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:Looking forward to Part 2 of #PPTPlaytime’s production “The Rivals” (live… now!)CultureWhat gives you comfort? I collect lights. Some of these have magnets!!AmusingOur family has seen David Whalen in…
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:Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook pric…BooksRT @PhilKomarny: A floppy disc… In #context htt…RT @PhilKomarny: A floppy disc… In #co…TweetsHello, there, mini.Hello, there, mini. Let’s restore you fr…TweetsOverheard at…
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:Commonly Misused Words: ALL RIGHT and (Slang) ALRIGHT For more on ALL RIGHT, ALL R…AmusingRt Covid-19 — How Quickly Coronavirus is Spreading in the American StatesThis…
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:Former NFL receiver Antwaan Randle El regrets ever playing football“There’s no correcting it. There’s no he…BusinessThe Fantasticks (Oct 18-27, Theatre Factory) https://youtu.be/SYp1jQaSwjo …CultureMillennials Shy Away from Voice MailI was happy a few years…
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:On the spiral staircase that leads from the top deck down to the officers' pub and wa…AestheticsZagg Rugged iPad Air2 keyboard case — USB mini socket came right out with the plug. Grr!I have not had much luck with Zagg keybo…PersonalActually, this post really *is*…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Rt Covid-19 — How Quickly Coronavirus is Spreading in the American StatesThis site tracks Rt, the value that meas…CultureMask up.PersonalAbout 30 years after I first saw John Speed’s 1676 map of York, today I was working on a r…About 30 years after I first saw…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:When a Blogger Shares a Too-good-to-be-true Meme Featuring Hilarious Handwritten Notes fro…Or something like that.HomeHacking the WordPress Social Plugin to Include Pages in Addition to PostsI love the WordPress Social plugin, whic…HomeMore split-screen actinghttp://youtu.be/EGgeZWskEs8DesignMemories of Toronto Yonge Street EncountersI arrived in Toronto in 1992 as a…
Similar:Every day on my fantasy #neovictorian interplanetary cruiser features glowing green ether … In the backstory for the interactive…AestheticsBabylon 5 redefined TV science fiction, so why isn’t it better known?The article doesn’t actually answer the …CultureWhat gives you comfort? I collect lights. Some of these have magnets!!AmusingHenry Bemis waited his whole life to finally read…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Basic details for #medievalyork city walls for a forthcoming scholarly theatrical project….Basic details for #medievalyork city wal…PersonalI had a singular time voicing Sherlock Holmes in The Mystery of Dr. Watson (WAOB Audio…
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:And the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsYes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalRT @JordanFor: One of the counters…