Getting Excited, Making Things

Friday, December 11, 2015

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we talk technology and learning, spiders and raindrops.

First, on SciShow Talk Show, Hank Green talks to Professor Rick Hughes about education and technology. I particularly like the concept of the "Comfortable Consumer vs Competent Creator". I think it's difficult for students in Computer Science to distinguish between the things that are part of the underlying mathematics and logic of computation and the things that are part of the computational structure's people have created. It's also difficult then for students to know when they need to create new things for themselves and when they should use the tools that already exist.

Next Simon's Cat encounters a spider, and comes out quite a bit better than Simon ... or the spider.

Finally, Nataly Dawn does a beautiful cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." I think the cover is beautiful, but as a Calgarian, I'm a little confused by the song. Usually raindrops are hurled at my face by powerful wind or are snow. Still, this one makes me happy to listen (and makes me think of lemonade).

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we sing our victory, answer questions and then absolutely nothing creepy happens at all.

First, let's celebrate our victories with Mr. Smooth McGroove singing the victory fanfare from Final Fantasy VII.

Next, remember when John Green made a movie? No, not that movie. No, not that one either (I'm not even sure that one's real). Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, here he answers questions about it.

Finally, Scott Tumilty talks about some good Halloween video games on Geek and Sundry Vlogs. Nothing to worry about here ... no ... not at all ...

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we face life and death, obsession and the limited resources of language.

First, we have Brentalfloss's Zidane to Vivi original song. I was going to say that I don't remember liking the music to Final Fantasy IX so much, but then I realized that (I'm pretty sure) this is 100% original Brentalfloss composition. Yay 100% Brentalfloss composition.

Next, Kevin Gisi talks about his obsessions and then invents a British person to read the news...

Finally, Gunarolla was asked to sing a song without repeating words, which he could do without any detectable problem at all...

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we accidentally the whole ... food!

First, Kevin Gisi tackles the dreaded, I don't know what to make a video about video. As it turns out most issues are complex and there are a lot of ways to look at them. I like the idea of sticking to a schedule (he said as all his deadlines sailed past) because it forces you to keep going and not to get stuck on things, but there's also something to be said for getting things done as well as you can when you get them done. I guess that's why there are two models of Patreon funding.

Finally, we recently watched AcapellaScience set string theory to Bohemian Rhapsody, but in case you're still looking for nerdy content in the from of incredibly long rock songs, here Pat the NES Punk and Brentalfloss present us with: Nintendohemian Rhapsody.