•November 29, 2007 •
16 Comments
First, from slashdot:
“Scientific American has an interesting article on the secret to raising smart kids that says that more than 30 years of scientific investigation suggests that an overemphasis on intellect or talent leaves people vulnerable to failure, fearful of challenges and unwilling to remedy their shortcomings. In particular, attributing poor performance to a lack of ability depresses motivation more than does the belief that lack of effort is to blame.
One theory of what separates the two general classes of learners, helpless versus mastery-oriented, is that these different types of students not only explain their failures differently, but they also hold different “theories” of intelligence. The helpless ones believe that intelligence is a fixed trait: you have only a certain amount. Mistakes crack their self-confidence because they attribute errors to a lack of ability, which they feel powerless to change. Mastery-oriented children think intelligence is malleable and can be developed through education and hard work. Challenges are energizing rather than intimidating offering opportunities to learn.”
I firmly believe this to be true, and not just for ordinary skills – stressful situations, in general, also seem to follow this pattern.
Some people think they just “are who they are”, and have a fixed understanding of what their behavior and coping skills are. Others have a more flexible approach, and actively look for ways to make the best of new stresses, and I think it makes a huge, huge impact on a person’s life.
What do you think? Any personal anecdotes one way or the other?
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•November 27, 2007 •
1 Comment
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/oreilly/radar/atom/~3/191368298/googles_energy_initiative.html
The newly created initiative, known as RE<C, will focus initially on advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential breakthrough technologies. RE<C is hiring engineers and energy experts to lead its research and development work, which will begin with a significant effort on solar thermal technology, and will also investigate enhanced geothermal systems and other areas. In 2008, Google expects to spend tens of millions on research and development and related investments in renewable energy. As part of its capital planning process, the company also anticipates investing hundreds of millions of dollars in breakthrough renewable energy projects which generate positive returns.
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•November 27, 2007 •
2 Comments
Verizon Wireless opens network to “Any Apps, Any Device” in 2008
By the end of 2008, Verizon Wireless will open their network to any device which meets a “minimum technical standard.” What that standard is, exactly, VZW isn’t saying yet — that will come in “early 2008.” So any device (including applications) tested and certified in VZW’s new $20 Million test lab is fair game for use on their wireless network. In other words, Verizon becomes the data pipe, and nothing more for these new “bring-your-own” customers. It’s too early to say if this is a watershed moment or not. Verizon certainly thinks so with Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and chief executive officer, calling it, “a transformation point in the 20-year history of mass market wireless devices.” As usual, the devil (certification fees, turnaround times for testing, those magical minimum technical standards, etc.) might be in the details.
Woo hoo! There’s still the chance that this will be a Darth Vader moment, but it is one tiny step closer to providing me with a cellphone experience that isn’t completely burdened by ridiculously outdated restrictions.
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•November 26, 2007 •
4 Comments
I posted in a_secret_smile. :) I mention it ’cause it’s my little mostly neglected community, heh.
You should look, I might have posted your picture ;)
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•November 26, 2007 •
5 Comments
There’s a new holiday in town, to go with Black Friday: “Cyber Monday”. Today-only specials online.
I figure a shit-ton of my friends would want to know: Amazon is selling the Buffy Collector’s Edition for $94 bucks, about half what the 40-disc set normally goes for.
EDIT: Just read my flist – I agree with thunderclap8, 1983 wants their nomenclature back. Nothing, nothing, nothing should be cyber anymore.
Except cyberpunk, that’s okay.
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•November 25, 2007 •
1 Comment
It took me a number of hours, but I finally sorted my dresser drawer full of photos by year. Lucy’s gonna help me put them in albums. For the first time. 2001 was a banner year for prints. I haven’t printed anything, really, since 2003 or 2004.
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•November 25, 2007 •
Comments Off on A bit rambly
My headspace is so weird sometimes. I was laughing at this “soft rock hits” infomercial (and feeling a bit guilty for the ones I like), and they showed a few artists from ’77 (yes folks, a year before I was born), and I found myself imagining what the artist’s headspace was, which is sort of a combination of bits of my headspace from when I was extremely young and my mom played that music, movies and history from that time, and my recent thoughts about what constitutes “everyday” concepts of technology and culture for a given time.
It’s an entertaining frame of mind, as the hilariously namby-pamby reminiscence-focused music flips by, until they pass by a song I remember from when I was 10.
Yeah, that’s 1988, I know, but I was a pretty deeply depressed ten-year-old. *chuckle* Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t survive my teen years a little easier because I started diving into alienation and abandonment before puberty. Hehe, my first real crush was around then, and I just have to laugh at how terribly, vitally serious that kind of thing is at that age.
I do wish I’d had someone to talk to at that age who might have helped me laugh about things a little. I didn’t pick up an older male ‘mentor’ until Jeff, when I was 14 or 15.
Music that feels like you’re constantly looking behind you, since then, has totally irritated the fuck out of me. I call it “Sunday afternoon music”, because my mom would turn on this kind of stuff while she’d clean. Even songs I kinda like make me shudder.
Anyway. It’s like 4 in the morning, I’ve been staying up ultra-late all this weekend for no good reason, and any posts I make at this time are … just about unintelligible in the morning, heh, so we’ll see what I think tomorrow.
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•November 22, 2007 •
4 Comments
Alright you jerks, stop stealing all my snow!
Happy turkey day. I guess. *sticks tongue out, then tackles you all at once*
*hugs to all my peeps*
If you happen to be in the Berkley area this thanksgiving and you find yourself free from the family a little early, give me a call – Lucy, my mom and I always appreciate the company of you fine folks.
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