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August 30, 2005

WTF Japan: Making handmade CD players in school

A group of 4th graders in Japan who attended Sony's ExploraScience event were able to create working homemade (and hand cranked) CD players as they learn about basics of its digital signal technology. They were provided simple optical sensors to read paper cutouts that had different notes encoded in face-melting 3-bit audio (enough for 8 notes). <rant> This is what's wrong with America. Over there they are teaching kids how to understand technology and science, but over here we are replacing biology books with bibles. In 20 years Japan will be in its protective orbital hover-dome looking down on us as we Americans sacrifice virgins to please the sun, ensuring it will rise the next day. </rant> I guess we shall always look to Japan for a glimpse of the future (actually it's already wednesday there).