Friday, April 06, 2007

Riddle

Brain stumper.
Who's been in more random movies than Luis Guzman?
Major roles do not count.



I'll send the winner beads from New Orleans.

End of the Week

Has anyone seen the Chapelle lost episodes? They are 'hilarious like Nick Cannon', funny.
http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/chappelles_show/index.jhtml

Meet Zeus Jones.
http://www.zeusjones.com/

Quote of the Week.
'My answer is get out my car'
(Bet you can't guess what show that is from)


Song of the Week.
(This video is actually good)

Thursday, April 05, 2007

What's your favourite cover song?

I've been listening to a lot of covers lately and would like to know what your favourite cover song is.

According to the Rolling Stone, the best cover songs are:

* Jimi Hendrix: Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower”
* Johnny Cash: Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”
* The White Stripes: Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”
* The Fugees: Lori Lieberman’s “Killing Me Softly”
* Eric Clapton: Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff”

Here is one with Ben Folds doing Such Great Heights


And Mat Weddle doing an acoustic version of Hey Ya.

yes or no? yay or nay?

a little bird (named danny burke) heard that they were changing the name of adcenter...to the "brandcenter"...um, yeah, gross.

true or not true? what have you guys heard? what do you guys think?

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Ok, so ideas trump polish.


Maybe this is systemic of my total abhorrence for presentation flourishes, especially those that are created in anything over three minutes, in anything ending in note or point (how topical!), but this is a really sweet example of an idea done simply, and done well.

http://noonebelongsheremorethanyou.com/

It's for a new book. Done by the author (probably?). No, I haven't read it.

Powerpoint Sucks

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/03/1175366240499.html


Anna Patty Education Editor
April 4, 2007

If you have ever wondered why your eyes start glazing over as you read those dot points on the screen, as the same words are being spoken, take heart in knowing there is a scientific explanation.

It is more difficult to process information if it is coming at you in the written and spoken form at the same time.

The Australian researchers who made the findings may have pronounced the death of the PowerPoint presentation.

They have also challenged popular teaching methods, suggesting that teachers should focus more on giving students the answers, instead of asking them to solve problems on their own.

Pioneered at the University of NSW, the research shows the human brain processes and retains more information if it is digested in either its verbal or written form, but not both at the same time.

It also questions the wisdom of centuries-old habits, such as reading along with Bible passages, at the same time they are being read aloud in church. More of the passages would be understood and retained, the researchers suggest, if heard or read separately.

The findings show there are limits on the brain's capacity to process and retain information in short-term memory.

John Sweller, from the university's faculty of education, developed the "cognitive load theory".

"The use of the PowerPoint presentation has been a disaster," Professor Sweller said. "It should be ditched."

"It is effective to speak to a diagram, because it presents information in a different form. But it is not effective to speak the same words that are written, because it is putting too much load on the mind and decreases your ability to understand what is being presented."

The findings that challenge common teaching methods suggest that instead of asking students to solve problems on their own, teachers helped students more if they presented already solved problems.

"Looking at an already solved problem reduces the working memory load and allows you to learn. It means the next time you come across a problem like that, you have a better chance at solving it," Professor Sweller said.

The working memory was only effective in juggling two or three tasks at the same time, retaining them for a few seconds. When too many mental tasks were taken on some things were forgotten.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Monday, April 02, 2007

he has my eyes!


he has my eyes!
Originally uploaded by tokyohanna.
Saturday morning was very joyous for me - I bought a bicycle! It was from a guy named Carlos, at an East Village flea market. He is from Puerto Rico and I warmed to him immediately. Anyway, the bike is a boy, and I named him Tony. We bonded all day in McCarren Park and other parts o Williamsburg and Greenpoint. I'm excited for more of this bicycle weather. Who in NYC has one too? Tony needs friends.