software. It is a small step to take, but it will go a long way in taking your production values out of the 1960's. Then, take a basic course in design. Less is more. This won't solve all of your problems - there are many - but it is a start.

learner versus learned

In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.
— Eric Hoffer

What does this quotation mean?

The speaker is talking about the importance of learning. The ability to learn and to continue to learn. The world is changing and will continue to change. Those who have the ability to learn will be successful - they will inherit the future - while those who have stopped learning, now live in a world - in their minds - that no longer exists in reality.

As an educator I agree with this. Nothing is more pointless and useless today in education that rote memorization. Information and facts are important. But, so too is a content, a framework and the ability to synthesize new knowledge and apply knowledge to problem solving. This is the ability to learn and this is valuable.

Head in the Clouds

Head in the Clouds

Well, I found it.

I’ve long been searching for it, and now I’ve found it.

My new hobby. Something on which to focus my free time. There are so many things that one can see and read and do. But, where to invest one’s free time? Cooking, running, yoga, some sort of collection? There are just too many choices, too many things to collect. Where does one begin? So much choice, so hard to decide. This indecision has long prevented me from enjoying a relaxing past time and providing a confident answer to the ubiquitous question in Japan: “What’s your hobby?”

Recently, I discovered it on the Internet and I knew as soon as I saw that it was for me. This is something I can get behind. This is for me. What is it? Clouds. That’s right. As of today I am a card-carrying member of The Cloud Appreciation Society.

Sound crazy?

Sound like something only crazy, eccentric people would join?

I am member number: 16093. There are 16092 members before me. It should not be a surprise that the Cloud Appreciation Society is based in England, land of cheese rolling and other eccentricities. I think I have strong English blood because when I first saw this site I was immediately drawn to it. This was it: cloud appreciation. No expensive equipment, no special shoes or clothes, no rigorous examinations, nothing to buy nothing to collect. Just look up and appreciate and feel a connection with 16000 of my fellow members. What’s the purpose? No purpose. Why does everything need a purpose? Is there a purpose in spoon collecting? No, cloud appreciation, that’s for me.

However, now, when I reply to the question: “What’s your hobby?” I will have to learn how to respond to the head-tilting looks of confusion and the follow up questions that are certain to occur: “What?” “What’s that?” “Clouds?” What should I do?. Let’s see: Q: “What’s your hobby?”, A: “Golf”. There, sounds better. Perhaps I’ll save my true hobby for friends and any eccentric Brits I meet.

Screen shot taken to commemorate my membership: member number 16030 – before new members join.

The Cloud Appreciation Society
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

World No Tobacco Day

Here's an idea I can get behind. It's an event called: "World No Tobacco Day". In 1987 the members of the World Health Organization [WHO] created this event in an attempt to bring awareness to the 5.4 million people who dies annually from smoking related illness. That's the population of Yokohama.

I found this statistic on a web site: In Japan, smoking is the leading cause of death and is responsible for 20% of all cancers. 50 percent of men and 14 percent of women smoke. The leading cause of death. Shouldn't the government, who's job it is to protect its citizens do all it can to reduce its nation's leading cause of death? Well...shouldn't it?

Lots more statistics here.

Japanese attitudes toward smoking is amazing to me as a Canadian. With all we know about the effects of smoking on health. For many years in Canada smoking in all public buildings - including restaurants and bars - has been illegal.

One package of cigarettes in Canada costs over Y1000, there are no vending machines for tobacco, there is no advertising for tobacco, all packages must contain a very large label (50% of the package). Visit here for a list of the array of very large images that appear on cigarette packages in Canada. It is quite disgusting, I think you will agree.

You can argue that it is about freedom to choose: If adults choose to smoke, that's their decision. Ok. However, it has long been known that second-hand smoke is as lethal (deadly) as smoking, itself. This is the reason why indoor smoking is banned in all areas - including restaurants - in Canada. In America - the land of freedom of choice - many states including New York and California, indoor smoking - including bars and restaurants - is banned. Even in staunch France, from 2008 public smoking bans - including restaurants and bars - are in effect. The law is supported by 70% of the population.

Where is Japan in all this? A wealthy, developed, educated country where smoking in restaurants continues and cheap tobacco is prevalent.

I feel that there is one good thing about being a smoker: it takes the mystery out of how you are going to die.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_No_Tobacco_Day

an idea I can get behind - to get behind something means to support it.
takes the mystery out of - to become known

Some advice for a returning adult learner

I was writing to a student recently and thought I'd share it here.

I always respect a person’s decision to improve their education and improve themselves.

You will find that "formal" education does not have all the answers. In fact, people learn best "informally" from stories, from talking to others, from their own 'tacit' experiences.

Consider the knowledge that is important to you, beyond what is required. Also, I find that it is important to keep things in perspective.

A formal course of study can provide you with direction and knowledge and a piece of paper that looks good on your resume.

Thousands, or millions, of others have come before you. They have struggled at times. So will you. They got through. No one was born knowing any of this stuff. We all had to learn it at some point.

So, please bear this in mind. Formal education is directional and not final. It is a beginning and not an end in itself.