The Sun Spot

Photo

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:54:00 -0400

Neutrinos Surpass The Speed of Light

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:26:00 -0400

“[T]he finding could open up a new understanding of the universe. The neutrinos may have taken a shortcut along a fifth dimension (beyond the three dimensions of space and one of time), as proposed by exotic theories. Another option: There is no ultimate speed limit. Or perhaps there is, but light can’t reach it.”

“[Or,] The faster-than-light neutrino might simply be pointing to an extension, not a rewrite of the rule, much as Einstein’s theories extended, not invalidated, Isaac Newton’s laws of motion.”

Read more in the Washington Post Article. Photo: OPERA detector, buried underground in Italy. Or read BBC’s write-up.

Leap Seconds

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:17:46 -0400

“It turns out that being on a revolving imperfect sphere floating in space, being reshaped by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and being dragged around by gravitational forces makes your rotation somewhat irregular. Who knew?”

Thus, we created leap seconds— necessary to keep computers and Google data centers running smoothly as well.

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:06:05 -0400

-T.S. Eliot

What teachers really want to tell parents

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:09:44 -0400

By Ron Clark, Special to CNNupdated 9:12 AM EST, Tue September 6, 2011

Editor’s note: Ron Clark, author of “The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck — 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers,” has been named “American Teacher of the Year” by Disney and was Oprah Winfrey’s pick as her “Phenomenal Man.” He founded The Ron Clark Academy, which educators from around the world have visited to learn.

(CNN) — This summer, I met a principal who was recently named as the administrator of the year in her state. She was loved and adored by all, but she told me she was leaving the profession.

I screamed, “You can’t leave us,” and she quite bluntly replied, “Look, if I get an offer to lead a school system of orphans, I will be all over it, but I just can’t deal with parents anymore; they are killing us.”

Unfortunately, this sentiment seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. Today, new teachers remain in our profession an average of just 4.5 years, and many of them list “issues with parents” as one of their reasons for throwing in the towel. Word is spreading, and the more negativity teachers receive from parents, the harder it becomes to recruit the best and the brightest out of colleges.

So, what can we do to stem the tide? What do teachers really need parents to understand?

For starters, we are educators, not nannies. We are educated professionals who work with kids every day and often see your child in a different light than you do. If we give you advice, don’t fight it. Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from a doctor or lawyer. I have become used to some parents who just don’t want to hear anything negative about their child, but sometimes if you’re willing to take early warning advice to heart, it can help you head off an issue that could become much greater in the future.

Trust us. At times when I tell parents that their child has been a behavior problem, I can almost see the hairs rise on their backs. They are ready to fight and defend their child, and it is exhausting. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I tell a mom something her son did and she turns, looks at him and asks, “Is that true?” Well, of course it’s true. I just told you. And please don’t ask whether a classmate can confirm what happened or whether another teacher might have been present. It only demeans teachers and weakens the partnership between teacher and parent.

Please quit with all the excuses

The truth is, a lot of times it’s the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone.
Ron Clark

And if you really want to help your children be successful, stop making excuses for them. I was talking with a parent and her son about his summer reading assignments. He told me he hadn’t started, and I let him know I was extremely disappointed because school starts in two weeks.

His mother chimed in and told me that it had been a horrible summer for them because of family issues they’d been through in July. I said I was so sorry, but I couldn’t help but point out that the assignments were given in May. She quickly added that she was allowing her child some “fun time” during the summer before getting back to work in July and that it wasn’t his fault the work wasn’t complete.

Can you feel my pain?

Some parents will make excuses regardless of the situation, and they are raising children who will grow into adults who turn toward excuses and do not create a strong work ethic. If you don’t want your child to end up 25 and jobless, sitting on your couch eating potato chips, then stop making excuses for why they aren’t succeeding. Instead, focus on finding solutions.

Parents, be a partner instead of a prosecutor

And parents, you know, it’s OK for your child to get in trouble sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers, we are vexed by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons; we call them helicopter parents because they want to swoop in and save their child every time something goes wrong. If we give a child a 79 on a project, then that is what the child deserves. Don’t set up a time to meet with me to negotiate extra credit for an 80. It’s a 79, regardless of whether you think it should be a B+.

This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn’t assume that because your child makes straight A’s that he/she is getting a good education. The truth is, a lot of times it’s the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone. Parents will say, “My child has a great teacher! He made all A’s this year!”

Wow. Come on now. In all honesty, it’s usually the best teachers who are giving the lowest grades, because they are raising expectations. Yet, when your children receive low scores you want to complain and head to the principal’s office.

Please, take a step back and get a good look at the landscape. Before you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has “given” your child, you might need to realize your child “earned” those grades and that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is providing the best education.

And please, be a partner instead of a prosecutor. I had a child cheat on a test, and his parents threatened to call a lawyer because I was labeling him a criminal. I know that sounds crazy, but principals all across the country are telling me that more and more lawyers are accompanying parents for school meetings dealing with their children.

Teachers walking on eggshells

I feel so sorry for administrators and teachers these days whose hands are completely tied. In many ways, we live in fear of what will happen next. We walk on eggshells in a watered-down education system where teachers lack the courage to be honest and speak their minds. If they make a slight mistake, it can become a major disaster.

