Beans in my Shoes

Is Algebra Necessary? – NYTimes.com.

When I came across this opinion piece today in the NY Times,  I thought it might be an argument for “dumbing down” required courses to allow more students to graduate. On careful reading however, I believe the author makes his case.

Maybe because I struggled with algebra at school. Maybe because the math for liberal arts students that I ended up taking instead was one of the best courses I’ve ever taken and it was fun to boot. I know for a fact that the degree pathway I was suppose to take had more math requirements than I felt I’d be able to handle. I’m bright and I think in retrospect, with a good tutor, I’d be able to pass those classes…. maybe.

My son gave up on college after head-butting algebra multiple times and not passing. He had no trouble with math that had practical  applications – he was using math successfully at BOCES for the electronics classes he was taking. I believe he would have his degree today if it wasn’t for that barrier, and I would have gone on to a 4 year school when I still had the  time and money to do so.

Not everyone will agree with the author. I started reading prepared to scoff. But I was won over. And you might be too.

I was living in Jerusalem back in 1972 when I watched this film one evening on TV. It’s short, only 30 minutes or so long, and there’s no dialogue. It’s a horror story, although there’s no gore, and no violence. I only saw it the one time but I could never get it out of my mind.

Because I’m good at finding things on the internet, and because the internet can be a treasure house filled with surprises, I managed to locate the film on You Tube in its entirety. I hope some of you take the time to watch it by clicking on the link below. I believe it’s worth 30 minutes of your time.

La Cabina By Antonio Mercero (1972)

I just finished reading Ready Player One  by Errnest Cline.  and I really liked it. While the story is set in the rather grim year of 2044 and things aren’t going so well for the United States, the book itself is a love note to the early days of home computers, video arcade games and movies like War Games and Back to the Future.

For me, the mid-1980s opened the world of cyberspace – a term used first by author William Gibson and I was hooked! Most of my free time was spent hunting down and logging on to various local BBS (bulletin board systems) where you could join a discussion, share jokes, download files and on a select few, chat with other people. Back then, if you had access to the internet it was an internet without the World Wide Web, browsers GUI interfaces and hyperlinks. That came later.

In the universe of Ready Player One,  just as the Web became the interface for connecting to the internet, things have progressed and an outgrowth of a popular MMOG (massive multiplayer online game) called OASIS has become the way people in 2044 play games, go to school, do business and interact with other people. The world outside is dangerous and ugly. In OASIS it can be anything you want.

The link I’ve set up with the book title tells you a little bit more, and does a better job explaining the main plot points than I could. I was hooked from the first paragraph and while some people felt there was too much exposition in the first 60 or so pages, I feel it was necessary to set the stage for the rest of the story. And, I found the details fascinating.

So, I confess, I’m still a nerd and even if there is a little bit of nerd in you, you’ll love this book too.

Our Ridiculous Approach to Retirement – NYTimes.com.

There isn’t anything new in this op ed piece from the New York Times, except that by reading it, I’m forced to fact the fact that unless there are major major changes in the Way Things Are (TM) I’m screwed.

I liked the part where the author talked about regular people like us (and mind you, we’re not dummies by a long shot) are required to manage a retirement account on our own. He likened it to doing your own dental work.

I already know there is no way I can ever afford to retire. I also know that the probability of me holding a job until the day I pass is just not very realistic. There are layoffs, illness, illness of spouse, another flood (heaven forbid!) something….

My parents never, and I mean NEVER talked about money. Never talked about investments, savings, how they managed, how they budgeted. Anything.

How the hell did they think I was supposed to learn how to deal with the future? Anyway, stay tuned. Right now people are focused on what happened in Colorado which is a horrible tragedy but unfortunately not all that uncommon in these great United States, land of the free and home of the NRA.

I took a look at the provisions of what has been named “Obamacare” – usually said with a sneer by the opposition. It’s a start, but its no single payer program which might….MIGHT bring us a little closer to some sort of security.

The present state of things is pretty scary. But as I see it, the future is a freaking nightmare.