For those paying close attention to technology news, it’s hard to escape the recent emphasis on coding and education.

Like math, science or even language, coding is a learned skill that has many applications. Most of them involve creating something, which is a foreign expertise as of late. As we’ve seen the collapse of the finance sector, many are rethinking the trends in education.  As I studied classics in college, I can attest that my grasp of syntax and semantic range does little to improve daily life (of course, I can make a case for the other side as well).

In the science-math category is coding.  This is how everything digital is built and it’s what’s at fault when software doesn’t work.

More and more, computer science classes are popping up in schools.  When I was in school, I was always afraid to try the CS classes for fear of negatively affecting my GPA and, it seemed, coding was for the boys….

Well, times are changing.  Since coding is like learning a language though it requires no mastery of authentic accent, one can learn simply by sitting in front of a computer.  And that’s where Codecademy comes in.

Codecademy is an online resource for interested people to learn how to code.  It’s a free program focusing on Javascript (at least at the start) that promises proficiency.

Jumping on the resolution bandwagon, Codecademy started ‘Code Year,’ where participants are sent a weekly course that leads them through the basics (and not so basics) or coding, so by the end of the year they will actually be able to create something.

The program caught on quickly and nearly 350,000 users have signed up to participate (myself included).   Reinforcing the importance of keeping coding in America and New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also signed up for Code Year.

This weekend I sat down to do my first lesson, expecting something that wouldn’t force me to flex my muscles for too long.  Welp, I was wrong.  The first lesson took me over and hour and the LAST exercise has me stumped.

I’m about to embark on Week 2 and look forward to learning more.  I am not confident I’ll make it through the whole year (this is hard!), but I’m looking forward to trying.

Via Tech Crunch

Even though this was announced last week, the fact that Facebook has created its own market replacing dollars.  Let’s take a step back though, I feel I need to explain myself.

There is this subset of people called gamers who spend hours on their computers playing computer games.  These games aren’t the computer game you grew up with like the Sims or Roller coaster Tycoon,  these games like World of Warcraft and Farmville allow the user to interact with other gamers in real time, thereby creating a parallel universe that can rival the real one (or so I hear).

In these Farmville’s and WoW games users pay real money for digital tools.  Yes, self respecting humans fork over cold hard cash to buy a new plow for their fake farm.  I guess we all need a hobby… who am I to judge.

Anyway, smart retailers found a way to harness (read: exploit) these gamers want of fake items and abundant free time; that is to say that companies have started using gamers in exchange for these fake goods.  Some companies, like People Browsr, use the gamers as mechanical turks in order to filter through online content.  A gamer answers a few question in exchange for an ax or two.  Facebook took this one step further by offering shopping as an alternative to paying money.

What!? Why didn’t anyone think of this earlier.

Users earn this Facebook currency by shopping at partner websites.  So someone earns a certain number of points for joining Netflix or buying the latest Groupon.

So, Facebook hasn’t created a currency to rival the dollar or the Euro (though who knows what the future holds), it has created an exchange market that while not completely free, serves a certain group of people that could be extended beyond.

But no, I received a couple emails from friends asking what this email was about.  Apparently, it went ahead and sent out the email to my contacts.  Great.  Strangely, though, not all of them.  Not sure how it chose which to send it to.

I ran a virus scan, and sure enough, I had a Trojan Horse.  What a bummer.  But I guess this is a lesson learned.  Be careful about opening emails!  I apologize if you received the email.

In the 1990′s, internet users we connecting with with each other via whatever means they could.  Those who were early email adopters, emailed.  Others spent time in chat rooms.  While fewer people (it seems) spend time in chat rooms, we are still having similar interactions as we did in the 90′s.  Twitter its just a fancy version of AIM statuses.

It is just human nature to connect with people.  The internet allowed shy people the ability to connect in a safer atmosphere.  It connected people with similar interests who might never have met.   And it continues to, except through more venues.

It all has a different shade of lipstick, but nothing has changed.

I had started Vox Puellae as a sort of experiment. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to call it and didn’t want the commitment of buying a domain.  So after about two months I got over my fear of commitment.  Thus, The Acumenity was born.

What is The Acumenity?  Acumen as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

• Pronunciation: \ə-ˈkyü-mən, ˈa-kyə-mən\
• Function: noun
• Etymology: Latin acumin-, acumen, literally, point, from acuere
• : keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters

Latin, LATIN!

