I have started using the chalkboard. It forces them to type. I can't believe how so many students just copy and paste chunks of code without understanding them. It's in the typing that the learning happens.

I found where I probably came from Visco, Italy Unfortuntely, that little town also had a concentration camp. That is how I found out about it.

On another note I found this thing I wrote for Trebor's class two years ago

I am a second year MFA student whose primary interests are 3D modeling and Digital Online Communities. I teach Digital Media Arts at Canisius College in Buffalo. Originally, I was studying to be a German instructor when I got addicted to computers on the streets of Thueringen. I tried several kinds of virtual "rehab" from but decided to just submit to my addiction and teach computer graphic arts instead of German, satisfying both my addiction and my love for teaching. I am especially interested in the economies of digital communities, the move away from video toward avatars in online space and the social implications of digital communication.

You can find other people you might know on that page

My first job ever involving computer coding was to code a student lab user checkin. It is amazing how much easier it was this time around when I had to make one for canisius. I think it cam eout pretty good. It lets admin users login in the specific lab. Then they can check students in. When students check cue up in the checkout list where a fancy javascript counts down the seconds, displaying how many minutes they have been in the room, updated in realtime.

Once the lab assistants log them out, the student data gets cued into a progress report which can be emailed ot the professors.

Glad to see Buffalo Rising got their site up and running. For some reason it is really slow even on my super fast adelphia connection right now. Maybe it is because everyone is trying to see the page for the grand opening. It is pretty cute.

Last night ended at the pink. I snapped some pics in order to remember the pink when I'm old. From the video games to the beer sign and patio.

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At 4am most people on Allen are heading over to Jim's Steakout, we decided to check out the Pizza place near Gabriel's Gate.



There is pizza is somewhat flat and lacking on the chese/sauce but it is cheap and at that time of night there arwe not many more options. Plus it was quickly ready.

(MAP TO: 160 ALLEN STREET)
New York Pizza
Buffalo, NY 14201
716-882-0222

I know this is old news but last night while out on Allen St, I noticed that people had made spray paint markers commemorating the victims of Hiroshima and nagasaki. Does anyone know more about this?

At 1pm today we left to drop terry off at work. I needed to pick up a python book. The plan was also to get some saltwater fish for (e:matthew).We have driven for about 5 hours now and still don't have any fish.

Don't ever base a trip on shitty google or yahoo maps. What a mistake! Two of the places, one located by each, had been closed down for 3+ years. The dots were off so bad too. On the yahoo one it had a store listed over a mile off in a residential park. Unfortunately, when we finally inquired about, we heard it closed over 5 years ago.

The whole day was basically an environmental disaster. Plus transit has that dumb part where the numbers reset. We traveled from buffalo to depew to williamsville to amherst to tonawanda then took the 290 back to the galleria, drove to eden! Then back to near the thruway mall, then back to the appletree business park and then back to Buffalo. Net fish count:0!

Luckily I brought my computer so I got some work done, although I spent more time looking up directions then working.

I am so glad I don't live in this land of the spawling plaza. I have lots to post about last night but i'm waiting till I get back on the broadband.

I decided to take an afternoon off to enjoy the last of summer before it end. I think I am slowly developing the same condition that ruined my life in high school. I hope some physical therapy works.

We had breakfast at mythos on elmwood. They have totally redone their restaurant and menu. Afterwards, we went to zoar valle where someone asked us if we were prostitutes. I quit that yeara ago-haha.

Althoughj I missed Helmut Lotti, we got to eat at Kunis for dinner with (e:theecarey) and (e:ladycroft). The paparazzi showed up so I'm sure you'll see pics lol.

Afterwards we chilled with (e:jason) and (e:joshua). Then dave stopped by and we headed over to Allen Street Hardware.

Helmut Lotti [inlink]paul,3860[/inlink] is going to be in Hamilton tomorrow night at 8PM. I have to go. It is $54 candian for Balcony and $64 Canadian for Orchestra and 1st Blacony seating. Is anyone else in on this?



I hung out with Katie today and ran around town hunting down Kenny Rogers. She told me about this site called menwholooklikekennyrogers.com We hunted down a Kenny look a like. On the hunt we followed him into the ice skating rink on the street after Hertel Avenue going uptown. We ended up walking around the empty ice skating rink when we saw a janitor and asked him how much skating was. He said that they have open ice skating on Friday and Saturday night for $3.







I got a rice cooker. Now (e:matthew) and I can get buff eating rice like sumo wrestlers. They are only $19 at target. I am sure we have spent that much on burnt rice in the past.



Leapfrog. Ya so I can't work with that commerical bullshit or anything like it. It is more like training children to recognize brand name characters.

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(23:14:52) paulsidekick: learning toy
(23:14:59) paulsidekick: and it was all corporate product placement
(23:15:05) paulsidekick: like teach little jimmy to want Disney
(23:15:21) paulsidekick: I hate stuff discuised as learning
(23:15:26) paulsidekick: especially when it is for kids
(23:15:35) paulsidekick: its so wrong to get them on that I need barbie, I need disney kick
(23:15:37) Danq750: let kids be kids, jesus
(23:15:40) paulsidekick: ya
(23:16:01) Danq750: get em hooked early
(23:16:14) paulsidekick: I would rather have my kid get anything other than a closed electronic toy
(23:16:26) paulsidekick: liek an electronics set
(23:16:33) paulsidekick: is better than a prmade electronic toy
(23:16:42) paulsidekick: that only feeds them the product placement
(23:17:16) paulsidekick: did you see those pics
(23:17:22) paulsidekick: each one is name brand crap
(23:17:34) paulsidekick: look at the learning titles
(23:18:25) paulsidekick: I love the video
(23:18:37) paulsidekick: its says "kids can plug in to the tv to take learnign to the max!"
(23:19:01) Danq750: fucking a, what is wrong with a book, or with pencil and paper
(23:19:08) paulsidekick: ya
(23:19:10) paulsidekick: exactly
(23:19:18) paulsidekick: I even like computers for kids
(23:19:19) Danq750: instead, learning has to become a game
(23:19:20) paulsidekick: but when I had one
(23:19:24) paulsidekick: I had to learn to use it
(23:19:29) Danq750: yea
(23:19:30) paulsidekick: and how to control it
(23:19:34) paulsidekick: liek my vic 20
(23:19:41) paulsidekick: this is liek a nintendo
(23:19:47) paulsidekick: for character recogition
(23:19:58) paulsidekick: I really wonder
(23:20:03) paulsidekick: how it happened in the board room
(23:20:14) paulsidekick: I wonder if the people who deisgned it had the intention of making a real leaning tool
(23:20:22) paulsidekick: and the some corporate nbig wigs took over
(23:20:24) paulsidekick: and were liek
(23:20:34) paulsidekick: this would be a great way to get kids to recognize our brands
(23:20:38) paulsidekick: identities
(23:20:52) Danq750: you're 100% correct I think
(23:21:14) Danq750: they say, oh well kids recognize sponge bob
(23:21:32) Danq750: let's make a "learning game" featuring sponge bob, the kids will eat it up
(23:21:44) Danq750: no, they are less interested in kids learning than selling products
(23:22:13) Danq750: if they were interested in kids learning they would donate money so buffalo school kids can have books