While Russia deals with the aftermath of its second terrorist attack in two days, I thought I might focus on some positive things about the country. My wife is from Russia, and I’ve spent a little time there. The thing I really love about the above video is it illustrates two characteristics that many Russians embody; ingenuity and a complete disregard for superfluous boundaries.
Complacency is a universal problem among humans, but I’ve noticed that most of the Russians I’ve met would fix a broken washing machine without considering calling a repairman. While in Russia, I saw an internet cafe’s grand opening and not so grand closing in a three week period. The reason? Russians won’t spend cash on something they can do at home for less money. Phrases often heard around my house include: “don’t waste that”, “save it”, “why waste your money”, “I’ll fix it” and my favorite, “let’s save money and drink in tonight.” As the picture below illustrates, Russians will solve a problem with what’s in front of them, not a trip to Target.
The debate over what to include in Texas history books rages on. People seem to want to break this down into a Republican VS Democrat thing, which it certainly is. But the heart of the matter is really an “experts vs everyone else” debate. Considering the prominence of sites like Wikipedia, this is an issue that should be near to everyone’s heart. Should the school board’s authority supercede that of historians and educators? Should the “wisdom of crowds” matter more than actual wisdom?
Both sides claim that they want more critical thinking, but really what they want is to decide who makes it into the history books and how they’re portrayed. But let’s say a student wants to actually think critically and do a little research on their own. Is it safe to say that if Thomas Jefferson is removed from Texas history books, the school library will also be gutted of any references to the man? It seems unlikely, but if they did, that student could turn to the internet. Will that student be able to use a school computer for his or her educational journey? Let’s take a look at Texas Ed. Code Ann. §§ 32.201 to -202, Texas Govt. Code Ann. § 441.1385 which:
Prohibits a public school or public library that provides a computer used for Internet access from eligibility for a Texas Infrastructure Fund loan or grant unless the school or library adopts an Internet safety policy protecting children from access to obscene materials.
Is Thomas Jefferson obscene? Who gets to make that decision, someone who’s studied the man or people who, for some reason, believe he is a dangerous communist?
While the 2010 census is beginning to find it’s way into Americans’ mailboxes the US Census Bureau has been hard at work incorporating modern tools into the process. However, the actual form is still a piece of paper that is physically mailed to citizens. But if the actual process of filling out the census is the same, it brings into question just how the Census Bureau is using things like social media. The official Twitter handle only has 3245 followers. The main page for the 2010 census is a multimedia experience filled with interactive maps, video and a blog written by director Robert M. Groves. A once over of site reveals that the Census Bureau is using these tools to essentially convince people that filling out the census form is not only safe but necessary. Considering recent outrage against the census itself, it’s not surprising that the Census Bureau is trying to reach out to as many people as possible. This approach might work on people who are already on board or on the fence, but is probably doing little to those who oppose it. Those people aren’t likely to follow the Census Bureau on Twitter or even take a look at their homepage. No, this is a job for the mainstream media and in this instance they are not pulling their weight. But as has been the case for years (some might say decades) the mainstream media does little more than report on the outcry against the census and not on the census itself.
