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:Younger friends, can you write or read cursive?…
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:First time experimenting with depth of field. The pilot's perch in a fancy #steampunk crui… AestheticsNational Headline Contest 2011Great headlines from winner David Bowman…AestheticsSesame Street had a big plot twist in November 1986My older siblings say they remember our …CultureFacebook Updates News Feed So Your Favorite Friends Rise to the TopNow, News Feed, at…
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:In January, 2002 I was blogging about… A 20-something former CEO takes a fa…Books“The author talks about [topic]” is filler. Your professors want your college-level ideas.AcademiaDesert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn and Teller are involved…
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:Younger friends, can you write or read cursive? I’m curious.CultureZagg Rugged iPad Air2 keyboard case — USB mini socket came right out with the plug. Grr!I have not had much luck…
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:13: The Musical Promohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40MbeApiX…Culture#medievalyork #blender3d #unity3d #mysteryplay #designMy pageant wagons move! But the script n…AestheticsLive theater. August Wilson's Jitney, in the back yard of the August Wilson…
Physics simulation demo: crate made up of mostly loose boards. #Blender3d #design #practice Similar:BlewsMicrosoft researchers discuss Blews, whi…CybercultureThe boy approved of the WWII historical fiction Dunkirk. CultureScratchy "Cloak of Darkness" on Scratch”Scratchy Cloak of Darkness” is based on…AestheticsSynergistic Synthesis XVII Sub B1 Chair by Kenneth SmytheAfter my daughter’s theater workshop, I …AestheticsA young father sold his…
A brief respite from grading. Similar:Son took out trash w/o being asked; daughter wore papercraft tophat to grocery store. Life…I took my daughter to an Alice-in-Wonder…ArtMy #AugustWilson #Steampunk NightmareToday is my last official day teaching a…AcademiaIf I don’t hang my own artwork on the walls of my #steampunk fantasy ship-of-the-line, who…AestheticsComfort the afflicted and afflict…
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:They're coming in faster than I can mark them. This number will be higher tonight, so I'm …PersonalA…
Feeling classy while I lose. Similar:Stage Right's 'Seussical' offers songs, messagesThe Tribune-Review does a great job cove…Current_EventsThe ballroom of my #steampunk fantasy space cruiser is now a less lonely place. Thanks to watching many, many YouTub…AestheticsOn the way to closing night of "Orphans."PersonalFrog and Toad at the Mountain Playhouse with the daughter.Frog and Toad at…
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…