“ According To A Group Of Fancy Oxford University Scientists, Listening To The Third Movement Of Beethoven's

The World Wide Web vs The Internet

About Education

During the UN High-Level Political Forum I attended this morning the moderator of the event shared a quote with us...

Education is the transmission of civilization.  

Civilization is not inherited; it has to be learned and earned by each generation anew.

Consider education not as the painful accumulation of facts and dates and reigns, not merely the necessary preparation of the individual to earn his keep in the world, but the transmission of our mental, moral, technical and aesthetic heritage as fully as possible to as many as possible, for the enlargement of man’s and woman’s understanding, control, embellishment, and enjoyment of life: the pursuit of happiness.

If men and women are fortunate, they will, before they die, gather up as much as they can of their civilized heritage and transmit it to their children.

And to their final breath they will be grateful for their inexhaustible legacy, knowing that it is our nourishing mother and our lasting life.

~The Lessons of History, by Will and Ariel Durant

David Byrne & Neil deGrasse Tyson Explain the Importance of an Arts Education (and How It Strengthens Science & Civilization)

What do you think is the purpose of education?  

Some of my thoughts on that.... I believe that my job as an educator is to inspire students to be curious, passionate, and life-long learners.  Education is more than just preparing students for the workforce.  Educators share the simple yet sacred joy of learning.   See also, My Education Philosophy page

Related Links and Information

Is Human Progress Real or An Illusion?

View PDF of timeline image

The Big History Project

UN High-Level Political Forum Side Event:

ICT-Integrated Innovative Education for Global Citizenship to Eliminate Poverty

Waiting for the Pope

Happy Carl Sagan Day!

Carl Sagan Day is celebrated on November 9 every year. Carl has inspired so many people with his teachings and today is the day that we celebrate his legacy.

My favorite links about Carl:

Carl Sagan’s last interview with Charlie Rose (Full Interview) Neil deGrasse Tyson - Carl Sagan Experience LOVE THIS Symphony of Science - ‘We Are All Connected’ (ft. Sagan, Feynman, deGrasse Tyson & Bill Nye) Why Carl Sagan is Truly Irreplaceable Lessons of Immortality and Mortality From My Father, Carl Sagan Take a Course or Two with Professor Sagan

Education Hashtags Poster

Claim on “Attacks Thwarted” by NSA Spreads Despite Lack of Evidence

The agency, President Obama, and members of Congress have all said NSA spying programs have thwarted more than 50 terrorist plots. But there’s no evidence the claim is true.

 The NSA has publicly identified four of the 54 cases.

Keep a list...

Week 10: Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember.

Amy Siskind posts her list each week on Fb and shares it on Medium.  She is the Co-founder of The New Agenda, organization “dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home.”  

If you’re not keeping your own list-- this is one of the best I’ve seen online that you can follow.   Want to catch up on the other weeks?  Amy has them all listed at the bottom of her post.

It’s pretty chilling.... but, even as:  We’re heading into dark times. This is how to be your own light in the Age of Trump 

"Hoar frost on fence, Dunfermline, Fife - 1" flickr photo by SwaloPhoto  shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC) license

Since the time I was in elementary school I wanted to become a marine biologist to study and swim with sharks.  Next summer I’m planning a trip to Australia and for my 40th birthday, *this* is what I plan on doing....  Check out the video here.  #dreamvacation

Great Whites circling the “ghost cage” video.  This was pretty amazing and would totally love to do this, but with a door that stayed closed!

U.S. spy agency predicts a very transhuman future by 2030

The National Intelligence Council has just released its much anticipated forecasting report, a 140-page document that outlines major trends and technological developments we should expect in the next 20 years. Among their many predictions, the NIC foresees the end of U.S. global dominance, the rising power of individuals against states, a growing middle class that will increasingly challenge governments, and ongoing shortages in water, food and energy. But they also envision a future in which humans have been significantly modified by their technologies — what will herald the dawn of the transhuman era.

Global Trends 2030 Full Report

GT2030 Blog

header for fermi page of my weebly

I’ve been meaning to finish this page for a while...