There's often talk that we need to educate our kids on things like art, and not strictly science and math - and actually if you guys are reading anything about education in the US - it's that we're not teaching them anything - or jack shit. or their not learning anything for a host of reasons - media/technology, kids don't care, parents don't care teachers suck, budget cuts, down the list we go.

Anyway, yesterday's WSJ had a brilliant column from a Vinton G. Cerf (I don't know either but a bionote is below) who's saying we need to promote better our scientists and engineers. Not just our rock stars and jocks. (thought that's funny, and kind of a historical man-meme). Cerf is saying - and maybe it was interesting the column ran on the 50th anniversary of the Yuri Gagharin's flight into space - that all of the toys we play with today are the result of inventions and ingenuity from the engineer people.

Things like the lithium ion battery which powers your ipad, and is making more energy efficient cars, to things like robotic-powered devices like drones which save (some) people's lives.

Apple is doing this with their promotional video for ipad - it's a 5-minute piece which features the engineers behind the product and they actually sell the usability and fun for the consumer.

I know I went there, but they won the fraternity games, and they got the girls, and they got respect (with some help from the other Lambda chapters). Watch the video, enjoy - and read up!

WSJ bionote on Cerf:

Mr. Cerf, who helped develop the Internet as a pioneer in data networking technology, is the chief Internet evangelist at Google. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.