Pen Pals (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 15) Data Hears a Who

Rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation A new-to-me “Data Hears a Who” character story, featuring a multi-layered philosophical jam session in Picard’s quarters, a substantial B-plot for Wesley, and some tacked-on science-fictiony frippery for the groundlings. I started watching the show late at night, and lost interest when Wesley was steeling himself in the hallway…

MoonBot (from the family #steampunk bedtime RPG 2007-2013) vs. a crate and lamps.

MoonBot (from the family steampunk bedtime RPG 2007-2013) vs. a crate and lamps.

Similar:More modeling in #blender3d. Very happy with reflections and lighting. (The teacup is a po…DesignAirport retro video games collect spare coins in SwedenFliers arriving at Swedens two biggest a…AestheticsSocial Distancing: Because the Needs of the Many Outweigh the Needs of the FewEmpathyBooks Come Alive! Catalina Magdalena Cast (Stage Right Greensburg)  The cast for “Catalina Mag…BooksPage…

On the Hatred of Literature

Going back to Plato—perhaps the first hater of literature on record—philosophers and religious authorities have attacked art for the same reasons our professors taught us to deconstruct and distrust it: because it is unpredictable, unreasonable and often inconsistent with their preferred politics or morality. It was also a lesson that was destined, in the years…

Dennis G. Jerz | Associate Professor of English -- New Media Journalism, Seton Hill University | jerz.setonhill.edu Logo

In January 2000, I was blogging about dancing paperclips, the transience of literary judgement, “bafflegab,” and a planned B&N/Microsoft online bookstore

In January 2000, I was blogging about Dancing paperclips and telemarketers A “100 best novels” list published in 1899 Updike’s prequel to Hamlet The “bafflegab” jargon generator “Bookseller Barnes & Noble is teaming with Microsoft to build a new online e-book store.” (but the link is dead) Similar:George Stone Credits Scott Adams Adventure Games for…

I do not know why this antique service button from my campus cafeteria delights me so.

Similar:Faces the girl makes during her Luisa monologue. (Four more chances to see The Fantasticks…AestheticsNotes on watching "Aliens" for the first time again, with a bunch of kids”This movie has so many cliches in it,” …CultureRobot wars: 100 years on, it's time to reboot Karel Čapek's RURI was honored to play Alquist in Artisti…BooksThe AI…

Over time, Google has made paid ads harder to spot

  In 2007, Google changed the long-standing shaded background indicating the ads section of the page from blue to yellow. In 2008, it then briefly tried a green background before reverting back to yellow. Google continued to test variations of background colors including bright blue and a light violet. In 2010, violet officially replaced the…

Tuxedo Pooh Reads Oscar Wilde

I spent an hour on this. Below is the original version, as generated by imageflip.com, before my edits. Similar:Non-Euclidean Doom, where the value of pi is not 3.14159Weirdly beautiful. Wonderful bit of game…CybercultureSources tell Seton Hill University's Dennis Jerz that TV news websites emphasize self-prom…Sources tell Seton Hill University’s Den…BusinessSupport the arts in your community!…

Dennis G. Jerz | Associate Professor of English -- New Media Journalism, Seton Hill University | jerz.setonhill.edu Logo

During a modest snowfall, I’m passing the time in a public place where someone else has turned on the local TV news. #StormSurge #FearCast #manipulation

Stay tuned for more live footage of StormSurge FearCast Weather Crusaders, standing in the cold, snow blowing in their faces! Media personalities, warning everyone to stay inside, except of course for the media personalities paying back student loans by churning out anxiety-producing live reports like this one! Our own Slick Goodhair, telling you just how…

Me loving my birthday truck, c. 1971.

  I adored this truck, and spelling words with the letters. When I got older, it was the shuttlecraft for my Star Trek figures. Similar:Florida Woman Bites CamelIdentifying her as a “Florida woman,” as…AestheticsBeam me up, Chewie!AwesomeDespite its impressive output, generative AI doesn’t have a coherent understanding of the …[A] popular type of generative AI…

Physics simulation demo: crate made up of mostly loose boards. #Blender3d #design #practice

Physics simulation demo: crate made up of mostly loose boards. #Blender3d #design #practice Similar:The Great Gatsby Character Map SomethingSoSam.AestheticsAll those fights over late-ar­riv­ing mail bal­lots were much ado about very lit­tleJust in case you haven’t been thinking l…CultureWhere No One Has Gone Before (TNG Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 5) Wes's warp-drive guru help…Rewatching ST:TNG after…

A brief respite from grading.

A brief respite from grading. Similar:Now I can relax a bit. (But just a bit.)PersonalDatalore (TNG Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 12) Data's bro wants to be with a big crystal tr…In “Datalore,” an encounter with Data’s …CultureSo this is Pi DayMy wife says she bought the pies intendi…AmusingOpens Wednesday.PersonalMore #blender3d #steampunk goodness. #design #aesthetics #blender3dart…

As Twinkle Twinkle is to Suzuki musicians, so is a wooden shipping crate to CGI modelers. #Blender3D #design #practice

I have certainly made more complex scenes, but this time, I modeled each board, getting the grain of the wood at least plausibly right on each face, and placing each nail realistically. Following the workflow for creating game assets, I converted the completely realistic 3D simulation with 3D boards and nails into flat images. The…

As Twinkle Twinkle is to Suzuki musicians, so is a wooden shipping crate to CGI modelers. #Blender3D #design #practice

I have certainly made more complex scenes, but this time, I modeled each board, getting the grain of the wood at least plausibly right on each face, and placing each nail realistically. Following the workflow for creating game assets, I converted the completely realistic 3D simulation with 3D boards and nails into flat images. The…

Snowfall at the White House (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour, Jan 7) Tweeted by WH on Jan 12

My social media feed was full of people mocking the White House yesterday for publishing a photo titled “First snow of the year!” on a day when Washington had clear skies and freakishly warm weather. What was the Trump administration trying to pull? Why would they publish such a blatant lie? It wasn’t a lie.…