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…
Space Shuttle Challenger Destroyed (my reflection on the 28th anniversary in 2014) I was in my final semester of high school. I remember Principal Burch came over the loudspeaker to announce that the Challenger “blew up on the pad,” which I knew wasn’t true because I was watching a TV… probably in the library. Years…
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:Ancient Sea Rise Tale Told Accurately for 10,000…
Peter and I spoke to a reporter from EpochTimes.com after the Shen Yun show yesterday. I said I was interested to hear the group’s message in favor of religious freedom, and was surprised to encounter the anti-Communist stance. After I found this picture on the EpochTimes.com website, I scanned through its news feed and noted…
Similar:How do you know when your #steampunk fantasy cruiser has enough lamps? #blender3d #unity3dhttps://youtube.com/shorts/YF3z91jL7Pc …Aestheticsdungeon.jpg (JPEG Image, 2535×1616 pixels)Great Zork map.AestheticsHere is an example of how I teach with Inform 7.Here is an example of how I teach with I…AcademiaThe College Fear FactorWhat happens in a literature discussion …AcademiaThe #Blender3D #eevee denoising filter gives off…
One of seven touring groups devoted to sharing China’s traditional culture. The name means “beauty of divine dance.” Much emphasis on acrobatics and fluid motions. A recurring theme was interaction with the divine, and one number set in the present day focused on two brothers, one a police officer and one who falls in love…
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…
I spent an hour on this. Below is the original version, as generated by imageflip.com, before my edits. Similar:Woodward dismisses CNN's lawsuit against the White House; Fox sides with CNNBob Woodward, half of the Washington Pos…CultureNew Kindle Helps Readers Show Off By Shouting Title Of Book Loudly And Repeatedly New Kindle Helps Readers Show Off…
In a section of my dissertation, I dove into office gender politics of the late 1940s, in order to explore just what Arthur Miller’s original audiences would have thought about the wire recorder that appears in Death of a Salesman. In the play, Willy Loman’s boss Howard thinks of the cutting-edge device as a domestic…
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…
I adored this truck, and spelling words with the letters. When I got older, it was the shuttlecraft for my Star Trek figures. Similar:In major step, UCSF scientists translate unspoken words of paralyzed man into writingThe “neuroprosthetic” technology involve…AwesomeThesis Critique Activity: Another Use of a Class-edited Google DocA few weeks ago, I had students…
Tapdance / jazz music outing with the girl. Here’s a sample of what a Sarah Riech show is like. (Each one is different — lots of improv.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEiQQmMi2nQ Similar:Is Babylon 5 secretly the most influential TV show of the past 25 years?When my wife and I were grad students in…CultureWhy Marlon Brando’s Streetcar Co-Stars Couldn’t…
Physics simulation demo: crate made up of mostly loose boards. #Blender3d #design #practice Similar:Students whom I haven't met yet… Students whom I haven’t met yet, I’l…AcademiaAuthor of 80s classic The Hobbit didn't know game was a hit The Hobbit stood out from the advent…CybercultureIt's a thing to do.PersonalWhy the Weather Channel's Hype Has Lost Me for…
A brief respite from grading. Similar:My third time seeing @shu.pippin. I'll be back tomorrow for closing night.PersonalToday's 10 sq cm of a #steampunk control panel (background greebles for a personal project…AestheticsWhat about Socialization?Sometimes, I worry that by homeschooling…Current_EventsClassroom Vignette: MLA StyleStudent (shouldering backpack and headin…AcademiaFacebook paid Teen Vogue to run a fake article praising Facebook…
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…
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…
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.…
After FB crowed about this super-upbeat story, a notice appeared saying it was a paid editorial, and then the story disappeared. This looks very bad for Teen Vogue, and very bad for democracy. Read story on Boingboing. Similar:The Mystery of Charles Dickens by Joyce Carol OatesDickens is so brilliant a stylist, his v…Aesthetics7 web design…
Feeling classy while I lose. Similar:I just bought Diamond City.GamesChipping away at the total as the final submissions pour in.PersonalShall we dance? The girl tries on her ball gown for The King and I. Her featured show is …DanceA selfie with a Chekov action figure after learning of Anton Yelchin's deathCurrent_EventsReport to the bridge so…
Freedom of the press is not just important to democracy, it is democracy. Some basic concepts: What is Newsworthy? Recent events that are unusual, nearby, have widespread/significant impact, or involve celebrities are more newsworthy than events that are stale, distant, have limited/trivial impact, or happen to average people. (9 min audio.) Objectivity: Traditional journalism reports fairly…