The Adventure Continues. (BB Pt.2)

Human ingenuity never ceases to amaze me. I just took a stroll through the technology booths here at the Maker Fair, and discovered just how far computer/shop tool networks have come.

I watched a ShopBot tool cut 3D objects out of a urethane board in seconds! It was amazing! (Or I am easily entertained, either way it was great.)

Instructables has a booth, and are showing video and handing out printed versions of their instructions. It is amazing what the Intartoobs have done for DIY projects.

Best of all though, was looking through all of the robotics entries made by high school students. These kids had been mentored by students at the University of Texas and the BEST Robotics program. The variance and dedication of these students made me almost hope for a future of science in this country.

I felt like a child running through a candy store while I walked through the artisan booths. So much creativity and thought put into most of these works. There are always some that lack, but they are outshone one hundred fold by the diligent and dedicated crafts people who turn art into business. This is another point at which I would like to plug technology, in that the internet has given most of these people an outlet and a customer base that used to be so scattered about that most of these trades would be placed in the hobby bin and left to rot.

More later. Also, pictures.

Texaaaaans assemble!

So the anti-science brigade is trying to douse the fire of knowledge for our students here in Texas, and it is up to the people to stop it.

But, before you act, make sure you gather the facts. Start with information about Don McLeroy, the man in charge of the Texas Board of Education and supporter of Intelligent Design creationism. The BoE is soon going to vote on the new science standards that will affect not only children in this state, but nation wide.

How you say? Easy. Texas is one of the largest purchasers of textbooks nationwide, and therefore publishers look to what we are buying in the way of educational material before they take it to other states. If we allow IDiocy into classrooms, then textbooks with accurate and relevant information will be passed over in favor for puffy, soft fairy tales dressed in lab coats.

This is a matter that is endlessly frustrating for me personally, but as I am not a parent my voice carries less weight than those whose children are at stake.

This ID group is sneaky, subtle, and underhanded in their dealings with public education and are trying to toss religious belief in the back door of our classrooms and hope no one notices.

Let your voices be heard. Organize and fight this kind of intellectual sabotage so that perhaps Texas can lose the stereotype of backwards, ignorant, tree dwellers who do nothing other than shoot things and watch NASCAR.

There are enough reasonable people in this state to have us become an intelligent oasis in a sea of madness, so go and take back the Lone Star State.

Dear The Protomen

Get your new CD out and come back to Texas.
Please?

That is all I wanted to say.