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:Start writing your novel. Journey with Seton Hill University t…AcademiaThey called it a "flashlight" because early handheld lights weren't designed to shine stea…A student’s short story featuring a trea…CultureWeb Literacy…
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:Parallel Structure vs. Faulty ParallelismI just touched up a handout on Parallel …HumanitiesAnd the girl has succeeded in getting me to wear t…And the girl has succeeded in getting me…TweetsRT @JordanFor: One of the counters…
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:Media Bias Chart version 11, Aug 2023 — Journalism sorted by bias (Left / Center / Right),…Whether a source is biased towards the l…CultureSeton Hill Supports…
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:Ben Franklin Sings about Your Rights as a PhotographerIf you’re legally present on a public st…AmusingI regularly teach Uncle Tom's Cabin, but have never seen it before. BooksInternet Explorer cheated its way to…
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:Beam me up, Chewie!AwesomeShort Stories: Developing Ideas for Short FictionI just supervised a teaching demonstrati…EducationParable of the Polygons – a playable post on the shape of societyA very clever interactive essay that use…CultureUtility Tactical Waist Pack Pouch Military Camping Hiking Outdoor Hand Waist Bag: Sports…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Why Textbooks And Education Are To Blame For Fake NewsThe way we teach it at Seton Hill, as a …AcademiaAll of Your Co-Workers are Gone: Story, Substance, and the Empathic PuzzlerHowever, running parallel to the evoluti…AcademiaNew data on the first three jobs held by graduates…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Girlhood 2014They don’t even seem to want to watch Fr…CultureNot Bad for an English MajorI didn’t have much choice when it came t…HomeIncoming Seton Hill Students Pick Up Their MacBooks and iPads TodayI find it impossible not to be cheerful …AcademiaMemories of Toronto Yonge Street EncountersI…
Similar:Still More FaceTime FunI realize that video-chatting teenagers …MediaFeeling a bit puzzled by the "Twitter Tools" pluginI really like MailChimp’s “Social” plugi…Social_SoftwareThey called it a "flashlight" because early handheld lights weren't designed to shine stea…A student’s short story featuring a trea…CultureNipper Hears "His Master's Voice"As a kid growing up in Fairfax County, j…BusinessHow it feels to…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Brain activity of a dying man suggests we do recall memories at deathThe 87-year-old man developed epilepsy a…CultureEnjoying a visit to the Carnegie Science Center with my son. Mars exhibit is immersive…
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:Tweet: Came around the corner and saw my kids huddled on…Came around the corner and saw my kids h…Tweets10 Rules of Internet – Anil DashA very useful, concise summary of web-en…BusinessJudge: Apple conspired to fix…