Archive for the ‘Pop Culture’ Category
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9
Aug
2008
Sleeping Brain at Work
Sleeping actually makes you smarter!
The Scientific American reports:
The latest research suggests that while we are peacefully asleep our brain is busily processing the day’s information. It combs through recently formed memories, stabilizing, copying and filing them, so that they will be more useful the next day. A night of sleep can make memories resistant to interference from other information and allow us to recall them for use more effectively the next morning. And sleep not only strengthens memories, it also lets the brain sift through newly formed memories, possibly even identifying what is worth keeping and selectively maintaining or enhancing these aspects of a memory. When a picture contains both emotional and unemotional elements, sleep can save the important emotional parts and let the less relevant background drift away. It can analyze collections of memories to discover relations among them or identify the gist of a memory while the unnecessary details fade—perhaps even helping us find the meaning in what we have learned.
So make sure you get your full seven or eight hours of sleep the night before your first Government test! Log-off the computer, put the remote down, and GO TO BED!
7
Aug
2008
7
Aug
2008
How does StumbleUpon Work?
I frequently use a utility called StumbleUpon to find new and interesting websites to use in the classroom.
While ‘Stumbling’ I came across this article, explaining how SU works.
You can ‘recommend’ any posting on MrOsman.com to StumbleUpon by clicking the SSU icon below – I recommend you do so!
5
Aug
2008
Paris calls McCain “Like Super-Old”
John McCain referenced Paris Hilton in an ad attacking Barack Obama a few weeks ago.
Paris didn’t take kindly to it and struck back!
She closes the ‘ad’ with the semi-presidential line, “I’m Paris Hilton, and I approve this message — because I think it’s totally hot.”
McCain’s camp responded wittily.
“It sounds like Paris Hilton supports John McCain’s ‘all of the above’ approach to America’s energy crisis – -including both alternatives and drilling. In reality, Paris Hilton may have a more substantive energy policy than Barack Obama,” spokesman Tucker Bounds said.
No word yet on if Paris Hilton is registered to vote.
16
Jul
2008
Batman Begins to be Moral
I watched Batman Begins again for the 5th time last night and it got me thinking. Not about great cinematography, or comic books, or even Katie Holmes.
One of the underlying messages from the film: There arethings that are right and things that are wrong. And more than anything, there are things in the world that are SO wrong, they’re worth fighting against.
What then, is worth fighting against?
Perhaps you can look at this in the literal (vigilante) sense like Batman did. Fighting mobsters, villains, wacked out Psychiatrists, penguins, etc… But fighting doesn’t necessarily have to be physical. Lawyers fight for good (and bad) causes all the time. Legislators, lobbyists, celebrities, and citizens fight against terrible atrocities in the world all the time.
Look at Laura Bush fighting against illiteracy, Al Gore fighting against global warming, or Bill Gates fighting against disease in Africa. These people have chosen to stand up against something they truly believe is wrong. Agree with them or not, you have to respect the principled stand they have taken.
What then, do you think is worth fighting, and taking a stand, against?
Terrorism? Torture? Racism? Road rage? Bigotry? Jerks in the cafeteria? Bad jokes?
Update: All this makes me more excited to see the Dark Knight.