Happy Hallowe’en from the Technological Terrors
Happy Halloween
It’s Hallowe’en and it looks like man’s own creations are out to get us. From the man-eating toilet to virus-carrying electronics, the news has been full of horror stories beyond the imaginings of hollywood.
A man travelling on a French train had a narrow escape this week, when the toilet tried to eat his arm. Rescue workers had to kill the toilet bowl to free him but it was still clinging to his arm as they carried the man from the train. More in BBC News…
Researchers at the University of Virginia have found high levels of the cold virus on household taps, refrigerator doors and TV remotes. This hardy virus enters the home on a family member’s hands and quickly transfers itself to every available surface ready to infect the whole household. More from Reuters…
So for a healthy and happy Hallowe’en this year, keep away from trains and wear gloves at all times.
Is College Necessary? – Tutors Are.
Trent Batson of Campus Technology has raised the question: “Is College Necessary in a Knowledge-Drenched World?” The point being that, when we have so much technology in our homes that libraries, art galleries and other institutional places have difficulty competing, do people need to attend a college to get an education?
Well, it seems that most of the facilities of a college can be replicated at home, apart from one. Face to face contact with a tutor is still at the heart of learning. Only a real human tutor can take a student’s questions in the context of that student’s current state of knowledge and produce a meaningful answer at that moment in the student’s learning. Something that the New Curiosity Shop has always tried to promote, with a real tutor on every course.
Read more at Campus Technology.
