The following two quotes are attributed to the late science fiction writer Isaac Asimov: "Education isn't something you can finish." "Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is." The prolific Asimov, who wrote or edited over 500 books and penned roughly 90,000 postcards and letters in his lifetime, was absolutely correct on both counts. It's a shame that in this age of rapid technological advancement, students leave education in the rear-view mirror, maintaining that their learning days are surely over. But who says that we have to dump our books in crates as soon as we snag our diploma? Why not continue delving into Shakespeare, Newton, or Lincoln even after we've left the Ivory Tower? What many people fail to realize is that schools, colleges, and universities merely scratch the surface of the course offerings they make available to students. You can't possibly expect more than a cursory look, for exa...

I watch Jeopardy! every night -- it is hands down one of my favorite shows. I couldn't help but notice that men tend to dominate when it comes to certain categories, including: History Political science Geography Science Math On the other hand, women fare a lot better at subjects like food, poetry, writing, language, and entertainment. I've heard for years now that there's a major shortage in women embarking on careers in such sciences as engineering. It seems hard to believe, as I found many of the brightest students in my math and science classes to be female. It seems more women like gravitating toward the soft/people sciences (psychology, sociology, and so on) than the natural variety (chemistry, biology, etc.). Well, I'm living proof (as you can see by this blog) that men, too, can be passionate about the softer, people-driven sciences. I've always been math- and science-averse, a stark contrast to my wife, who's a science teacher an...