TANDEM

I like this acronym. It stands for 'Towards A New Definitive Educational Mantra'. I've just coined it (at least, I think I have, because it returns no hits on Google™). It allows me to fairly, with respect to certain dimensions, describe the practice of education in Atlantis.

It was a short time ago that someone told me about the latest educational mantra from the edicts of the Priesthood of Learning. It was, "Top-Down Support For A Bottom-Up Approach."

The picture that immediately and reflexively came to mind was not a flattering one. Indeed, it was rather scurrilous, if not slightly obscene.

On further analysis, however, it is clear what is going on in Atlantis: more feudalism of the 'serf-and-turf' type. In other words, "Crawl on your knees to Us and We will deign to grant you support. And should you not come to Us, there will be NO SUPPORT. And if it come to pass that you do not approach Us with your wants, then do not say We did not tell you."

Atlantean education — oh, how I appreciate it for the amusement it brings to me!

TeaSeR

This month's issue of Scientific American has a brief and entertaining article on crash prevention technologies. One of them is TSR — Traffic Sign Recognition — which recognizes when a driver "enters a zone where traffic rules have changed". Of course, long-time aficionados of wargaming and other such recondite pastimes will recognize the acronym immediately as referring to other situations in which people 'enter a zone where traffic rules have changed'...

Acronymous Rex

I have been a fan of Guy Kawasaki for more than twenty years now. Of course, when some people hear that, they think, "Ah, another Apple freak." But I assure you, my liking for Mr Kawasaki runs deeper than any relationship he might have to fast motorcycles or shiitake mushrooms. It is somewhat related to posts like this.

Sometimes, acronyms are just so apt. It was decades ago also that I discovered for myself the ancient practice of signing off with 'IHS', which variously stood for 'In His Service' or for the first three letters of the name 'Jesus' in Greek. I remembered that a few years ago. Sadly, not all uses of acronyms reflect the glory of the intended original, for better or worse. Just recall, my friends, when water and other services were controlled by the PUB - Public Utilities Board. Hilarious.