Interesting set of observations exploring the limits of omniscience and the sheer scale involved in watching an entire population. Failures in empathy lead to misinterpretation of anonymous rebellion in plain sight. Tolkien’s most potent and intimidating image of centralized surveillance, the Eye of Sauron atop a tower, taking in the whole world, has resonated with…
This project looks promising. I’ve donated the money I was going to spend on a haircut. We’re keeping our UI super simple. The experience is entirely sound and story: Writing + Voiceover + SFX + Music. With either a spoken word or a simple tap on the screen you can listen to the drama unfold…
A recent Pew study (Smartphone Ownership 2013) found that blacks were about 10% more likely than whites to own smartphones, and that young urban people regardless of income are very likely to own smartphones. (With older people, a smartphone is more of a luxury.) It’s little wonder, then, that phone-friendly Twitter has been such a…
These are shoe-holding racks at a local indoor play area, where I took my daughter and a friend for a few hours. Why buy six different rainbow-colored shoe-holding racks, if you’re not going to arrange them in the proper order? I really wanted to pick up the purple one and at least put it in…
Sample, improved lyrics: “An old man turned 98 /He won the lottery, and died the next day (from a severe paper cut from his lottery ticket).” Similar:Just finished a good literature class discussion on this powerful play.Would love to teach it to healthcare stu…AcademiaMy undergraduate connects the Leontes/Polixenes conflict in The Winter's Tale to a…
Rewatching the classic Trek episode “The Conscience of the King,” which features a Shakespearean acting troupe. In one scene, McCoy writes a report on a wedge proto-iPad… …but in the very next scene Kirk scrawls on a piece of paper. This episode also features characters doing computer searches, using an exposition-friendly voice interface to call…
At least three journalists left NBC, after the network aired a tape of George Zimmerman, edited in a manner that substantially altered its content. Filed in Seminole County, the suit adds that “NBC News saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about…
Jon Negroni creates a meta-narrative to connect every Pixar movie, using Boo as the still point in the turning universe. Every Pixar movie is connected. I explain how, and possibly why. Several months ago, I watched a fun-filled video on Cracked.com that introduced the idea (at least to me) that all of the Pixar movies…
The contrast between KTVU’s treatment of its triumphs vs errors reminds us of the difference between journalism vs public relations. Similar:And the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsCarolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of social media.…
Last week, the Fox-afiliated KTVU fell for a prank, repeating offensive fake names for the pilots involved in the crash of Asiana Flight 214 last week. [S]even-year veteran KTVU producer Brad Belstock closed his @producerBB Twitter account after his last Friday tweet just moments after the names were read aloud on the air by Tori Campbell.…
Francesca Borri writes of being a freelancer and a woman covering the war in Syria. (When my life gets hectic, a story like this helps me keep some perspective.) Similar:An Experimental Autism Treatment Cost Me My MarriageInteresting essay challenging the notion…EssaysAdding a media project to a semester-long paper assignment is like adding a jetpack to…
Is your Sunday feeling incomplete because you haven’t read anything about punctuation today? This explanation of the semicolon should help. You’re welcome. Similar:How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s LifeA PR professional should have known bett…BusinessIf Wishes Were Horses (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 16) Hallucinations become…Rewatching ST:DS9 Quark tries to inte…CultureHenry Bemis…
My wife is something of a hoarder. Now, as it happens, I have saved my half of the slip of paper that I tore so that we could write down each other’s phone numbers back when we were about 22, but she saves old catalogs and phone books (phone books!) from years ago. Sometimes, when…
So I’m not being selfish… this is a parenting strategy. Similar:Setonian Photo Editor Wins Second Place for News Photo in Pennsylvania Newspaper Associati… Setonian Photo Editor Wins Second …AcademiaThe CRAFT of News Writing (Clear, Relevant, Accurate, Fair, Timely)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwEZPWSE…CultureChristopher Robin made for a pleasant family outing.PersonalGoogle responds to streaming report with shruggie GIFThe Daily Dot proceeded…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Engrossing but difficult to watch: "Man in Cave" documentary on caver Floyd Collins I’m conflicted. This is a very well do…Aesthetics#PPTPlaytime Tartuffe @thepublicpgh (Looking forward to Part 2 of this live videoconferenc…CultureGoodbye, Google Search. I've switched to search.brave.com …for now. I can’t stand Pinterest. I…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Computers and Writing Conference 2013Where a nerd can be a nerd. (Thanks f…HomeThe Rule of Capek's Robots: A public lecture, in which the word “robot” is traced, precurs… HomeA Revolutionary Approach to Treating PTSDInhabiting an improvised play designed t…HomeThe Dadliest DecadeThe eighties, at least, were…
Similar:Wander (1974) — a lost mainframe game is found!Interesting news for historians of digit…Current_EventsMy Summer Project: A WordPress Website for Stage Right, a Local Non-Profit Not too shabby, if I do say so mysel…AestheticsAnother section of #steampunk control panel. #neovictorian #design #aesthetics #blender3d …AestheticsIndiscretion #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 4, Episode 5) Kira teams up with…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Blender 3D Flyover of Fantasy Steampunk Spacecraft When my kids were small, at bedtime …AestheticsIf I am not a pedagogical god, at least my marking app has no ungraded submissions. PersonalThey figured it…
Blogging this so I can find it when I teach my “News Writing” class this fall. People do like to prank journalists with fake names. In this case, the reporter did what you’re supposed to do — get confirmation — but sheesh. KTVU reports fake racist names of Asiana Airlines 214 pilots from NTSB intern…
I recently bought a new phone. since then, I have answered an incoming call in my car. It felt awesome. Similar:My Minecraft-obsessed tween made this blocky foam pig at art camp. Next up: Stage Right summer musical th…AestheticsAnd the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsJury…