So another month passes. For me, someone ran into the back of my car. Sometimes life just happens, I guess. When I initially inquired about getting a loan car, I was told that I would need to travel to the airport to collect it. Unwilling to do this, we managed to get through most of the month with just one car. Although I did end up finding a loan car closer to home, it definitely made me think about our dependence on a vehicle differently. On other matters, we continued to venture out more and more, step by step. We rejoined the Melbourne Zoo, ventured to a few country markets and ate out a bit more, including in Chinatown in the CBD. (Apparently exploring Chinatown was on Ms 6’s bucket list.) This is definitely not a return to normal, but maybe this is the new normal? Still not sure how I feel about going on a big holiday, but it feels like I am more and more in the minority. At work, we survived the rush associated with biannual academic reporting, even as some people were on leave. In addition to that, I have continued doing my usual day-to-day stuff, such as testing improvements, responding to support calls and developing various guides. In amongst all of this, somebody thought we needed Office 365, so we have been learning about the benefits of collaborative software, even if we have been using Personally, I finally found out what I was missing in regards to Hamilton, (although only my wife was lucky enough to see it on stage.) I also joined in the Minefield’s not quite a bookclub reading (or listening to) Jane Austen’s Emma. In regards to music, I enjoyed the thought that TISM are returning.
Foolishly, about 20 years ago, I said that the only way that TISM would ever reappear would be if the Fair Work Commission decided to raise the minimum wage. I thought I was pretty safe there. Because, as if anyone’s going to give those bloody battlers a decent go. Then I got a phone call at 10am this morning. They said, ‘It’s happened’ and, shamefully, here we are. Humphrey B. Flaubert https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/tism-interview-double-j-regurgitator-ron-humphrey-good-things/13938524
Here then are some of the dots that have had me thinking: Education Does a quiet classroom quietly harm children? Richard Wells goes beyond the well-meaning quiet classroom and puts out the challenges to consider allocating time for students to practice ‘working with others’. Teachers the fall guys for a failing system Jenny Gore and Nicole Mockler suggest that most reporting on education overlooks the systemic challenges of inequity in our communities. They argue that what is needed is investment in teaching and an effort to raise the status across the board. The Case for Making Classrooms Phone-Free Tyler Rablin unpacks his decision to make his classroom phone-free. ‘The Waste Land’, a Century On Barry Spurr celebrates 100 years since the release of TS Eliot’s poem The Waste Land. Why A Good Idea Takes 13 Years To Arrive Clive Thompson reflects upon the importance of slow hunches. Wonder how this works in the classroom? Technology How the Internet Turned Us Into Content Machines Kyle Chayka explores the way in which the internet has turned us into content machines. Is Google Dying? Or Did the Web Grow Up? Charlie Warzel takes a dive into the current status of Google Search. The Good Web Ethan Zuckerman highlights is the need to be open for alternative options when it comes to making the good web.. Online Abortion Pill Provider Hey Jane Used Tracking Tools That Sent Visitor Data to Meta, Google, and Others Jon Keegan and Dara Kerr use Blacklight privacy inspector to demonstrate the data collected by trackers on abortion sites. Another example of the way in which insight and awareness can be produced from the crumbs we leave. The Modern QR Code Life Wouter Groeneveld discusses his experience of the new normal associated with the use of QR codes and smartphones for viewing menus. General Persephone’s secret – The Eleusinian Mysteries and the making of the modern economy (Eat This) Jeremy Cherfas speaks with Scott Reynolds Nelson provide a history from the perspective of wheat. Ten Ways Billionaires Avoid Taxes on an Epic Scale Paul Kiel provides a summary of ten ways the ultrawealthy avoid taxes. Planting trees isn’t enough. Here’s why we need tiny man-made forests Hannah Lewis explores the use of the Miyawaki method to rewild the world. Collapse of the modern Liberal Party Mike Seccombe traces Liberal Party back to John Howard’s remaking of Menzies’ party and how it was transformed again by the voters targeted from a distance who became members. Patatap A website/app which provides a combination of sounds, visuals and serendipity. Read Write Respond #077 So that was June for me, how about you? As always, hope you are safe and well. Image by Bryan Mathers Cover image via “DSC_3604” by Joachim S. Müller is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA Style Grammar Overused Clichés Sticky Diction Repeats Combo Length Pronoun Alliteration Homonym Transition Thesaurus House Plagiarism More Settings Writing Style Check Grammar Check Overused Words Check Cliches and Redundancies Sticky Sentences Check Diction and Vague Words Repeats Check Combo Check Sentence Length Check Pronoun Report Alliteration Report Homonym Report Transition Report Thesaurus Report House Style Check Plagiarism Report open options The last attempt to connect to our servers failed. Please check your internet connection.