What's a Flynn Effect?

     Johnson makes a solid argument for the Sleeper Curve causing the Flynn Effect by showing a correlation between the two and the elimination of possible lurking variables. Among the variables targeted are education, nutrition, ethnic differences, and multiple takings of the tests measuring IQ.  That leaves the environment as the only obvious variable, and Johnson continues to reduce the list. He rules out the migration to urban environments as a factor, and refutes the claim that already visually intelligent people constitute the majority of gamers; showing that videogames may indeed be making people smarter. In conjunction with studies showing games improved visual and memory skills, the Sleeper Curve appears to be to most influential factor contributing to the Flynn Effect.
    The trend of increasing complexity in games is for the most part obvious. With consoles that can store more memory and have somewhat lifelike graphics, game designers can program so much more content into games. As the consoles become more advanced, so do the games to keep up with popular demand. In today’s market, any game like Pong or Galaga would ignored by the majority of gamers due to their simplicity. Just as Johnson mentions how television series must be made more complex to sustain multiple reruns in Everything Bad is Good for You, game designers must make videogames similarly (in complexity anyway) to entice gamers to buy the games.

The Colbert Report February 15, 2011 - LCD Soundsystem

    In the newest episode of his show, Stephen Colbert addresses a number of current issues, from former dictator Hosni Mubarak’s Valentine’s Day depression to how our nation’s security is threatened every day by “tiny terrorists”. All of this is done with a thorough coating of sarcasm, which only serves to make the arguments stronger. In case there any doubt, it is a fake news show comedy, although Colbert states whatever he says like he means it.
    This episode, like most other comedies, makes a number of references to previous episodes and current events without explanation. Just as Steven Johnson says, “The show gets funnier [...] because the creators refuse to supply flashing arrows to translate the gags for the uninitiated” (87). The small references do make the episode more hilarious, even if it is only three words. Besides the references to the previous episode from a week ago, this episode has the standard jokes making fun of other shows, which Johnson also examines.
    The Colbert Report: Special Report investigates whether small children such as toddlers should be tried as adults, and with the bold claim of policy that they indeed should, supports it with rock solid evidence. With several parents of young children interviewed, and even a lawyer in opposition to such a policy, there was little in favor of the toddlers. In the toddlers’ interviews, they incriminated themselves, revealing a darker side to a normally innocuous group. Proponents of the status quo argued that toddlers do not have the intelligence to understand what jail is, but in an interview, one toddler clearly explained that, “[J]ail is where bad people go”. Supporters also argued that toddlers could be taught instead of being sent to jail, such as by withholding chocolate milk priviledges. When asked for their response to a hypothetical scenario where they lit their neighbor’s cat on fire and chocolate milk was subsequently taken away, another toddler replied, “I would do it again”. This apalling response clearly demonstrated that all toddlers are “unapologetic sociopaths”, in the words of the Colbert Report: Special Report investigator. As such, our nation’s young cirminals should not be able to get away with their actions any longer.
    With the mock seriousness of a real news show, Colbert delivers humorous yet solid arguments on many current issues, and makes for a good show to watch.