Late-October "Articles of Interest:" Return of Franken & Boo Berry; Liberal vs. Conservative; Zomney for President; Sandy the Frankenstorm; & Boo, You're on Camera!

Sunday, 28 October 2012

Great Pumpkins!  Here is special late-October Halloween edition of “Articles of Interest” for your perusal.

For fans of vintage sugary cereals, the month of October provides the cultish window to purchase holiday favorites: Franken Berry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry, including theme coloring of the remaining milk.

Heading into the final week before the Election, CBS Sunday Morning provided a great depiction of the distinctions between Liberal and Conservative, presented by none other than Nancy Giles and Ben (Bueller? Bueller?) Stein.

Wading further into politics, comes Joss Whedon’s PSA and endorsement of “Zomney for President.”  He’s so delightfully subtle, that it hurts! 

Safe wishes for my East Coast friends and family in surviving Sandy the “Frankenstorm.”  Her Cousin Isaac was certainly an unwelcome visitor here in the “Deep South” back in August.  For storm up-dates and to maintain levity, I’ve been following Romey’s Storm Tips on Facebook: 

As a final treat, peruse the gallery of surprised visitors to Nightmares Fear Factory in Niagara Falls, Canada.  Priceless!

As always, I welcome your comments, feedback, and discussion.  I hope the end of October brings you more treats than tricks.

Be well,

Sam Wagner

October "Articles of Interest:" George McGovern; Historic Roots of Text-Lingo; Free Speech on the Web; Reddit & Twitter; NEA Chair Applauds Lusher; & Cuddle Your Kid!

Sunday, 21 October 2012

Greetings Students, Parents, Friends, & Readers:

Here is mid-October’s edition of “Articles of Interest” for your perusal.

George McGovern, former Senator and 1972 Presidential Candidate, passed away at the learned age of 90.  Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for is heroic service during World War II, he became best known for his staunch anti-war positions during the Vietnam era.  On an aside note, McGorvern provided my first foray into political activism.  As tag-a-long with my parents, I recall making campaign signs (at the ripe age of 6) to attend one of McGovern’s political rallies.  Rest in peace, Mr. McGovern.

Legendary tech-guru Guy Kawasaki provides an interesting infographic “all about texting,” including surprising historical roots to contemporary text-messaging lingo. 

There is much debate over the boundaries of free speech and personal expression in the digital domain, particularly relating to YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.  Somini Sengupta’s article “Free Speech in the Age of YouTube,” addresses examples including domestic and international affairs.

The website Reddit, which makes the ambitious claim of being “the front page of the internet,” provides an interesting model for future discussion of where lines might be drawn in the ever-expanding chaos that is the web.

Dick Costello, chief executive at Twitter, was initially a stand-up comedian.  His background in improv has certainly contributed to Twitter’s nimble growth and future expansion, as if by concise quips of 140 characters or less. 

The Economist presents an intriguing article on the influence of government sponsored national identities and how they influence textbook content for school-age children.  The article cites examples from as far away as France, Afghanistan, and South Korea, with roots often stemming from on-going textbook debates in California and Texas.

In his recent remarks at the annual Arts Education Partnership, Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts referred to the accomplishments of Lusher Charter School (“a diverse and integrated student body; low violence and truancy; and high achievement and graduation rates,” in his words) as serving as a “bold goal” for American education.  How very cool to serve as such an ambitious model; Lusher Pride!

And on a final note, Nicholas Kristof’s Sunday NYTimes op-ed column lauds the power of parental nurturing as contributing to future success of children, his weekly column simply titled, “Cuddle your Kid!”  Having just had my son home for his Freshman fall break from college, these are words to live by.

As always, I welcome your comments, feedback, and discussion.

With sincere regards,

Sam Wagner

Director of College Counseling

Lusher Charter School