dumbing down

[houseelf]

Since I have been out of school for a few years, I feel like I have lost some basic skills and knowledge. I find that even watching the news doesn't help since it is generally formatted for an eighth grader's comprehension level. To combat this mental rot, I have been trying to look up a different topic to learn about once a week over the last two weeks. I was wondering if y'all wanted to come up with different topics we could look up on our own to learn about. This would only be for our own edification (i.e. no tests or pop quizzes) and could take less than 10 minutes a day, as little as once a week. There are some really fabulous websites on just about every topic. Any takers? Please give me your ideas and suggestions.

Here are my two most recent examples:

-The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Before I heard the Gordon Litefoot song, I had no idea what this was about.)
-The Crimean war (I heard an Englishman on NPR criticize American insularity and egocentric thinking by specifically citing the fact that the average American doesn't know anything about the Crimean war. I thought...ummm...guilty here, I'd better look it up!)

So...what do you all think?

Kelly

[DCJenn]

Kelly-

Count me in! I love to learn stuff and I agree that we Americans are woefully ignorant of not only our own history, but also everyone else's.

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

I'm in....

I'm so in...


What kind of a format should we use for this? Shall we just use the ed and career forum....do you want a new one?

Kris

[houseelf]

Let's keep it in this forum and make it real informal. None of us need any more formal commitments, let's keep this fun! We can just post new threads as new topics emerge.

Your first "assignment" is looking up information on the two topics listed and coming up with a new one for me. 8)

Kelly

[PrincessFiona]

assignment...

woohoo...homework! 8)

Kris

[PrincessFiona]

haven't forgotten...

Cat ate my homework ...ummm...I have to wait until the weekend to get it done 8)

Kris

[DCJenn]

OK Kelly

I would like to know the origins of "Silly Putty"(as I play w/ some that my boss gave me!

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

Silly Putty elucidated

Soothe that burning curiosity:

Click on this link and view the silly putty timeline


http://www.sillyputty.com/history_101/history101.htm



Kris

[Meenah]

Count me in!!!!
Not long ago the Learning Channel did a wonderful program on the Edmund Fitzgerald and the recent memorial placed at the site.
Luanne

[Amiens]

I'm game!

Crystal

Count me in as well! I think keeping it informal is a good idea. I think starting discussions on specific topics is a great idea. Maybe sort of a debate/discussion threads with links to interesting articles.

I recently went to the bookstore to learn more about the Korean war. It frightens me how little I know about world history. I was the kind of history student who would learn the information for tests and then immediately forget it all. I guess history just wasn't my thing! I spend most of my time reading literature (fiction) so I got lost in those worlds.

Happy learning...
Sharon

[Meenah]

I have to admit during the gulf war (when most of you were babies) I signed up for a geography course, because I wasn't sure where all of these countries were located
Luanne

[DCJenn]

Hey Luanne-

I'm glad you said MOST (and most of them were!!). I was in grad school-scooping ice cream at the candy/ice cream store where I worked when suddenly the mall cleared out. My co-worker and I shut the store and walked down to the appliance store where it turned out everyone was- and there was George HW on the TV. Needless to say, we didn't sell a whole lot of ice cream after that!

I'm compiling a list of interesting factoids for you guys!

Jenn