The New York Times reported “Many Flee Homes to Escape `Gas Raid From Mars’–Phone Calls Swamp Police at Broadcast of Wells Fantasy” and the story of the hoax is firmly embedded in the history books. But the reports of streets full of panicked citizens don’t hold up to scrutiny. There’s only one problem: The supposed…
@ZCharisma On my blog I said my wife usually gives me nerdy DVDs (e.g. Mazes & Monsters), so I expect she’ll give me Zero Charisma one day. Similar:Yes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of…
My student journos were given one class period to film, edit, and publish a 2-min TV news story. Speed journalism! blogs.setonhill.edu/el200-2013-fa/… Similar:Parallel Structure vs. Faulty ParallelismI just touched up a handout on Parallel …HumanitiesI asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingJudge: Apple conspired to fix eBook…
@ZCharisma Oh, now I feel bad. Similar:What kids do when Dad won't hand over the iPod So I’m not being selfish… this is …EducationCarolyn 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…
What can parents do to minimize their children’s risk of being hurt or killed by poison or sharp objects in Halloween candy? How many children would you say die each year from eating poisoned candy (or candy with razor blades and such) each Halloween? Just two or three? Maybe only one every few years? In…
My wife usually gives me nerd-themed DVDs as gifts, so I probably won’t make any effort to see this movie on my own. Still, I’m glad to know someone has made a movie that touches on the hipsterization of nerd culture, and I enjoyed reading the well-written review. Like lots of apologists and upholders of…
It: nailed. xkcd: Headlines. Similar:Valid for any new yearEthicsOmaha schoolgirl dresses as a different historical figure each day Voilà, she is Billie Holiday, in a b…AestheticsFantasticks (Theatre Factory, Oct 18-27) AestheticsPolice stage ‘chilling’ raid on Marion County newspaper, seizing computers, records and ce… The Marion County Record reported …BusinessFatal Encounters: One man is tracking every…
…she’s pretending to be “Spock in a Tree on Omicron Ceti III.” Similar:Fallout Monopoly with the boy. PersonalSave The WordsIn honor of the cold I am fighting, I ju…AmusingSeriously, clouds? Now?PersonalWho's ready for some free outdoor Hamlet?PersonalBaltimore Residents Urged To Stay Indoors Until Social Progress Naturally Takes Its Course…“As we continue to incrementally evolve …AmusingI Love…
The observation car Pearl sings of her love for Rusty, in the “Like ‘Cats’ but with Trains” show “Starlight Express.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma4FusuIgSM By the way, that’s a Star Wars Stormtrooper outfit, with pink accents added by my wife. Post by Stage Right. Similar:CNN Holds Morning Meeting To Decide What Viewers Should Panic About For Rest…
Back in my grad school days, I was called a “run-of-the-mill programmer” by a brilliant IT genius. For a guy whose only computer coursework consists of a Pascal class in high school (“taught” by a math teacher who didn’t know the language, and checked my answers against those in the teacher’s manual), I still consider…
King Henry rallies his troops just before the decisive Battle of Agincourt. From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,…
RT @textfiles: Hi internet. In another few minutes I go onstage to point everyone to archive.org/details/histor… and hopefully computer history … Similar:I'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsHow hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweetOn Sunday night, President Donald Trump …AcademiaAnd the…
Not my item, but the pathos caught my eye. Similar:When Asking the Question is Part of the News Story (New Example: Clinton Supporters)I ask my journalism students to avoid us…Current_EventsThe president of the US bonds with Vladimir Putin over journalists: "Get rid of them." The president of the US bonds with Vladi…CultureGrumpy Gamer – Happy Birthday…
Seriously: What is Amazon? A retail company? A media company? A logistics machine? The mystery of its strategy is deepened by two factors. First is the company’s communications department, which famously excels at not communicating. Three requests to speak with Amazon officials for this article were delayed and, inevitably, declined. This moves discussions of the…
Tween: “My friends say Bieber’s a jerk now.” Me: “It’s hard when your idols fall.” Tween: “That’s why I don’t have any. Except for you.” Similar:Parallel Structure vs. Faulty ParallelismI just touched up a handout on Parallel …HumanitiesRT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from …TweetsClassroom collaboration marketplaceWhile…
A new Emily Dickinson archive is online. Here is the opening of one of her most famous poems. Reading View for Fascicle 23. Similar:Charismatic People Don't Obsess Over What they Can't Control (Tony Robbins)Saving this for the next time I teach De…CultureClassroom collaboration marketplaceWhile I am uncomfortable with the whole …BusinessGrumpy Gamer – Happy Birthday…
My wonderfully geeky tween made these Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde pendants with her Rainbow Loom. Next on her list: making Pac-Man. Similar:A Matter of Honor (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 8)Rewatching ST:TNG after a 20-year break….MediaOne of the benefits of teaching at a small college, with small classes…In a final reflection video for a…
Have you heard the story about the lady who spilled coffee on herself and won millions of dollars from McDonald’s? Have you looked up the details on the story, or do you just know the story as a TV show punch line? Stella became a symbol for frivolous lawsuits and fodder for talk show hosts,…
Reporters have been sometimes fired for willful misconduct, such as repeated instances of plagiarism or fabrication. Reporters who’ve suffered that fate, such as the New York Times’ Jayson Blair and The Washington Post’s Janet Cooke, were guilty of gross journalistic malpractice. But firing a reporter over an unintentional mistake is “extremely rare,” said Scott Maier,…
I’m getting ready to introduce my freshman writing students to college-level research, so I found it helpful to read this brief introduction to the internal problems Wikipedia creates for itself. When a major news event takes place, such as the Boston Marathon bombings, complex, widely sourced entries spring up within hours and evolve by the…