Personally I’m convinced the only way I have a hope of understanding mathematics/statistics in a way that sticks is through interactive visual and audio examples (along with exercises and practise). I do think if students deserve to learn they deserve to learn in the way that best suits them – not the common denominator. With tech, if one method isn’t working you can rapid-fire through different ways until you find one that works. And that works better if the tech is custom made – a computer can be the blackboard, the pen and paper, the workbench or the lab… I hope to leverage that as much as possible in the future.

Thanks for making me think about this!

DSI
FutureRetro
Z.Vex

OK, as an exercise, I tried to come up with a list of US companies where they are making actual physical objects like sound synthesizers and controllers and are clearly in it because they love what they do. I’m sure you guys can add to this list. (Because of the Obama connection, I limited the list to US companies making physical objects (if we included software and made it international, the list would be too long to fit here–and that’s a good thing! Even better!) I don’t know about you, but seeing this long list at a time when everyone is telling us to crouch under a table and wait for the next great economic depression is actually pretty inspiring to me. Thanks guys for continuing to create and make the things that we love!

Starr Labs
monome
Haken Audio
Serge, Buchla & other modular synth designers
Symbolic Sound
Open Labs
Moog Music
Electro-Harmonix
PAiA
Electrotap

Please add to and expand upon!

To adopt another part of the same speech: “people will judge you on what you build, not on what you destroy.”

I am excited to see this meme of enthusiasm/empowerment/action/change taking root throughout various (virtual and and non-virtual) communities of which I consider myself a member as well as many of my friends IRL. It’s pretty rpofound the effect this whole Obama thing has had, as a lot of inspiration seems to stem from his message/material.

I am especially intrigued by the call to Build Creative Businesses as I am currently very aware of the drain my current employment takes on my creative energy/output. I would love to hear more of these individuals stories and the nuts and bolts of how they are cobbling together a living doing (mostly) things they love. So anymore exposure you want to give to that is welcomed by me and I’m sure others

At any rate very nice post and thank you.

Heres to 2009. It’s our year!

cheers,
sk