Author Archives: Bob

Another education thought

If you’re required to learn something because “it will be on the test,” you’re not being educated. You’re being trained to follow orders.

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Thought for the day

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Plastics in the environment

“If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production.” –Pete Seeger Most plastics are an environmental nightmare. I’ve lately been learning about what happens as plastics … Continue reading

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A fun coincidence

Kind of a fun coincidence happened this morning. I was listening to Nature Notes on our public radio station while on the way to the Riverfront to do my morning exercise. This program is hosted by UofSC science professor Rudy … Continue reading

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Pieces of the Puzzle #2: Cement

Today I was reading Climate Change: What Everyone Needs To Know by Joseph Romm. He mentioned that the manufacture of cement is a major source of CO2 emissions. I’m sure I had heard this before, but had never run across … Continue reading

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Pieces of the puzzle #1: Means, ends; means are ends

I’ve been thinking a lot about things that are both means and ends lately. This idea spins off of a book by Amartya Sen, Development as Freedom. Sen is a Nobel Prize-winning economist and national development expert who has proposed … Continue reading

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Astronomy nerd awakes!

Every once in a while, my natural science nerd comes out. Today it was triggered by a Facebook meme saying that the day is actually 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. So, I had to expound a bit: So, … Continue reading

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Lessons I’ve Learned the Hard Way, numbers 73 and 74

Recent entries from the Twitterverse: #73: “If you don’t heal what hurt you, you’ll bleed on people who didn’t cut you.” (Thanks, @mochamomma) #74: “Holding a grudge is like drinking poison every day and waiting for the other guy to … Continue reading

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Check out The Lady Killers

A new movie by Phil Leirness at Rational Exuberance, The Lady Killers is a dark comedy that examines misogyny through the lens of a game played by seven men. I just saw the film–it was provocative, discomforting, and terrific. Not … Continue reading

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Victor Wooten’s brilliant TED talk

Recently, I ran across a TED talk by virtuoso bass player Victor Wooten about learning without being taught, and posted some thoughts about it on my professional website. Here’s a link.

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