Keenness and depth of perception = insight.  Basically, I am not pretending to be an authority with this blog.  I am just sharing the things I stumble upon every day and giving my two cents.

In addition to aesthetics, I have added a Twitter account, @TheAcumenity, and email addresses, elizabeth@theacumenity.com or contactus@theacumenity.com.

Drop me an email, follow us on Twitter, become part of the community.

Much like everything these, Thanksgiving is going digital.  The Times studied consumer behavior surrounding Thanksgiving, and it turns out that if you were searching ‘stuffing’ last night at 1 a.m., you weren’t alone.  Instead of relying on grandma’s revered recipe, internet users are heading over to Allrecipes.com.

By Wednesday night at 9 p.m., 785,000 people had searched turkey recipes on Allrecipes.com.  In fact, the company built their servers to withstand the influx of users Thanksgiving brings and operates at only 50% capacity the rest of the year.

Butterball is bringing turkey into the 21st century.  They expect only 11,000 phone calls and know the action is online. Not only do they have staffers sitting on telephones ready to answer your turkey quandaries, they are also on twitter, tweeting tips and answer frantic questions.

Pretty soon I will have the daunting task of cooking my own Thanksgiving dinner, so it’s nice to know that I can just search YouTube and find out how to stuff a turkey.  I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!

Which is your favorite?



Cell phone companies need to make money — people need cell phones.  Even with the oligarchy of service providers, we are pretty much at their mercy.  The open networks and free phones are pretty appealing, but its kind of like how a doughnut is appealing, its fleeting.

In the article, Segan points out that the iPhone and the HTC Hero cost nearly the same amount, around $200.  However, the talk plan will cost $1,200 more on the iPhone over two years.  (Note:  he doesn’t give his sources for this information, so I am not sure how he came up with this number. )  We can all agree that the iPhone is a pretty neat and powerful machine, but is it really worth that price tag?

This summer, I was buying a new phone and faced the monster that is AT&T.  My previous phone was spotty and wasn’t acting reliably, and living in the city, I felt that I need a phone I could count on.  So I desperately headed over to the nearest store and was at the mercy of the sales person.

I had wanted to get off the family plan so were weren’t locked in for another two years.  I also wasn’t set on any phone when I walked in the store, but wanted some real advice.  I didn’t get either.  I ended up with a phone that I had don a fair amount of research on, but the sale person clearly had sale objectives and did not give me any real guidance.  I also thought that I had created my own plan, turns out, I was still on the family plan — and so will my family, for the next two years.

Whatever, I can deal with all that.  At least I was getting a rebate, right?  The purchase was a large one, but I told myself it was okay because I would be getting $100 back soon.  Nope.

I filled out the rebate exactly how I was supposed to and mailed it in before the deadline.  I even received a text saying that my rebated had been received and was being processed.  But then I didn’t hear anything.  I waited and waited, but nothing.  Finally, over two months later, I called the company and it turns out that my rebate had been rejected!  Why!?

I pushed the woman further and she disclosed that someone had accidentally marked the wrong box and that I did deserve the rebate.  Well, it’s been about six weeks since then, and still no rebate.

Finally, I received a text this morning, at 6:30 AM (icing on the cake, AT&T), saying that my rebate has shipped.  Awesome.

Apparently, my persistence was worth $100 and I will take that.  Now, what should I spend it on?

Admittedly, this seems a touch vapid.  Oh, how my life was changed by my $1,400 jacket.  However, the people who are willing to shell out the $1,400 for such a jacket must have a connection with it.  It is also a memorable purchase.

My father owns one and often tells the story of when he received it.  The story is a bit sappy and melodramatic (sorry, Dad), but would fit very well on this website.  He then bought one for my mother and subsequently my step-mother, more stories.

Burberry knows that to create life-long brand loyalist, it must connect with more than just style.  By expanding the meaning of the trench coat, it is expanding the brand.

But who cares about your trench coat?  Anyone who does research on the internet will.  I spend hours searching the internet.  In fact, the amount of time I spend searching for something is usually correlated with how much I like something.

I found myself searching Loeffler Randall far too frequently and I finally bought the long lusted after boots.  Same with people in the market for a high end trench coat.  There are people who want to make the educated choice.

Burberry is also controlling the tone of the conversation.  Rather than affiliating with a celebrity, they are creating their own identity for the trench coat, that is, you.

Also see the fabulous Sartorialst’s take.

I also commend Burberry for their use of Latin in naming their high end line Prorsum.