Respondus Lockdown Browser will 'lock' the student's screen so that s/he can't go anywhere else but that test page. It doesn't minimize, alt/tab, or allow any access to new tabs/windows etc. Of course, that pre-supposes that the student doesn't have a cell or some other device to find answers with, even if it's just to text ChaCha with LOL

I was a beta-tester, as well. I liked the questing content, but making things with the virtual bricks didn't appeal to me, at all. It was tedious! If that was supposed to draw people into the game, maybe that was its downfall? I'm not an avid Lego builder at home, but maybe the virtual building was to attract all those people who are

Person of Interest, anyone? :P

I got a FB account because my siblings wanted me to keep up on what my nieces and nephews are up to, 1500 miles away. But, I used a pseudonym (and I'm sure they thought me weird, but I've always kept my real name off the internets), and the only 'friends' I have are my immediate family and their kids.

My profile contains the books/movies, etc. that I like, but it doesn't contain any personal information, including location/work/school, etc.
I use FB purity to block most of the bullshit, too.

I'm a 'fan' of many pages, though--mostly entertainment and retail-related. I've won a whole lot of freebies and books from random drawings, etc. from vendors and blogs that are in my feed. I get discounts and coupons before they are released to the public or even newsletter subscribers. I have no desire to keep up with people I haven't seen in years, especially those from 'back home.'

 

I heard her on NPR last week. She's nuts :)

The SciFi Channel's blog had it biggest comment thread EVER (over 1000) on their post of the announcement of their name change to SyFy in July of er....2008, was it?. Most of the comments were negative. I wish I could say the name change was the beginning of the end for what was, once, our fave niche channel, but it wasn't; it merely cemented its ongoing dissolution into drivel and tripe.

There's nothing left to watch. With so many past sci fi (and fantasy) shows available, including those from the UK, they could have just gone the syndication route--I'd bet a lot of us would still be watching. Since they are a niche channel, they aren't going to garner network-type ratings numbers, but they could have gotten CW ratings numbers.

The joy I felt at the airing of Dark Shadows on day one of the SciFi Channel's reign was too short-lived :(

I have only 14 friends. But, they are only my nieces and nephews, brother and sister. I use a pseudonym on FB--and no real pictures or personal info. I've done a good job of keeping my real self and life off the 'net, thus far. The only reason I use FB at all is to keep up with what my family, 2000 miles away, is doing. I live in a different place--live a different life--and have little interest in the idiots I went to school with or most people in my past. I like the FB feed, though--I 'Like' my favorite companies and retailers and receive lots of coupons, discounts, free books and other free things of substance because of that feed :)

Whether or not you liked Caprica, what the channel-formerly-known-as-SciFi did with it is unforgivable. The whole channel is unforgivable, at this point. They had the opportunity to make themselves into a GREAT genre channel, given the number of ideas and shows they could create/steal from BBC/ITV, but they went the cheap route, instead, and fed the mindless US viewers that want pseudoreality programming. That's what SyPhy claims their viewers want, at any rate--along with things like Sharktopus movies. The kicker is they green-lighted a pilot by Eddie Olmos called BSG: Blood and Chrome (or something like that) that follows Adama during the first Cylon war--more explosions than drama, and I guess they think THIS is going to appeal more to their audience. Don't EVEN get me started on their unnecessary remake of Being Human....

Rebel Space! Anyone play it on Prodigy? It was a turn-based, play-by-email game from Stormfront Studios, around the early to mid-90s. Stormfront shut it down, and many of us went to The Realm, then EQ. Some started playing VGA Planets, too.
        ~theprincess!

This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but....adult education centers offer all their services for free; one of the things that may of them use is software programs like Plato or A+LS. Those programs can give you an assessment, and a prescribed list of lessons based on the assessment. I'm a college admin but found myself in the position of having to tutor some h.s. kids after not having done 'school' math in 20 years. Using A+LS with the students (the college uses it for remedial math courses), I 'refreshed' my memory for algebra and geometry. The math subjects goes all the way through calculus (or at least pre-calc, IIRC).

I have magnificent Catholic-school penmanship--that I learned 40 years ago at St. Ray's in the Bronx. We had to use a cartridge (fountain) pen and could only use a pencil for math. It was a graded subject back then. The years have changed my writing some; it's more relaxed but it's still perfectly legible and looks rather nice on a hand-addressed envelope :P

I still love to hand-write letters--I correspond that way with a few people who refuse to use a computer. I took copious notes in college and grad school, in script, in fountain pen. I have beautiful writing papers and some beautiful fountain pens, too--people are fascinated with them, if they see me using one--they're not familiar with them at all and always ask to try my pen :)

There's always going to be a need to write legibly--I guess purpose and function are the name of the game now, making printing the way to go, for most. Even some printing isn't legible, though.

NCLB has pushed away several things that used to be taught in schools to young children. Sad part is, all the money going to the schools isn't really making that much of an improvement.

IIRC, Summer was a ballerina before acting. I'd have to go look it up but I read something about that when I was reading up on Firely awhile back. If she maintains those workouts, or close to them, and even if she eats properly, she isn't going to gain much weight.

I liked the show but I really liked the last few episodes. Yes, we all know the 'main' story. But there are so many other stories that can be told in and around that main story. The fun thing about programs like this one are all the loose ends that appear as well as the circles within circles. Decent writers can take one on a merry ride. LOST is a great example of that. I wish someone else would pick it up but I think all the main actors are onto other projects, at this point. Lots of new scifi/fantasy stuff coming in the fall--let's hope for something decent.

LOL, aye, I did but I thought I had read somewhere that the dead may not be ...dead.

...Sylar needs to die in order to do that :P