Subway Holiday Cheer

Yes, it is advertising for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. But it was bright and colorful and fun, and we enjoyed the subway ride for a change...









No parade for us, except on TV. I am not a crowd person...

A Sign of the Times-- Math Illiteracy as Advertisement

My son finds it hilarious that Speck ads cause me to rant about math illiteracy. These ads drive me nuts. They utterly misuse Venn diagrams. For example, consider the following:



The set of New Yorkers who own cars does *not* intersect with the set of New Yorkers who do not own cars. The two circles should not be overlapping in the graphic.

While the set of New Yorkers who had a car until the value of their parking tickets exceeded the value of the car *does* intersect with the set of New Yorkers who do not own a car, it does *not* intersect with the set of New Yorkers who currently own a car.

This is hardly rocket science. It is elementary school math. What does this say about the state of our educational system, and what effect does such an ignorant and ill-considered misuse of mathematical principles being put on public display have upon our current crop of students, who must look at these things and feel hopelessly confused?

Reason number 8,749 to homeschool...

Day of the Dead at NMAI NYC

Mikro and I had a great time at the Day of the Dead Celebration at the National Museum of the American Indian in NYC. The dancers were awesome! And Mikro really enjoyed making himself a skull necklace.

Model Ship Building Workshop at South Street Seaport Museum

South Street Seaport Museum has terrific weekend family workshops. We attended one on building model ships, and each got to make one. Here is our little family flotilla:

Mikro's Cobra:



Chele's Sea Dragon




Kev's Surprise



Mikro also got to make a naval hat:



Unfortunately, the Seaport Museum was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Local folks, please show your support if at all possible by making a donation or registering for a program. Please help keep this wonderful institution alive.

Ghouls, Ghosties, Guts & Gore

Just before Halloween, Mikro had a frog dissection class at the spookily decorated Science Museum of Long Island. The specimens were Northern Leopard Frogs. Afterwards, the kids met a live tree frog and a toad.

(Pictures are maybe not for the extremely sensitive...)

Education Leadership: Will Richardson at TEDxMelbourne

Nor'Easter Brings Early Snow

We're having our first snow of the season, and it is a significant one, due to the Nor'Easter that blew in today.