My mom just told me a child at a local school wrote on his face with a permanent marker. The teacher tried to get it off with a wash cloth, and it left a red mark on the side of his face. The parent called the media, and the teacher lost her job. My mom, my very own mother, said, “Can you believe that woman did that?”

I felt hit in the gut. I honestly would have probably tried to get the mark off as well. To think that we might lose our jobs over something so minor is scary. Why would anyone want to enter our profession? If our teachers continue to feel threatened and scared, you will rob our schools of our best and handcuff our efforts to recruit tomorrow’s outstanding educators.

Finally, deal with negative situations in a professional manner.

If your child said something happened in the classroom that concerns you, ask to meet with the teacher and approach the situation by saying, “I wanted to let you know something my child said took place in your class, because I know that children can exaggerate and that there are always two sides to every story. I was hoping you could shed some light for me.” If you aren’t happy with the result, then take your concerns to the principal, but above all else, never talk negatively about a teacher in front of your child. If he knows you don’t respect her, he won’t either, and that will lead to a whole host of new problems.

We know you love your children. We love them, too. We just ask — and beg of you — to trust us, support us and work with the system, not against it. We need you to have our backs, and we need you to give us the respect we deserve. Lift us up and make us feel appreciated, and we will work even harder to give your child the best education possible.

That’s a teacher’s promise, from me to you.

Novely, the New Cocaine?

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:45:24 -0400

Us novelty-seekers may be more risqué than we think. Studies by the NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) found that the stimulation of a new experience or mini-adventure stimulates the brain’s reward system the same way that drugs of abuse do; read: amphetamines & the mesolimbic dopamine pathways.

“Finding that novelty may stimulate the same anatomically distinct brain reward component that drugs do is exciting because it suggests that novelty could substitute for and reduce drug use behavior among sensation-seeking humans,” says Dr. Bardo.

While it may not be a one-size-fits-all answer, satiating your curiosity is one means to a rush, au natural.

Keep on seeking on, novelty lovers!

"The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was,..."

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:01:05 -0400

““The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.””

- Marcel Pagnol

Photo

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:07:06 -0400

Top Ten Fittest Cities in the U.S.

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:37:07 -0400

Coincidentally, I’ve visited 7 out of these 10 places in the past year. These places share a commitment to public parks and bike lanes, and active citizens with low rates of obesity, smoking, and chronic illnesses, like heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. The annual American Fitness Index (AFI) was also an indicating factor. Full story here.

Washington DC
Boston
Minneapolis / St. Paul
Seattle
Portland, Oregon
Denver
Sacramento
San Francisco
Hartford, Connecticut
Austin, Texas

Underground River Discovered Beneath the Amazon

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:31:00 -0400

‘Rio Hamza’ has been discovered, 4km under the Amazon. Hundreds of km wider than the Amazon, the subterranean Hamza was detected via a mathematical model measuring the changes in temperature of underground wells. Full story here.

10 Businesses That Love Hurricanes

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:10:00 -0400

Despite their blustery, evacu-nature, hurricanes still hold a fond spots in some business’ hearts, maybe it’s because they’re all female? Anyhow Irene, there’s hope for you yet.

Outdoor products manufacturer
Roofing, building, and construction materials suppliers
Tree limb removal
Water damage restoration
Hotels (perhaps, unless tourism is hit hard)
Grocery stores (hoarders)
Gas stations
Insurance (nothing like fear to put $ into insurance company’s pockets)
Auto body repair (rent out extra space in your garage before she hits!)
Waste management services (ew)

Source: Business News

Books, Now With Soundtracks

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:22:30 -0400

“Much of the music — about nine hours’ worth for the typical [eBook] novel — is instrumental or ambient noise. But during livelier passages, a reader may hear the patter of footsteps, a booming gong, a crackling fire or the tick of a grandfather clock.” ~NYTimes

Quake Damages Underwhelm.

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:43:00 -0400

Quake Damages Underwhelm.

Earthquake near you?

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:59:00 -0400

Earthquake near you?:

5.9 quake shakes DC, NYC, and ripples across to Michigan.

Pinterest: Find inspiration on digital bulletin boards

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:06:37 -0400

Pinterest: Find inspiration on digital bulletin boards

Polar Bear Swims to Iceland

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:25:00 -0400

The first polar bear to swim to Iceland in 15 years. Full story here.

Photo

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:02:06 -0400

The amazing Lyre bird mimics the noises of other birds and...

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:42:35 -0400

The amazing Lyre bird mimics the noises of other birds and animals, as well as camera shutters and chainsaws.

Marine Feminism

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 11:01:05 -0400

The Sea Dragon is a peaceful creature, relying on its spectacular camouflage to evade predators. Like its seahorse cousin, the males of this species carry the female’s young in their tails until they hatch. You can admire their pas de deux courtship amongst the seaweed here.

Summer films worth watching, & re-watching.

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:47:00 -0400

Tree of Life - 2011

Shag - 1989

Vicky Cristina Barcelona - 2008

Midnight in Paris - 2011

Volver - 2006

Dirty Dancing - 1987

It Could Happen To You - 1994

The Help - 2011

Summer films worth watching, & re-watching.