I too took Comp Sci AP in the eighties, and was bored beyond tears. I think a project that is fairly straight forward enough, and goofy enough interesting for that age group, would be to perform SETI like searches on various forms of random data. Of course, this leads to thoughts of encryption and cryptography, which are excellent vehicles for lesson plans. Students could write small but complete programs, that should incorporate all their AP skills in data structures, sorting, array passing, and the like, but not involve a lot of educationally wasteful GUI work. They could search TV static, temperature patterns, or just about any paranoid white noise source..
Why the recommendation to switch to natural gas as a way to avoid the Big Oil companies? Natural gas and petroleum are often extracted simultaneously from the same well, and it will make no difference to the Big Oil people whether you use oil/gasoline/asphalt/natural gas...it's all the same to them...more or less
further, what makes you think that they won't capitalize on any available energy source? They are in the oil business to make money, not to "take over your fuel take option." A plausible short run strategy perhaps, but the whole game is about profits.
Most of the Big Oil companies are actively involved in nuclear, coal, and geo-steam plants operations, and they are always looking for new and innovative uses for older products such as your favorite, natural gas.
The real problem isn't the Big Oil folks, it's the cultural reluctance of Americans to try new things. And any hacker worth his salt should have experienced this problems in other realms of life...ever try to get a Dvorak keyboard in your home town or try to get a mechanic to work on a Delorean?
New ideas are not popular in folk-land that loves its SUV gas-guzzlers and its neo-Neanderthal meat focused diets...
get used to the concept that our culture needs an experimental elite that pays the way for the rest of them, that develops the agenda and the lawnchair for the rest...maybe solar needs Mr Popeil!
Slashdot Mirror
I too took Comp Sci AP in the eighties, and was bored beyond tears. I think a project that is fairly straight forward enough, and goofy enough interesting for that age group, would be to perform SETI like searches on various forms of random data. Of course, this leads to thoughts of encryption and cryptography, which are excellent vehicles for lesson plans. Students could write small but complete programs, that should incorporate all their AP skills in data structures, sorting, array passing, and the like, but not involve a lot of educationally wasteful GUI work. They could search TV static, temperature patterns, or just about any paranoid white noise source..
I have worked at ExxonMobil.
Why the recommendation to switch to natural gas as a way to avoid the Big Oil companies? Natural gas and petroleum are often extracted simultaneously from the same well, and it will make no difference to the Big Oil people whether you use oil/gasoline/asphalt/natural gas...it's all the same to them...more or less
further, what makes you think that they won't capitalize on any available energy source? They are in the oil business to make money, not to "take over your fuel take option." A plausible short run strategy perhaps, but the whole game is about profits.
Most of the Big Oil companies are actively involved in nuclear, coal, and geo-steam plants operations, and they are always looking for new and innovative uses for older products such as your favorite, natural gas.
The real problem isn't the Big Oil folks, it's the cultural reluctance of Americans to try new things. And any hacker worth his salt should have experienced this problems in other realms of life...ever try to get a Dvorak keyboard in your home town or try to get a mechanic to work on a Delorean?
New ideas are not popular in folk-land that loves its SUV gas-guzzlers and its neo-Neanderthal meat focused diets...
get used to the concept that our culture needs an experimental elite that pays the way for the rest of them, that develops the agenda and the lawnchair for the rest...maybe solar needs Mr Popeil!