The 10,000 Solutions page is a really interesting way for people to collaborate and brainstorm new, helpful ideas.
I posted an idea for creating an app that will allow people to upload photos that would appear on other people's Google Maps. I think this could be used in multiple ways. For a public information purpose, it could help people see what is going on currently in a different location, for example if there are protests or even riots in a certain area, others could see photos with exact locations listed. People currently post photos to Twitter, but they don't have location data unless the poster lists it specifically.
It could also be used recreationally, to follow what your friends on Google Latitude are doing or eating or seeing. Since more and more smart phones have decent cameras and there are many applications for editing and enhancing them, more people are taking photos with their phones and so why not share them?
My favorite solutions posted so far are:
Failure For a Change, which would allow art students to try selling their artwork as a way to learn about creating an entrepreneurial venture. I love this because it encourages a practical view on making a career out of a passion. Unfortunately, failure is the most effective method to lead to growth and new knowledge, so the more you can get out of the way while still in school the better.
Solar Art is a great idea. First, more art on the roads is always great. Making it productive is even better. Perhaps starting with making existing solar panels would be best, then as technology makes them more efficient and able to store and transmit energy enough to make it worth putting solar panels in other public areas, make those artistic as well.
Drug Treatment Rather Than Jail Time is an idea for drug offenders to be given rehabilitation while they are incarcerated. This isn't a new idea. I think the key issues with getting this started are twofold. First, someone would have to pay the drug treatment counselors. Second, effective treatment involves compassion, which is something our corrections system is not familiar with.
I wish the site had more feedback from users and better search functions. In addition, if a high school or undergrad teacher is going to require students to post ideas on a certain topic, they should be reviewed before they are posted. It seems like there are many ideas on similar themes that are not thought out and have a lot of spelling errors, etc. These clutter the site a bit.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Spent
Spent is an online "game" of sorts that simulates the experiences and ups and downs of the budget for a person who is barely surviving economically. It is formatted well and easy to use and a great tool for helping people see how difficult it is to live on a low wage.
I don't think I learned much specific as far as new information from the site, but it did remind me of worries I have had at other times in my life, such as the grocery shopping exercise. Healthy foods are very expensive. It is easier to live off of soup, hot dogs and spaghetti than worry about fat, sodium and fiber content, which would require a sacrifice in other areas.
The game format was helpful to illustrate how the bank balance was going up or (mostly) down. The timeline to the right also helped emphasize how many days were left in the month. I also liked that the game gave feedback on the choices I made and what people typically do in the same situations.
I do not feel like the game was biased. There were some unfortunate circumstances, but they were all plausible and in life it does seem that we get kicked when we are down sometimes, even if it is just because we have less coping skills as things mount. In fact, I thought it was strange that while I did have a job there was no expense for childcare. Infant care usually starts at over $100 per week, which would have broken my bank. Also, the grocery shopping part did not say for how long I needed to shop, so I only spent $30, which, of course my child and I could never live on for a month. If anything, I think it was easier than real life.
Another group of citizens that could be represented by a virtual experience like this could be a person with a decent job and insurance that has a medical crisis and the issues they have to deal with such as missing work, insurance company denying claims, calls from collections, etc.
I really liked this and plan to share it with friends.
I don't think I learned much specific as far as new information from the site, but it did remind me of worries I have had at other times in my life, such as the grocery shopping exercise. Healthy foods are very expensive. It is easier to live off of soup, hot dogs and spaghetti than worry about fat, sodium and fiber content, which would require a sacrifice in other areas.
The game format was helpful to illustrate how the bank balance was going up or (mostly) down. The timeline to the right also helped emphasize how many days were left in the month. I also liked that the game gave feedback on the choices I made and what people typically do in the same situations.
I do not feel like the game was biased. There were some unfortunate circumstances, but they were all plausible and in life it does seem that we get kicked when we are down sometimes, even if it is just because we have less coping skills as things mount. In fact, I thought it was strange that while I did have a job there was no expense for childcare. Infant care usually starts at over $100 per week, which would have broken my bank. Also, the grocery shopping part did not say for how long I needed to shop, so I only spent $30, which, of course my child and I could never live on for a month. If anything, I think it was easier than real life.
Another group of citizens that could be represented by a virtual experience like this could be a person with a decent job and insurance that has a medical crisis and the issues they have to deal with such as missing work, insurance company denying claims, calls from collections, etc.
I really liked this and plan to share it with friends.
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