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:Desiderata (Nerdy Inspiration)This is a little story about an inspirat…CultureCan you tell the difference between factual and opinion statements?I got a perfect score. How did you do on…CultureThe Minecraft…
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:RT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think controls the news…RT @DDeClaudio: Who do you think control…TweetsClassroom collaboration marketplaceWhile I am uncomfortable with the whole …BusinessMy Minecraft-obsessed tween made this blocky foam pig at art camp. Next…
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:Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe. —Thomas JeffersonEducationWhen Perception Trumps Reality: Republicans aren't nearly as rich as Democrats…
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:How America fell in love with crazy amounts of air conditioningBy the 1950s, as air conditioners became…Business The Expensive Education of Mark Zuckerberg and Silicon Valley Because what he never managed to grok …BusinessWhat Causes…
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:The Period, Our Simplest Punctuation Mark, Has Become a Sign of AngerYou text your girlfriend: “I know we mad…CybercultureWhat if thinking is underrated?What if the most underrated skill in sch…AcademiaWhat Do People Do on Mobile Devices? (Infographic)A handful of vignettes communicating the…BusinessRude mechanical sighting! Shakespearing…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:More #steampunk control panel goodness. #blender3d #design #aesthetics #blender3dartAestheticsVisiting my parents. Admiring their original Hallmark Enterprise Christmas ornament. I ask…AmusingNarrating "A Christmas Carol" for WAOB Audio Theatre. (The four episodes will be released …DramaChess with my son. As usual, it didn't go well for me.GamesWriting,…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Hacking the WordPress Social Plugin to Include Pages in Addition to PostsI love the WordPress Social plugin, whic…HomeWhat my classroom looks like during today's video journalism workshopWithin 3 minutes of being placed into gr…HomeWriting That Demonstrates Thinking Ability While reflecting on my semester for …HomeI can…
Similar:Quantity leads to quality – Austin KleonAnecdote: [A] ceramics teacher announced…AestheticsDuet (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 1, Episode 18) Kira is convinced an ailing Cardassian…Rewatching ST:DS9 Kira is convinced s…Culture11 Problems to Anticipate Before Your Next Website RedesignI’m building a new site for a non-profit…BusinessCan AI write good novels?I expect that this is probably the year…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:It's a thing to do.PersonalUnmarked assignments. As more keeps coming in, can I reduce that number each day, without …PersonalThe girl told me to post this with the caption, “The Addams Family…
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:RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from the Civil…RT @JordanFor: One of the counters from …TweetsIt's been nice knowing you, iPad3 It’s been nice knowing you, iPad3, but…TweetsHow hate and misinformation go viral: A case…
I just touched up a handout on Parallel Structure vs Faulty Parallelism. Similar:GIFs, memes and liveblogs: The controversial new language of book reviewingSalon has an interesting essay on multim…Aesthetics“We hate math,” says 4 in 10 – a majority of AmericansIf 30% love math, and 30% are neutral ab…AmusingThe elements, in haikuEach element of the periodic…
These comic panels cover the issue well. (Pennington Publishing) Similar:Details from the author's life are not the magic ticket to "correct" interpretations in li…Students who are new to college literatu…AcademiaAnd Now for This Breaking News Report “Police have cornered the suspect wh…AmusingThe Importance of PunctuationFrom Yahoo! News: Update: T…GamesConnecting the Dots…Madeline Cash reflects…