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:William Shakespeare, Playwright and Poet, Is Dead at 52 On this date — April 23, 1616 — the cr…CultureJoyful white guys finish ahead of struggling woman and black man…
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:Yes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsAnd the girl has succeeded in getting me to…
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:My 13yo and 18yo enthralled by WarGames.Wife likes movies. Son likes military th…CultureWhy Grown-Ups Keep Talking Like Little KidsFelt writey. Because reasons. The other…CultureWhy We’ll Never…
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:A news site used AI to write articles. It was a journalistic disaster. Artificial intelligence has been deplo…BusinessJuror's CreedWhile researching my obligations for #ju…CultureImprobable Cause (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 3, Episode 20) Odo…
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:If I don’t hang my own artwork on the walls of my #steampunk fantasy ship-of-the-line, who…AestheticsMixed ReceptionThis activity is set in a research group…AcademiaTeachers finding games give a leg up on learningThanks for the link, Dana. Experts sa…CultureThe Perfect Mate (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5,…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:The truth hits Thorvald. Loved PPT PlayTime’s online presentation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s Hous…PersonalMore split-screen actinghttp://youtu.be/EGgeZWskEs8DesignRehearsing 'Fiddler on the Roof' is like trying to herd cats onto a grid and make them wal…I’m really enjoying the experience. I’ve…CultureSpent a half hour taming this tangle of…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Annie Sullivan on teaching: Helen Keller, rendered blind and dea…CultureKirby Delauter SagaLet’s hope many, many more journalism st…HomeTake that, grass! Eat rotary analog steel.HomeSHU Commemoration of September 11 Terrorism Attacks — Looking Back After 10 YearsCome to listen. Come to share. Come toge…CultureWhen a Blogger Shares…
Similar:Wander (1974) — a lost mainframe game is found!Interesting news for historians of digit…Current_EventsAn Excerpt from Mechanisms [2]: 'Professor RAMAC'Among the attractions at the 1958 World’…BooksTimescape (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 6, Episode 25) Time bubble aliens lay eggs in Ro… Rewatching ST:TNG Picard, D…AcademiaThe internet’s memory is fading in front of us. Preserve what you…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:You are in a book. There is a typo here.Sigh. Critical Path – Dan Amrich …BooksInsipidest. Play. Ever. –Pepys, on "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Sort of.After attending a performance of Midsumm…CultureWhat's a…
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:Hello, there, mini.Hello, there, mini. Let’s restore you fr…TweetsRT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think controls the news…RT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think control…TweetsDesert Bus: The Worst Video Game Ever CreatedPenn and Teller are involved with…