Sunday, June 30, 2013

Basic Research - It's Not That Hard!

First, I want to start off with my facebook comment of the day 
 
J.Lo performs at a private party for one of the world's worst dictators. J.Lo's reps then said "“Had there been knowledge of human rights issues of any kind, Jennifer would not have attended.”

It's called using Google or Wikipedia. Sheesh, in fact, you could've easily learn these things in the pre-internet days with an encyclopedia!

 

#LearnToResearchDammit!


 Learn more at
 http://www.forbes.com/sites/rahimkanani/2013/06/30/jennifer-lopez-love-does-have-a-price-performs-for-turkmenistans-dictator/

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Look, I don't expect everyone to have PhD level intelligence.  I don't expect everyone to be able to find obscure information about stuff!


But basic information about geography and history is not hard to find!

And it wasn't hard to find before the Internet either!

And I know that from real life experience! 

 The internet wasn't used by the general public until I was in high school!

But there were plenty of geography-related books, atlases, and encyclopedias  at the public library when I was a kid!   


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And what is sad is that the United States of America (aka world super-power) has one of the WORST statistics when it comes to geographic knowledge! 

http://freewayflyer.hubpages.com/hub/American-Ignorance-of-Global-Geography

 Knowledge of global geography in the United States, however, seems to be uniquely bad. In one study, the United States scored 117th out of 193 countries on a test of global geographic knowledge.

and 

For the wealthiest nation on earth, a country that intervenes in the affairs of countries all over the planet, this is both disturbing and embarrassing.



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I was lucky that when I was growing up, my family had many books at home. There were encyclopedias and atlases.  I could read them all day.

And this was in a public housing complex in Kalihi, not some rich mansion in East Honolulu!  

And if any parent is saying "I can't afford books for my kids", well.............................do you spend money on alcohol, tobacco, weed, fireworks, TVs,  and stereo systems(and yes, there are people in Kalihi housing projects who spend money on such stuff!)

If yes, then you can afford a few books

I don't expect parents to be able afford every educational technology out there. I don't expect parents to re-create the Library of Congress at home. 

But dammit, give your kids basic access to knowledge!  Give them some books or at least a library card!