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:Mythbusting UX design: 7 misconceptions about user experiencePerhaps the most common mistake of any b…BusinessBabel (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 5) Virus Garbles Everyone's SpeechRewatching ST:DS9 Overworked O’Brien …DesignThe Psychology of Getting More Done In Less TimeSummary of not-so-new scholarship, but p…CultureBeam me up,…

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:And the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsJury Duty UpdateI’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-…GovernmentRT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor:…

RT @Historiator: Please note @PhilKomarny @magawel…

RT @Historiator: Please note @PhilKomarny @magawelek @VissatMaureen “@HistoricalPics: All this technology is making us antisocial. http://t… Similar:Loved seeing A Comedy of Errors @setonhillLoved seeing A Comedy of Errors @setonhi…TweetsYes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalI asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she…

Nerd-buddies

“He likes Lord of the Rings, Star Wars *and* Star Trek!!” — my nerdling daughter, eyes shining, about a new friend. Similar:Sound Design and the Wilhelm ScreamAhh-aaggh! https://www.youtube.com/wa…AestheticsDeSantis-backed bill would make it easier to sue news mediaAmerican law protects the free speech an…CultureAnd if my point of view is somewhat misty-eyed…And if my point of…

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:Kids Actually Read the Books That Movies Are Based OnIf the seasonal…

Transmedia Storytelling 101

Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. Ideally, each medium makes it own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story. So, for example, in The Matrix franchise, key bits of information are…

WordPress 3.8 “Parker”

No time to play with this, but looking forward to it very much. Version 3.8 of WordPress, named “Parker” in honor of Charlie Parker, bebop innovator, is available for download or update in your WordPress dashboard. We hope you’ll think this is the most beautiful update yet. —WordPress › WordPress 3.8 “Parker”. Similar:I accidentally started…

RT @MrsOrman: The Potter Games: Using Interactive…

RT @MrsOrman: The Potter Games: Using Interactive Fiction to Improve Reading – Free download pinterest.com/pin/1755700854… Similar:Juror's CreedWhile researching my obligations for #ju…CultureMaybe I'll just delete these QUARTER OF A MILLION spam comments.Not kidding — 254,460 spam comments in …CybercultureI asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingHow…

RT @setonhill: Campus Cursive (part of morelovelet…

RT @setonhill: Campus Cursive (part of moreloveletters) is a new club aiming to spread smiles across campus through… instagram.com/p/htuN7jQNyW/ Similar:She doesn't have keys or a phone or an ID. Why does my tween need a purse?To stash her Lemonheads and Smarties. ht…AmusingCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating…

Fancy iPad Holder with Compartment For Storing Your Baby

Fisher-Price enters the Apple aftermarket with an iPad holder featuring a large auxiliary compartment where you can store your infant. The little ones apparently need convenient access to apps to assist them with their gurgling, drooling, and pooping, but their adorable little chubby hands are poorly engineered to hold tablets. Fortunately, Fisher-Price’s team of parental…

Remixing the “What I learned” essay. Take 20 min t…

Remixing the “What I learned” essay. Take 20 min to create a 1-min video in class. Peer review. Re-imagine & reshoot. Polish up as homework. Similar:Carolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of social media. To be c…Current_EventsIn Defense Of Metaphors In Science WritingWe live in an…

Who Says Math Has to Be Boring?

For all the reform campaigns over the years, most schools continue to teach math and science in an off-putting way that appeals only to the most fervent students. The mathematical sequence has changed little since the Sputnik era: arithmetic, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and, for only 17 percent of students, calculus. Science is generally limited…

Who is the more dramatic — my extroverted tween or my philosophical teen?

Stoked from a morning show-choir performance and an afternoon rehearsal, Carolyn is lumbering around the kitchen floor, belting “I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS!!!” Peter, his nose in a book, expresses a stoic disapproval. “Peter, you never ask for anything,” says my wife, raising her voice over Carolyn’s singing. “If you could have anything, regardless…