My face is burning. I really didn't think he was at a casino table in Moscow. Now if only I could find out how to rewire that cortical link...Must concentrate...Grow dendrites grow...Sugar...need...glucose...Need...access...to MRI...can't do this without...biofeedback...and visualization...
Um...Being that this is the first time I ever heard of Chavs (or Hoodies, Neds, Townies, Kevs, Charvers, Steeks, Spides, Bazzas, Yarcos, Ratboys, Kappa Slappers, Skangers, Scutters, Janners, Stigs, Scallies, Hood Rats) see http://www.chavscum.co.uk/ . I am fascinated. Where I come (Southern USA) from we call this behavior "redneck" or "bowhead" depending on how rural or urban and of course we say "slacker" if you happen to be brighter than you are motivated. From what I can tell, these are just kids taking pride (fierce pride perhaps) in being at the bottom of the social heap and seem to be having a lot of fun in the process. Check out Goldie Lookin Chain's video "Your Missus is a Nutter" at http://www.youknowsit.co.uk/ which is just hilarious and seems to be a rip off of a lot of nerd stuff from the 80s. So we all might just have a bit in common afterall, though honestly I can't really tell how much of this is serious and how much is satire. Is that about right?
I suspect that the IQ tests metioned in the parent article are best used as a measure of what is relevant in different societies, generations and subcultures than it is in measuring intellect.
Wouldn't the size of the prefontal cortex be pretty obvious in an MRI? What do we do if, after tens or hundreds of thousands (or millions) of scans connected with criminal cases, we determine that certain patterns of brain function are incurably dangerous for the rest of society? What happened to the Russian kid you mentioned? Did he get locked up before he had a chance to do anything horrible? or did they just shrug and cut him loose? Reminds me of the YY chromosone guys on the last Alien's flick.
Brand new parent -- "Well, Doctor? Can I keep him?"
Dr. Gattaca -- "Yes deary. Don't you worry. He's safe. But you might consider stocking up on sports equipment."
Apollo 13 was almost unknown........ There was a lot of press about Apollo 13.
I should have said "forgotten". I was in third grade when it happened and our whole school stopped to watch the splashdown. Even so, and even living across the street from NASA in Houston I didn't really comprehend why they were landing early. No one explained and little was said about it afterwords. Most of us were just glad for the break in our routine. When I did learn the details a few years later I was stunned.
My point was that we forget and some of us hardly knew in the first place which amounts to the same thing. The movie, the parent article to this discussion, each have their shortcomings but at least they remind us of how difficult it is to be totally sure of anything. It is a much less costly way to shake ourselves awake when things seem to be going so smoothly. Unfortuneatly, it is also a lot less effective.
I agree. We need a better word than "cool". My personal favorite is "neato". It's still accurate but doesn't carry all the negative conotations of airheaded fashion-obsessed surfer dudes.
What a fabulous idea! My five year old daughter would love a "Major General Barbie" especially if it was also an electrical engineer like her mother.
Role models work. Hollywood doesn't. Why isn't anybody commenting on the fact that soap operas are boring to begin with. On the other hand, this "Major General Barbie AKA EE" show has some real promise.
I think the point is that we DO forget and should be reminded. Apollo 13 was almost unknown until it turned out to be a good plot for a movie (complete with a happy ending). The Apollo 1 fire killed three astronauts (on January 27, 1967 --19 years and a day before the Challenger accident) including the father of one of my fellow kindergarteners. It wasn't as striking an image as Challenger or Columbia but it was at least as traumatic.
It's not even so much about honoring the individuals who died but rather about our collective responsibility.
As a fellow "contractor scum" (as opposed to a "NASA weeny") during the same period I concur about the pressures to launch but I'm not sure that this was wrong. Everyone, especially the astronauts, are always anxious to keep things moving.
After each accident everything stops and we go through a major review. For a couple of years people are hypersensitive to doubt and wish for absolute safety. Then "the" problem is discovered and we go back to complacency about the rest.
Is there any other way?
How can you ever be totally sure--except in hindsight?
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My face is burning. I really didn't think he was at a casino table in Moscow. Now if only I could find out how to rewire that cortical link...Must concentrate...Grow dendrites grow...Sugar...need...glucose...Need...access...to MRI...can't do this without...biofeedback...and visualization...
I suspect that the IQ tests metioned in the parent article are best used as a measure of what is relevant in different societies, generations and subcultures than it is in measuring intellect.
Brand new parent -- "Well, Doctor? Can I keep him?"
Dr. Gattaca -- "Yes deary. Don't you worry. He's safe. But you might consider stocking up on sports equipment."
I should have said "forgotten". I was in third grade when it happened and our whole school stopped to watch the splashdown. Even so, and even living across the street from NASA in Houston I didn't really comprehend why they were landing early. No one explained and little was said about it afterwords. Most of us were just glad for the break in our routine. When I did learn the details a few years later I was stunned.
My point was that we forget and some of us hardly knew in the first place which amounts to the same thing. The movie, the parent article to this discussion, each have their shortcomings but at least they remind us of how difficult it is to be totally sure of anything. It is a much less costly way to shake ourselves awake when things seem to be going so smoothly. Unfortuneatly, it is also a lot less effective.
I agree. We need a better word than "cool". My personal favorite is "neato". It's still accurate but doesn't carry all the negative conotations of airheaded fashion-obsessed surfer dudes.
What a fabulous idea! My five year old daughter would love a "Major General Barbie" especially if it was also an electrical engineer like her mother.
Role models work. Hollywood doesn't. Why isn't anybody commenting on the fact that soap operas are boring to begin with. On the other hand, this "Major General Barbie AKA EE" show has some real promise.
I think the point is that we DO forget and should be reminded. Apollo 13 was almost unknown until it turned out to be a good plot for a movie (complete with a happy ending). The Apollo 1 fire killed three astronauts (on January 27, 1967 --19 years and a day before the Challenger accident) including the father of one of my fellow kindergarteners. It wasn't as striking an image as Challenger or Columbia but it was at least as traumatic.
It's not even so much about honoring the individuals who died but rather about our collective responsibility.
As a fellow "contractor scum" (as opposed to a "NASA weeny") during the same period I concur about the pressures to launch but I'm not sure that this was wrong. Everyone, especially the astronauts, are always anxious to keep things moving. After each accident everything stops and we go through a major review. For a couple of years people are hypersensitive to doubt and wish for absolute safety. Then "the" problem is discovered and we go back to complacency about the rest. Is there any other way? How can you ever be totally sure--except in hindsight?