Last week on The 404 Podcast, we talked about the Boy Scouts of America's newest merit badge for Geocaching that teaches young men how to use a GPS Navigation device to locate hidden containers across the world. Today, the Scouts have added a new tech-related achievement--a merit badge for playing video games.
To earn the patch, the Boy Scouts will have to explain why a rating system for games are important, create a schedule with an adult to play games after chores and homework are done, and to only play games approved by a parent, guardian, or teacher.
Geocaching? Video games? Were the Boy Scouts always such tech nerds? Don't they belong to the outdoorsy subcategory of dorks? In fact, the three of us specifically chose not to join the Boy Scouts (unless you count Webelo Yu) as children, favoring LAN parties and D&D tournaments instead. So here's our idea: how about rewards for learning computer skills that actually have a purpose, maybe for building a Web site or learning how to use Adobe Photoshop? As it stands, look out for a lot more overweight, lazy Scouts rolling to a crosswalk near you.
404 listeners with a fear of flying will either be terrified or relieved by the FAA asking all airlines to ensure the concentration of their pilots in flight, which includes restricting pilots' use of personal electronics like laptops and handheld gaming devices.
We're alarmed that this is even a problem, but the FAA cited a case in Minnesota where a plane flew 150 miles off course because the pilots were too distracted by their laptops to pay attention to the navigation controls. So the next time you walk by the cockpit and see the pilots playing Microsoft Flight Simulator X, send them this link but maybe tell them to read it later.
When Iranican cleric Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi was quoted last week blaming earthquakes on "women who do not dress modestly," American student Jen McCreight took it upon herself to create the Boobquake Facebook Group with hopes that all members would join her on April 26 in showing tons of cleavage to disprove their supernatural powers.
Well, in an ironic twist of fate, Taiwan suffered a 6.5 magnitude earthquake on April 26, validating Sedighi's cause-effect hypothesis to some. In reality, dozens of quakes occur dozens of times a day on Earth, and the Boobquake creators consider the day a success since the goal was to see if such phenomena increased in number or severity.
Either way, the guys at The 404 fully support your cause, Jen McCreight. Please let us know if you need shopping tips or wardrobe styling- we're happy to help!
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