Sex, Drugs And iPads

Over coffee this morning with some friends at a local Starbucks, we found ourselves reflecting over some aspects of our education.  At different levels, there were many flaws or at least areas which we found should have been approached differently.

For instance,  In the real world, one does not need to know a particular mathematical formula.  It is quite possible to quickly source out whatever formula for whatever scenario.  Especially today when everyone has a smart phone or iPad or some sort of portable device that can store this information.  In days gone by, perhaps a notepad or daytimer may have been the tool of choice.  The importance here is that that the school boards failed to see the big picture. 

Spending hours on end studying to memorize mathematical and scientific formulas was a total waste of time.  The key is to teach students which formula to apply to a particular situation and where to find that information.  One needs only to know that they need to apply the Pythagorean theorem in order to find the the square of the long side in a right angled triangle. They can simply reference a book or the internet or whatever to find the formula.  

The conversation may have been a little heavy for some of the patrons listening in to an investment banker, a civil engineer and an I.T disaster recovery specialist.  We thought of all the ways our time might have been better spent instead of memorizing certain things.  

All of us felt that previous generations have had better education.  We all agreed that technology, while wonderful in many ways has helped dumb us all down.  The days of sex, drugs and rock n' roll may have truly been the era to beat out all others.  I'm not condoning any of the craziness, of the 60's and 70's, however I will say that scholastically speaking, they kicked ass over newer generations.  

The school boards and those creating the curriculum need to understand that technology needs to empower students, not dumb them down.   If we are to embrace technology as a tool to aid students, then changes need to be made to the educational systems, at least in North America.  

We need to challenge the previous generations and create the era of Sex, Drugs and iPads.

Anti-Social Media

It seems the art of conversation is nearly dead.  Even small talk is more successfully accomplished through Twitter or Facebook. 

There are many "distraction tools" out there that aid in the death of social behaviour.  Video games have long been the greatest obstacle in social development to younger generations.  It has since spread to older generations with games developed for the "adult".  Violence and mature subject matter warnings placed on video game packaging reminds me of "Restricted" movies or the late night programing which was preceded by the message "viewer discretion is advised".

In today's technology driven lifestyle, smart phones, tablets and personal computing devices allow us to bring the Internet with us everywhere we go.  I am one of those people that can seldom be found without my smart phone in hand. I crave interaction. I read, I write, I want to be read and written to.

The primary difference with some of us, is that we also crave the human interaction.  We are social beings of the digital generation. Some of us can actually hold a conversation or at the very least, start one with the aid of social media.

I'm going to take it one step further and make the bold statement that Caller ID also stifles the act of being social.  We look at our mobile phone, see who's calling and dismiss it.  "I don't want to talk to her now" or the ever popular, "What the hell does he want now?". 

Admit it, how many of you rather just SMS (text) someone hello and not actually call them? I can't even begin to count how many SMS conversations I ended by just picking up the bloody phone and calling the person.  I detest long winded SMS conversations.  I have also had situations where the person did not pick up.  I know they have their mobile phone on person, if not in hand...why on earth would they not pick up?


Even meeting someone online has become the new norm.  Afraid of being turned down, we rather avoid any humiliation publicly and get rejected in the comfort of our own home through a computer monitor. Sadly, there are too many mediums that limit social behaviour.  Though I believe it's not so much that they promote anti-social behaviour, that just seems to be the ultimate result. 

Public speaking should be a mandatory part of every school curriculum right through the entire educational process.  This technological world we live in is producing hermits that are too shy and introverted to even make eye contact with someone, struck with the fear that they may be required to interact.  I swear, I sometimes think that if it weren't for hormones, sports, fashion or gossip, no one would have any reason to talk to each other.  

Look, social media and networking has it's place.  We have become dependent on it and it is a very useful and powerful tool.  I use it, abuse it and am thankful that it is exists.  It has made many things easier and better, including the best by-product, which for me, is reducing the distance between myself and friends and family abroad.


One of my favourite pastimes is enjoying a coffee or a dirty martini with a few friends, just chatting about whatever topic happens to come up.  Consider my advice, put down your phone, look up, and say hello to someone today.  It all starts with one word.  Make it a pleasant one.

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Jumpin' Java Prices

Coffee has a fickle following.  You either love coffee or you can't stand to drink it.  Oddly, coffee is one of the only foods that comes to mind that smells completely different than how it tastes.  Raw, roasted, ground and brewed, coffee offers different aromatic disguises.

For me, coffee is one of life's simple pleasures.  I prefer espresso over percolated coffee but I enjoy both. I absolutely adore the scent of dark roasted beans being freshly ground.  It takes me back to place as a child where the grown-ups would sit and enjoy a social moment while I waited impatiently for the cookies to magically appear on the table.  I associate coffee with good times and good company.

As an adult, I realize that consumption must be kept moderate.  I can appreciate that.  I am not the sort of person that relies on cuppa java to start my day, though in some cases, it is a welcome addition to the morning routine.

Recently, coffee has experienced a sort of revival in the global consumer market.  There has been a coffee culture explosion in recent years.  Coffee houses are popping up everywhere, running donut shops out of town.  A "Barrista" would be someone you would only find in Italy whipping up a sinfully delicious cappuccino.  Now you can go to a local book store and find one behind the counter at the in-store Starbucks.

I understand the basic laws of economics, as the demand of a product or services rises, so too does the price if the supply stays the same or lessens.  That might be the closest my understanding will allow me to get to the actual formula.  So I expect the price of coffee to rise, especially considering the cost of doing business, increased cost of transportation etc...

This is why it baffles me why the new "craze" in coffee is these new personal pod coffee machines.  More power to these companies that are able to sell them and make money hand over fist.  However, for the love of all that is good and holy, why on earth would I want to pay up to or over one dollar per cup of coffee in my own house? 

Coffee is dirty hot water.  Truth.  It should costs pennies a cup not dollars per mug.  Yes cups, sugar, milk and cream all cost money and yet they are offered for free.  Ever wonder why?  It's probably because the profit margin on dirty hot water is enough to cover the cost and still make enough of a profit to pay employees and stay in the black.

I don't buy the argument that POD Coffee tastes better than the stuff you brew at home.  It doesn't.  This is my opinion.  If you take a few minutes out, you can make a far better coffee, latte, cappuccino etc.. at home with ingredients you can actually control and pronounce. 

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I Hate Weak Toilet Paper

One of my pet peeves is weak toilet paper.  There are few things worse than wiping one’s ass with weak toilet paper and having it give way to a finger or two.

Firstly, why on earth would anyone ever produce, sell or purchase, one ply toilet paper?  Toilet paper that resembles 1000 count sandpaper isn’t much better. However, I’ll gladly use a sandpaper belt over bathroom tissue that plays peek-a-boo with my butt crack.

Secondly, I’d like to know what tests are conducted to prove the strength of toilet paper.  I would gladly volunteer my time for the good of all consumers and conduct my own tests.  I mean real life application tests  vs scientific tests which include numbers and the general coefficient or percentage of recycled paper by-products used.

I don’t care how much moisture the paper is said to resist or absorb.  I care about wiping my ass without having smelly digits when I’m done.
If there is one benefit to weak toilet paper, its that people are forced to wash their hands after using the bathroom facilities.  But this is a discussion for another day.

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