Watching TV Makes You Smarter [NYT blogerated link]: Steven Johnson thoughtfully dissects the increasing use of layered, limited-perspective narrative in television and argues that the increasing use of this strategy “makes you smarter,” a pretty shaky thesis. His analysis is pretty interesting, though. I found the bogus cheerleading for the dubious notion that this kind of narrative is necessarily a good-for-your-noggin brain excercise pretty weak.

The depth of analysis applied to the plot structures of the shows he looks at is pretty cool, though. I guess my issue is this: if the writer is capable of such careful work, why not conduct emprical studies that validate or invalidate the thesis? The basic argument is that the use of complex plot structures and narrative methodologies must require more brain work from the viewer. If this is so, and it seems reasonable, does this necessarily translate to “smarter”?

I’d have to guess that it’s demonstrably not so. Mastering complexity is a routine feature of traditional responses to comic books, science fiction, baseball and other sports (statistics!) and music. Managing the reams of data beloved by the respective fan-cultures may well be an activity that folks with a certain intellectual bent engage in. But I’m not so sure it makes them smarter. I’d guess that the activity follows the prediliction.

Still, an interesting read.

Recently, for reasons unknown, I noted myself wondering about a couple of old friends from Bloomington, Melissa Overton and Jenna Hanes. I most recently saw Melissa on my last visit to the town, in 1999, I think. It’s possible I actually saw her on the prior visit.

I haven’t seen Jenna for years and years, though. It was my impression that she was working for Bloomingfoods at the time I was there last but it’s clearly possible that that was only true ten or more years ago. Googling for her proved a touch difficult as her name is partially shared by a porn star and a brand of clothing. I suppose creating this post means it’s possible that either person might come across it while eGoogling, in which case, hi ladies! Hope you are well!

Eventually, I did come across the minutes of a Bloomington Board of Zoning Appeals meeting in which a mighty battle was fought concerning a person’s chicken colony. Jenna appears to have testified in favor of the chickens, noting that she and her daughter enjoyed them. A surprisingly large number of people appear to have attended the meeting, all favoring chicken lib.

A pair of articles in the local paper by editor Carrol Krause were cited, and upon further investigation, I found this recent article on a chicken seminar held by none other than Carrol Krause: Chickens in the City.

This journalist student’s work cites one David Rollo, a member of the city’s Environmental Council, as recalling the chicken-oriented activism:

“There was one citizen’s group, called CLUCK, which stood for Citizens Love Urban Chickens,” he said. “They wanted a change in the municipal code so that they could keep chickens as pets and get their own eggs and such right at home.”

Sadly, no further trace of CLUCK was uncovered in using Google to scratch at the dirt of the farmweb. All power to the glorious people’s poultry protesters!

Cavers smash world depth record (BBC News): “A Ukrainian team has reached a record depth of 2,080m (6,822ft), passing the elusive 2,000m mark at Krubera, the world’s deepest known cave. The nine-strong group were part of a project that has made breaking the 2,000m depth its goal for four years. They built on records set by a previous expedition, which blasted through blocked passages in the cave.”

I am unaccountably amused by this headline.

Slashdot: Project Management Solutions for Mac OS X?

Noted.