Was It Something I Said?

Is pretending to do something as good as actually doing it? Some people think so. At some schools, students who are too squeamish to dissect a frog are allowed to pretend to dissect a cartoon frog. As someone who recently dissected a real sheep’s brain and compared it to pictures of sheeps’ brains, I do not believe for a minute that one is the equivalent of the other.

Delusions aside, what about the real dilemma many schools face, of simply not having the resources (adequate space, money for equipment, etc.) to offer laboratory experiences to their students? Are simulations better — or perhaps worse — than nothing? Are there other choices?

The people at Smart Science believe there are. They have developed a patented system for bringing real science experiences to students through virtual labs. Their recently-launched blog explains the thinking behind this. I especially like this post about the difference between simulations and science. The main website is at www.smartscience.net.

Photo from Clipart.com

I came across Kasmira’s blog while searching for ideas on how to wear lingerie as outerwear. (Not my usual style, but I’m contemplating a Halloween costume.) Nearly every day, she photographs herself in whatever she is wearing and posts it on her blog. For a few minutes, I was tempted to copy the idea, but I just don’t have the clothing variety that she does. (After a few days of black pants and yet another T-shirt, nobody would look.) And I’m certainly not prepared to offer fashion advice and shopping tips. So take a look at What I Wore Today.