One of my students is demonstrating the perceived value of brand-name vs no-name products. The Oreos are gone. She can't give away all the off- brand.

  Similar:Yesterday my stack of unmarked assignments was about 120, so this is not bad.Nothing in this stack is pressing, but t…AcademiaWhy I Rarely Blog about My Home Building ProjectsWe’re kind of in the eye of the storm, b…ModdingSharing a root beer float with your dad doesn't fix everything that's wrong in the world, …AestheticsThe…

Audisee Presents: The War of the Worlds

As new age synthesizer music, a rich baritone narrates: “Audisee presents: The War of the Worlds. The year is 2015 A.D. From the first launching into space, in 1961, to the establishment of a base on Jupiter this year, man has not encountered extraterrestrial life forms.” When I was about 10 or 11, I loved…

Amazing show. Young lovers, a witty (but often stupid) servant, speeches, rants, exaggerated "takes," and no villain at all, just misunderstanding upon misunderstanding.

  Similar:Jaw-dropping moments of insight and humanity. So funny, so edgy, so affirming! I did not e…PersonalBob Dylan's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speechhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TlcPRla…CultureA serious summer activity.Once classes start again, we will all ha…CultureFascinating details in reports about Trump's Russian retractionWe’re all still reeling from Trump’s sta…Current_EventsAugust Wilson Trifecta (Two Trains, Ma Rainey and Fences on the…

Where is the tipping point?

What if universities stopped buying academic journals, and put the money towards hiring editors who helped their faculty publish their scholarship in their own free, open-source journals? I don’t know how much labour goes into running a prestigious journal, but let’s say all the universities that really need those specialised mathematics journals sat down and…

Most Christians don’t actually care about Starbucks cups. Here’s what we do know.

No Christians in my social media feed care about the design of that cup. Lots of people in my social media feed have reposted stories critical of the silly Christians who get all worked up about the design of the cup. Full disclosure: I don’t drink coffee. [C]ontrary to a few breathless media reports, most Christians…

Reading should not carry a health warning

Similar:Explore – Laconic history of the world in a typographic map…Explore – Laconic history of the world i…AestheticsFYI, 13yo skool grl is nu US txt mssg chmpNContestants had to stand with their hand…AmusingKickball Ice Cream Maker Is Both a Stupid and Awesome Idea$35 Kickball Ice Cream Maker does exactl…AestheticsThe Toulmin model for analyzing arguments came…

Hanging with the rude mechanicals @setonhilluniversity

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Similar:Critical Thinking Rhetoric  The IdealistAcademiaA Dance Mom Gets Schooled by a Ballet Mistress Who Can WriteAvoid trying to publicly shame a ballet …ArtFancy a game of whist with your nemesis? The prospect of ruin adds piquancy to the pleasur…PersonalMy #AugustWilson #Steampunk NightmareToday is my last official day teaching a…AcademiaThe Struggle to…

Surprise: Humanities Degrees Provide Great Return On Investment

The conventional wisdom is that humanities majors are wasting all that tuition money and dooming themselves to lives of underemployment. The conventional wisdom is wrong. Humanities degrees are actually worth well more than the cost of college. […] The present value of the extra earnings that graduates in humanities majors can expect over their lifetime…

Seton Hill takes on Shakespeare’s ‘Dream’

Students in my Shakespeare class will be attending this play. Student actors at Seton Hill University are off on a journey through one of William Shakespeare’s most popular romantic comedies, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Not even the writing style of the Bard — sometimes difficult to master for those new to the playwright’s poetic verse…

Editors and editorial board quit top linguistics journal to protest subscription fees

When I publish as a scholar, my goal is not to make money, but to share my intellectual creation. That’s part of my job description, so my university writes my paycheck with the expectation that I will publish. My publications will have more impact if more people read them. Hiding them behind subscription paywalls will…

‘Star Trek’ TV Series in the Works

I am not sure what I think of this. I’m guessing it will feature new characters in the rebooted universe, but I don’t see any info on that. Who exactly was the audience for this vague announcement? The new Star Trek will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic…