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:Rhinoceros in Love (World Drama — China, 1999)The blurb for a 2011 English version of …AcademiaOutsiders. Four sold out matinees this coming week. — Prime StageFour sold out matinees…
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:Jury Duty UpdateI’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-…GovernmentMy Minecraft-obsessed tween made this blocky foam pig at art camp. Next up: Stage Right summer musical th…AestheticsTweet: For an anatomy project, my #geekling made a Vulcan…For an…
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:Delightful interview with a former Setonian editor-in-chief who's now doing SEOAs a student journalist, Jessie totally …AcademiaWhat’s Wrong With Being From the South? Just Ask an…
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:Feeling Like an Impostor at 49I reminded my Shakespeare students that …AcademiaMedia Bias Chart version 10 — Left / Center / Right; Fact vs Fabrication; (Ad Fontes Medi…The very useful “media bias chart”…
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:Fatworld ReviewOn Jan 14, Ian Bogost of Persuasive Game…CybercultureFacebook’s News Feed: Often Changed, Never GreatI’ve never liked Instant Articles — Fac…BusinessSchiller schools internet on correct Apple device plurals, but Cook says "iPad Pros"”Siri, is the world ready for Apple pod …CybercultureThe Rivals #PPTPlaytimeA great production…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Local News in a Digital AgeLocal TV news is the “most visible prese…AestheticsThe girl as the Spanish Soloist in @laurelballettheater & @westmorelandsymphony The Nutcra…AestheticsMaking progress.PersonalVienna State Opera, funny ballet.Vienna State Opera, funny ballet. Слава …AestheticsMore bits of my summer project – another delightful span of…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:The Declaration Of Independence, 240 Years Later (NPR)When in the Course of human events, it b…CultureWhen a Blogger Shares a Too-good-to-be-true Meme Featuring Hilarious Handwritten Notes fro…Or something like that.HomeKirby Delauter SagaLet’s hope many, many more journalism st…HomeHypertext as a Teaching Tool — Brown University Poetry…
Similar:My journalism students just gave me this wristband: "What would Jerz do? / Verify or duck…. AestheticsFirst Day in the Theatre for Twelfth Night (May 3-12) Daughter: (is sad her “first day in …CultureThe Post drops the ‘mike’ — and the hyphen in ‘e-mail’When I announced these style changes, an…CultureShakaar #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 3,…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:An Unexpecting MinorityTruthfully, I expected my new department…AcademiaThe right — and surprisingly wrong — ways to get kids to sit still in class When it came time for me to make sugge…CultureI…
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:Jury Duty UpdateI’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-…GovernmentTweet: For an anatomy project, my #geekling made a Vulcan…For an anatomy project, my #geekling mad…TweetsJudge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook pric…BooksRT…