My students seem increasingly confused by the difference between journal title vs. article title

Sometimes students will submit bibliography entries that repeat a title — either the journal or the article.  I assume they are using an online citation generator and I assume they’re not bothering to check its output. What I had previously thought of as a random careless error now seems evidence of a paradigm shift. I’ve…

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:"The face of the last man on Earth." #alquist #rur #robots #capek #virtual #theater Gettin…AestheticsIf I don’t hang my own artwork on the walls of my #steampunk fantasy ship-of-the-line, who…AestheticsMS Paint AdventuresWonderfully silly take on old-school poi…AmusingHooded faculty and staff are loaded into the launch tube below Sullivan. @setonhillunivers…Hooded faculty and staff are loaded into…PersonalCommunities…

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:Journalists prefer plain language.AestheticsMy project starts to get…

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

Similar:Pagers, Pay Phones, and Dialup: How We Communicated on 9/11For much of the day, those aboard Air Fo…CultureAnother square of #steampunk control panel eye candy. #blender3d #blender3dart #design #a…AestheticsHow it feels to watch a user test your product for the first time Jonathon Shariat.AmusingVan Gogh Immersive Experience AestheticsRefreshing my memory of working with reel-to-reel tape…

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:From The 'London Times' of 1904A Mark Twain short story, written in 189…CybercultureInteresting. How to manage the gap between what we need to say, and what the other person …Interesting. I don’t particularly car…Culture2001: A Space Odyssey…

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:Yesterday we took advantage of a rare free day.At the Carnegie Museum of Art. AestheticsCarolyn appears as homeschooled teenager "Carolyn." Free holiday show Tuesday at 7. Personal8 (Short Halloween film by Josh…

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:Apple’s new diverse emoji are even more problematic than beforeThis author did a great job articulating…AestheticsBeard Typeface GuideChristian Goldeman felt compelled to mat…AestheticsKafka Meets Charlie BrownThis year marks the 100th anniversary of…AmusingToday’s adulting was brought to you by a failed motor vehicle…

A brief respite from grading.

A brief respite from grading. Similar:Full Bloom opens next weekend. Tickets 724-527-5777.PersonalSportsWorks Adventure at the Carnegie Science CenterI confess that I have never been all tha…CultureCrash site and Tower of Voices. Well worth the side trip on the way back from a weekend gi…Flight 93 crash site and Tower of Voices…CultureMisaligned interior and exterior portholes.…

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…