tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27534975.post115721140400089329..comments2023-03-24T20:16:27.562+08:00Comments on Letters from Peace Corps: August 27: I hate chemistry王美安http://www.blogger.com/profile/13984871818839561152noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27534975.post-1157217365760605082006-09-03T01:16:00.000+08:002006-09-03T01:16:00.000+08:00Jennifer, One of the few things I remember from an...Jennifer,<BR/><BR/> One of the few things I remember from anthropology about oral cultures is that memorization is keyed to rhymes or rhythms. For example, poems with a regular meter, or commercials' jingles. The rhythm helps recall the content. <BR/><BR/> In northern India, the Upanishad holy books were passed - orally - from father to son via long rhythmic songs. The boys eventually learned the entire thing, thousands of words long - verbatim- , through chanting and singing alone.<BR/> <BR/> Another example of this are the schoolyard songs we all learned: "London Bridge is falling down.. falling down.. falling down.." These rhymes are passed from child to child and have remained unchanged for over 200 years. Just passed word of mouth between children.<BR/> <BR/> I suspect that one of the reasons rap music is so popular is because the US has reasserted oral culture characteristics, largely thanks to television and radio. Lord knows our literacy rates are falling.<BR/><BR/> I can only imagine that teaching kids to think for themselves instead of reciting facts, is quite difficult. I wish I had any sort of suggestion for that.<BR/><BR/> The bedbugs though, apparently they get their moisture through their skin.. they have no drinking apparatus. You might be able to reduce their presence by airing out your bedding every day. Creating a dry environment in your bed, instead of trapping your body's moisture between the sheets when you get up. But then, perhaps you don't use sheet. How hot is it at night anyway?<BR/><BR/> Be well..<BR/> . <BR/> Neil<BR/><BR/>PS. blog about what you eat sometime!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com