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:Irrational Geographic : snopes.comBoosting the signal. This is a real Nati…BusinessThe Dauphin (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 10)A pretty 16yo destined to bring peace to…AmusingWe Got A Look Inside…
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:I asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingHow hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweetOn Sunday night, President Donald Trump …AcademiaMy…
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:How to Use the Feynman Technique to Identify PseudoscienceSimon Oxenham quotes physicist Richard F…Culture4 Skills to Help You Stand Out In Any Job InterviewAn employer will…
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:James Comey: Trump won’t be removed. But we’ll be fine.Here’s an editorial by someone who feels…CultureEmail (finding the right tone as a writer) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXlgO…CybercultureHermann Zapf, the font designer behind Palatino and Zapf Dingbats,…
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:Wired and Business Insider remove articles by AI-generated ‘freelancer’Journalists who can’t verify their sourc…Current_EventsAdded a pilot and cockpit details to my flyby of a #steampunk scout ship. Costume is a pr…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyvR90jm…AestheticsStill More FaceTime FunI realize that video-chatting teenagers …MediaMy 14yo Helps Teach a Vacation Bible…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:The Myth of North America, in One PaintingFascinating art history — a thoughtful …AestheticsThe Rise of Curiosity JournalismKatz and his kindred might just as well …CybercultureThis is the first time during the pandemic that we’ve brought this game out. Very topical.PersonalSiblings gotta sib.PersonalI Made Cheerful…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Writing That Demonstrates Thinking Ability While reflecting on my semester for …HomeHypertext as a Teaching Tool — Brown University Poetry Classroom 1974This short film documents an early attem…AcademiaMore split-screen actinghttp://youtu.be/EGgeZWskEs8DesignHacking the WordPress Social Plugin to Include Pages in Addition to PostsI love the WordPress Social plugin,…
Similar:Firstborn (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 7, Episode 21) Worf prepares his reluctant son f… Rewatching ST:TNG Worf awkwardly rehe…CultureStar Wars' Original, Scum-Caked BrillianceThe B-movie shoddiness of actors and aes…AestheticsOpen Source College Math BookOne day last year, David Lippman got an …AcademiaLet's talk about AI art (long, scrollworthy post from The Oatmeal)https://theoatmeal.com/comics/ai_artAestheticsUnification, Part 1 (#StarTrek #TNG…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Pictures only hint at her passion and can't capture how smart she is. I love you, daughter… Current_EventsYou are personally responsible for becoming more ethical than the society you grew up in.Some…
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:Carolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Ref…Fascinating use of social media. To be c…Current_EventsI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsIn…