Conflict Strategies for Nice People

Nothing to do with Christmas… just thinking about the upcoming group projects due in my online J-Term course. I should also probably re-read some Dale Carnegie, which I do every few years. Teams need conflict to function effectively. Conflict allows the team to come to terms with difficult situations, to synthesize diverse perspectives, and to…

What’s wrong with the way I talk?

Wife & daughter competing w each other to imitate brassy actress from Singing in the Rain. “Whaat’s wrong wit’ da way I taawk?” #pleasestop Similar:Eclipse!PersonalBattle Lines (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 13) Bajor's spiritual leader joyri…Rewatching ST:DS9 Kira is annoyed to …CultureBlender 3D Flyover of Fantasy Steampunk Spacecraft When my kids were small, at…

Merry Christmas 2013

Similar:Yeah natural born creative genius is a cool myth, but have you tried grinding through hour…PersonalOn set as Betsy and Philip Schulyer in an historical film.PersonalThey both reached for the gun.PersonalMy student journos are meming it like bosses.PersonalBrian Williams is Giving NBC an Opportunity to Bravely Break with TraditionNBC has a marketing decision to make,…

Theory Trading Cards

This set of 21 Theory Trading Cards, published by AltaMira Press, is based upon the online trading cards which have been so popular at David Gauntletts website www.theory.org.uk. Being actual cards, these are two-sided and contain more information; and whereas the online cards were only an official set of 12, for the published version, 21 new…

RT @Historiator: “@dancohen: Finally upgraded to O…

RT @Historiator: “@dancohen: Finally upgraded to OS X 10.9. It feels like a Borges story about OS X 10.8.” @MikeArnzen @DennisJerz Similar:Overheard at Quora: "Why after all these years is Moodle still so ugly?"Moodle is a free course-management tool …AcademiaJury Duty UpdateI’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-…GovernmentRT @PhilKomarny: A floppy disc… In #context htt…RT @PhilKomarny:…

RT @Rhymestyle: First leaked photo from the set of…

RT @Rhymestyle: First leaked photo from the set of Star Wars Episode VII http://t.co/xji8x9J5zL Similar:Carolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of social media. To be c…Current_EventsI asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingJury Duty UpdateI’m a happy,…

RT @Historiator: Nicely balanced, real-time post m…

RT @Historiator: Nicely balanced, real-time post mortem on last night’s Twitter event. @DennisJerz @PhilKomarny @magawelek http://t.co/IwQ0… Similar:I asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingShe doesn't have keys or a phone or an ID. Why does my tween need a purse?To stash her Lemonheads and Smarties. ht…AmusingRT…

RT @PhilKomarny: @Historiator @DennisJerz @magawel…

RT @PhilKomarny: @Historiator @DennisJerz @magawelek Glad that it ended with some donations to @AidforAfrica justinesacco.com Similar:And the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsRT @PhilKomarny: A floppy disc… In #context htt…RT @PhilKomarny: A floppy disc… In #co…TweetsI asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I…

A Word About Group Projects

Okay, students… who loves group projects! Let’s hear it for group projects! (Crickets… crickets…) Okay employers… who puts “Ability to work in a team” at the top of a Forbes Magazine list of 10 skills employers say they seek in new hires? Employers: (cheering wildly) We do! We do! Here are the 10 skills employers say they seek,…

Why NORAD Tracks Santa

The call had come in on one of the top secret lines inside CONAD that only rang in the case of a crisis. Grabbing the phone, Shoup must have expected the worst. Instead, a tiny voice asked, “Is this Santa Claus?” “Dads pretty annoyed,” said Terri Van Keuren, Shoups daughter, recalling the legend of that…

I Made a Cheerful Maze Game in Scratch

Well, it’s cheerful unless you touch something red AND DIE. Similar:What gives you comfort? I collect lights. Some of these have magnets!!AmusingI just had some fun spotting a possible source of the word "dongle" (the plug-in security …The word “dongle” has long existed as a …CybercultureTypeset In The FutureWhile watching classic science fiction f…AestheticsGames as…

I made a cheerful maze game in Scratch. It’s cheer…

I made a cheerful maze game in Scratch. It’s cheerful unless you touch something read AND DIE. scratch.mit.edu/projects/14908… made w/ Scratch Similar:I'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsHabits for happiness: tips for looking on the bright side of lifeHabits for happiness: tips for looking o…Personal10 Rules of…

RT @Historiator: Please note @PhilKomarny @magawel…

RT @Historiator: Please note @PhilKomarny @magawelek @VissatMaureen “@HistoricalPics: All this technology is making us antisocial. http://t… Similar:Former student: "I remember sometimes being annoyed with all of our blogging assignments, …A third alum in the last few weeks has c…AcademiaRT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think controls the news…RT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think control…TweetsTweet: For an anatomy project,…

Nerd-buddies

“He likes Lord of the Rings, Star Wars *and* Star Trek!!” — my nerdling daughter, eyes shining, about a new friend. Similar:'Fontgate': Microsoft, Wikipedia and the scandal threatening the Pakistani PMI would call this “typefacegate,” but th…CultureThe Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure BooksI didn’t realize how involved the childr…AwesomeTrying something a bit different…

The Desolation of Tolkien

In the same way the Arkenstone is buried under tons of coin, poor old Bilbos tale is buried under easily 45 minutes of chases, captures, narrow escapes, more escapes, melees and other heroics, often comically-staged with acrobatics, and sometimes gruesome with orc-beheadings. —Boing Boing. Similar:Orson Scott Card Builds an EmpireVideo games are a viable storytelling me…CybercultureWhat…