journal 96 feb 26th 09

opposites often exaggerate an idea

who is this gentlemen?

what is his financial/social position in society

what if the same guy was sitting by a fish pond?

what if he were surrounded by college students on a grassy knoll?

in this picture the gentlemen looks like a  homeless person.  the fact he is sitting by a wall on the street while people pass him by give this impression.  if he was sitting by a fish pond you might just this it was some old man by the pond to just spend some time outside enjoying life.  if he were surrounded by college students on a grassy knoll you might think he is a teacher, or a guest lecturer talking to the students about whatever subject he may be teaching or familiar with.

journal 95 feb 25th 09

objects and ideas only make sense in relationship to other objects or ideas

why do we see this kitten as tiny?

would it possible to make it look huge?

how?

i think we see it as tiny because that is just a common concept with baby kitties.  also with the ears being down and the eyes closed, it gives the message that the kitten was born just a short time ago.  plus with the kitten being in the palm of someone's hand gives the impression that it is tiny.

if you wanted to make the kitten look huge, you would need to place objects around it that were smaller, but could possible be big.  something to give the false impression of size.  maybe place it in a box that could be in any size but it barely fits in.  

journal 94 feb 24th 09

if you break me, i do not stop working.  if you touch me and i may be snared.  if you lose me, nothing will matter.  what am i?

the heart.

journal 93 feb 23rd 09

you are lost in the wilderness without a compass, GPS, cell phone, etc, you have lost your sense of direction, but know that there is a creek to the west of you about 10 miles.  if you can find the creek and follow it, you are sure to find people camping and fishing who can help you.

over the course of 10 miles you could veer north or south by only a few degrees and you would miss the creek.

come up with three ways that you can find north.

you may use the web if you need it to help you find the three solutions. 

one way is the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  you could go by that to determine which direction to go. 

brush typically is thicker on the south side than the north side.  

at night find the north star!

journal 91 feb 19 09

using the four identical dice, identify how the dots are laid out on a die.  use the image beow to help you place the dots in their proper order.

1 = 4

2 = 2

3 = 3

4 = 5

5 = 1

journal 90 feb 18th 09

a person is lying dead in the middle of a field.  four feet away is a backpack the contents of which was meant to save his life, but instead was the cause of his death. he did not intentionally kill himself and nobody else harmed him.  he did not die of natural causes.  what was the man carrying in his backpack?

spoiled food or water?

real answer: parachute, failed parachute

journal 89 feb 17th 09

begin with an unmarked tub that contains a little more than 17 gallons of water.

you have a three gallon and a five gallon measuring device.  without losing any water, measure out four gallons and twelve gallons into two separate unmarked tubs.

you cannot retrieve water from the unmarked tubs once you have added it. 

first fill up the 5 gallon and dump it until the 3 gallon.  then dump the 2 remaining until tub a and the 3 gallon in tub b.  repeat this and you have your four gallon tub filled.  then fill up the 3 gallon two more times to make the twelve.