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:The problem I just learned about calls for tea in the big mug.CultureUnification, Part 2 (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5, Episode 8) Spock Nurtures Romulan P…Rewatching ST:TNG Beyond stating…
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:It's been nice knowing you, iPad3 It’s been nice knowing you, iPad3, but…TweetsJudge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook pric…BooksShe doesn't have keys or a phone or an ID. Why…
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:Brett Favre Urges Ban On Youth Tackle Football, Pleads For No Hitting 'Til 14Concussions in sports often a topic my s…CultureRt Covid-19 — How Quickly Coronavirus…
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:Donald Trump Is a Broken Man (Assessment by Speechwriter for Reagan and both Bushes)Powerful assessment of Donald Trump, wri…CultureI Set A Trap To Catch Students Cheating With AI. The Result Was DeflatingMy classes…
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 secret police: Cops built a shadowy surveillance machine in Minnesota after George Flo…Many of the same people who reject maski…Current_EventsMore glorious #steampunk control panels, created for no practical purpose. #blender3d #ble…AestheticsHighlighters and Intellectual Growth in CollegeTucked away in this article on how to av…AcademiaMisSpelled:…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:I dunno what to call this but it really hit the spot.PersonalHitting the weekend with just 6 ungraded papers. #partylikeaprof Hitting the weekend with just 6 ungrad…PersonalMaybe I'll just delete these QUARTER OF A MILLION spam comments.Not kidding — 254,460 spam comments in …CybercultureSeton Hill…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Infinite Scrolling: XKCD's Creative Insight on a Common Interface IndignityAmusingA New Talent EmergesI tried hard to frown disapprovingly whe…HomeComputers and Writing Conference 2013Where a nerd can be a nerd. (Thanks f…HomeI Canna Give Ye Any More Screens, Cap'n! The iPad Mini and the ChromeBook are…HomeThe Dadliest…
Similar:Gathering background objects to create cluttered shelves. This Baby Gund “Rainbow Hector” …AmusingThe science of fake news: Addressing fake news requires a multidisciplinary effortThe rise of fake news highlights the ero…AcademiaMake America Meme Again! Create your own Trump executive order.Now all the powerful visual rhetoric of …AmusingThe Measure of a Man (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season 2,…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Jack Rollins-Frosty the Snowman I voiced Jack Rollins, writer …HistoryA very happy geekling playing Dungeons and Dragons on her one free evening. #llapGamesHappy Easter 2016PersonalAlex and Carolyn rehearse for “The King and…
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:Maybe I'll just delete these QUARTER OF A MILLION spam comments.Not kidding — 254,460 spam comments in …CybercultureOverheard at Quora: "Why after all these years is Moodle still so ugly?"Moodle is a free course-management tool…