Posts Tagged ‘video games’

Brain Games

I’m researching. (Or that’s what I’m calling it.) I picked up one of those “intelligence” and “brain training” games for my PSP last week. How smart will I become thanks to this five dollar exercise? Look out world: I’m about to release unlimited potential of my hitherto confined mind. *sigh*

Full text from October 27, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: MiniBlog by SkepDad

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Video Brain Train

I’d like to put together an article on those “brain training” video games and their effectiveness. I’ve seen a few editorials, but not much research. Any suggestions on comparable work that might be relevant?

Full text from October 1, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: MiniBlog by SkepDad

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Spore is Not Evolution

I’ve been playing the new Electronics Arts game “Spore” for a few days now and I was disappointed to discover it has very little to do with (as advertised) Darwinian Evolution. Instead, it seems more like an Intelligent Design simulator. Too bad. So much potential. My username is “skepdad.” Buddy me.

Full text from October 1, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: MiniBlog by SkepDad

Tuesday Media Watch: Fascinating Flickering

Tuesdays. One year olds. And entering the age of media.

The Girl has a new trick. She has learned to flip the television off and on. Off and on. Off and on. Off and on. From a technological standpoint I’m secretly hoping she fries the electronics by doing this so I have an excuse to buy a new high definition screen. LCD or plasma? (Oops, wrong blog.) From a parenting standpoint, my curiosity is at the edge of its seat waiting for that moment when the light in her little head flicks on to realizing that there is actually content on the television, and its not just a big funny toy in the living room. Right now, it seems, the TV is nothing more than a fascinating, flickering box that is controlled by a big, round, gray button. True, something there will catch her eye and she’ll stare for long minutes at the pictures but — as for seeking to watch television, desiring to catch a familiar programme, or showing signs of recognition at particular characters — there is no real indication that there is a “pull” to the tube at this point in her life.

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Full text from September 30, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Encounters of the Mind

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Future skep/dad Topics, Perhaps?

I’ve not had much time to sit down and write this week. Truth is, I scraped together some cash and bought myself a new notebook that has been occupying too much of my attention whilst I try out the many new features. That said, the plan in buying the new notebook was to give me more time and convenience in writing for this project (as well as a few others). Convenience? Well, it’s a notebook, so I can sit on the couch, put on some tunes, and type. Time? A rare commodity as a parent, but the new computer is, admittedly, a Mac so (as promised by the onslaught of advertising) its been running all weekend trouble free right out of the box. No more precious hours shared between changing diapers, reading aloud, and wireless connectivity maintenance. Of course, this gives me reason to pause and consider what I should write.

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Full text from January 20, 2008 by Brad
Filed as: Meta-Skepdad

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THE SKEPDAD BLOG is a place for rational, science-minded fathers to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas about bringing up kids to be critical thinking adults in a world filled with superstition, mysticism, and pseudoscience.

MINIBLOG: Obama Trend - What does the election of Barack Obama mean for the course of science and science education in the US in the coming four years? How will this impact internationally? Discuss.
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MINIBLOG: Purity - We watched a documentary last night on TLC about the Purity Movement. Nothing like a good old fashioned biblical excuse to wrap one’s daughter in a bubble of ignorance and second class gender roles like a “sign this contract with your dad re: sex” to set society back a couple centuries. It’s as if they’re [...]
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MINIBLOG: Brain Games - I’m researching. (Or that’s what I’m calling it.) I picked up one of those “intelligence” and “brain training” games for my PSP last week. How smart will I become thanks to this five dollar exercise? Look out world: I’m about to release unlimited potential of my hitherto confined mind. *sigh*
COMMENTS: Multiple. Add something!
MINIBLOG: Drinking Skeptically, October 22 - If you haven’t made plans to attend the Edmonton Skeptics’ Pub Night tonight, there’s still time. See you there.
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TWITTER: skepdad thinks you should check out the second edition of the Skeptical Parent Crossing, Blog Carnival... >> 13 hours ago
Brad adds: As of October 2007, I'm soliciting interest for skeptics in the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area who are interested in forming a skeptical society to contact me. Please do so through this blog or via Facebook (through the Edmonton Skeptical Society Group).

Or visit our new website: www.edmontonskeptics.org
When even the brightest mind in our world has been trained up from childhood in a superstition of any kind, it will never be possible for that mind, in its maturity, to examine sincerely, dispassionately, and conscientiously any evidence or any circumstance which shall seem to cast a doubt upon the validity of that superstition. I doubt if I could do it myself.
- Mark Twain