Visualization of the 2009 U.S. National Budget

Given that it is an election year, our economy is not doing well, and the federal budget is in the red, this visualization, WallStats Death and Taxes 2009, that summarizes the entire U.S. Federal budget is really impressive. It is an example of a great visualization for a very complex set of information. WallStats.com provides this visualzation and you can buy a poster of it. I really like the online Flash interactive visualization.

Software Tools for a Third Grader

My son is in third grade. He started getting into building virtual models in the Sims game on the Wii and RollerCoaster Tycoon on the PC in first and second grade. I wish I had this stuff when I was a kid. I got into building models (the old fashion way with plastic and epoxy glue) around the same age. Times have certainly changed.

Now back to the virtual modeling. These virtual simulation games are a creative, entertainment, and learning outlet for him. I noticed that he is starting to get to a point in his young developing mind where creating more complex models, learning about science, math, and other things in life is consuming his curiosity. So I thought to myself, why not get him interested in beginning software development and see if he would be interested in that. I found this really good beginning programming language, Scratch, that was developed out of MIT and is targeted for kids that are at least 8-years old.

Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web. Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design

I test drove Scratch and then introduced my son to Scratch. It is like building software by using a Lego building blocks metaphor. Visually, you actually put pieces of software building blocks together that have shapes and colors. The shapes and colors represent a specific type of software component. (i.e., a looping construct is shaped similar to the letter 'C' where you place the loop's internal logic within the bounds of the 'C' shape.).

The Scratch tool is available for free and the associated web site allows you to publish your creations so they can be shared with anyone that has web access. Anyway, for any kid or young person that is interested in building models (physical or virtual), Scratch is another tool that may be of use. It works on Windows and the Mac. The most interesting aspect of Scratch is that it supports and encourages development of 21st century skills. It is not just for kids but for anyone that is interested in a new paradigm for developing software. It must be great to be a kid today. The best I can do is think like a kid and always keep that child-like curiosity. Everyone wants to be a kid at heart.