National Geographic Roper Survey

by Erik Olsen on

Here is your chance dear Gadling readers to show that you are worldly aware, that you can put to shame the 60-plus percent of kids today who could not find Iraq on a map.

The National Geographic Roper survey of geographic literacy is online and awaiting your best effort. Me, I scored 17 out of 20. No kidding, I did. But, hey, that’s ’cause I read the damn paper every day … and I would have gotten more, too, if I watched more TV. And I guess I got lucky on a few of them. The fact is, it’s not all that hard, but give it a try yourself and feel free to post your score.

Josh Berman on His Newest Effort

by Erik Olsen on

Josh Berman, one of our
favorite activist bloggers and writers out there,
called our attention to a new effort of his over at his Stonegrooves site that we think
deserves some attention (btw: it is an activism kind of day, if you couldn’t tell. It’s just a coincidence that so many
of my posts today have an activist flavor, though.) Josh has been working with the PALM Foundation and launching Web
sites dedicated to some of their programs, including the one for palmsrilanka.org, the official site of the organization, and palmguesthouse.com, home of PALM’s effort to promote Nuwara Eliya tourism. Check
them out and spend a little time on Josh’s blog. It’s always entertaining and informative, and Josh is the kind of guy
that makes you want to ditch your office job in a hummingbird’s heartbeat.

Are Most American Kids Stupid?

by Erik Olsen on

I’m
often a bit dubious about reports like this, those that claim American kids are so dumb. Not because I don’t think
American kids are dumb. They are. For the most part, they are a bunch of Playstation playin, Xtasy-droppin, random sex
havin’, IM’in,, emoticon sendin’, no good, slothful slackers.

But that’s beside the point.

Because when I read that three out of four
kids ages 18-24 can’t find Iraq on a map, I immediately considered my own school days as a rabble-rousing,
pre-Internet youngster, and when I do that, I picture some doughy, preachy adult asking me to find Iraq on the map, her
fists balled into her hips, glasses perched on her beak of a nose, and while I know that Iraq is right there, why
yes, right there next to Iran in the place called the Middle East, I don’t want to give her the satisfaction. In
fact, I act stupid and point to Greenland, just to see her reaction. And when she rolls her eyes and shakes her head
and rues the decline of Western Civilization, I feel much more satisfaction than if I got the question right and she
pats me on the head in front of all my peers. Know what I’m talking about?

But is that what’s happening
here? Well, probably not. Most of these kids probably DID get it wrong. But does it really matter? I mean, the last
thing we want our children worrying about is all the nasty stuff happening in the world, right? Kids should be kept in
the dark about such things. Let’s keep them feted with greasy food and kept comfortably numb. Let’s give them pillows
and candy and stuffed animals and pretty, shiny things to stare at. Don’t you agree?

SF Darfur Pano

by Erik Olsen on


While we’re on the topic of California and their activism, let’s go there briefly via a lovely panoramic photo
taken at the Golden Gate Bridge. The good, and always politically active, folks in the Bay Area came together on
Sunday, April 30, to stage a hand-holding vigil at the bridge to
raise awareness about the problems in Darfur.

Yes, there they were, the passionate multitudes, singing and
hoping and praying, and everyone that was driving by who was held back in traffic for hours was thinking, yes, we need
to do something about the bad things happening in Africa, it’s horrible, now get out of the fricken way! It is
a lovely pano, however.

'sNice and Funny

by Erik Olsen on

I’d
like to put a shout out to ‘sNice, my favorite cafe in the Village today, and
rally any New York gadling readers to check out the ‘sNice and Funny comedy and music show happening on Sunday, May 21.

Mike, who runs the cafe at 8th Ave and W. 4th is bringing in a legion of funny and creative folks like Dan
Allen and Danny Cohen to entertain and raise some cashola for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The event costs $8 in
advance and $10 at the door, but will be worth it.  If you’re around, drop in, buy a cup of coffee, and check it
out.