Fun With Charts: Scale Matters

At first glance, this chart makes it look like food stamp usage has gone from almost nothing at some unspecified time in the past, to some huge amount over a span of who-knows-how-long. Only a fraction of the visitors to the site will click on the chart to see the scale, which reveals that the…

Zork: The Great Underground Empire

A blogger has started chronicling a journey through the classic 1980s computer game, Zork. Before King’s Quest and its successors took the realm of adventure gaming into colorful graphics, adventure titles were solely text. Infocom specialized in these during the 80s, including the Zork series, Planetfall, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. But Zork,…

Stop Clubbing, Baby Seals

Similar:New Ground (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5, Episode 10) Worf's Son Visits, Acts OutRewatching ST:TNG As LaForge nerds ou…AmusingWhy Tetris is the 'perfect' video gameRather than wanting to make a film about…AestheticsSMS Generator SMS Generator.AmusingWe’re in Denial About the True Cost of a Twitter ImplosionThe public disintegration of a platform …Current_EventsWe are cruel. We always…

Tolkien v. Orwell: Who understood modern surveillance best?

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…

It’s Finally Ironic (You’re Welcome, Alanis)

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:Mentoring skills, communication/listening, empathy, critical thinking define successful em…A Google self-study found that its own m…BusinessShow, Don’t (Just) Tell (New Example)I wrote down this example on a student p…HumanitiesIn…

The Pixar Theory

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 trium…

The contrast between KTVU’s treatment of its triumphs vs errors reminds us of the difference between journalism vs public relations. Similar:Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook pric…BooksHabits for happiness: tips for looking on the bright side of lifeHabits for happiness: tips for looking o…PersonalProto iPads and Paper Coexist in…

Woman’s work : Columbia Journalism Review

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:Student Journalists Are Our Future—We Should Start Treating Them Like ItCatherine Palmer was already a seasoned …CultureCan you tell the difference between factual and opinion statements?I…

A quick primer on semicolons

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:'Dream' casting a family affairAmong actors in Cabaret Theatre’s upcomi…CultureGet Hands-on Writing Experience.AcademiaTies of Blood and Water #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 5, Episode 19) Kira re-evaluates a …Rewatching ST:DS9 Kira is excited to…

What kids do when Dad won’t hand over the iPod

So I’m not being selfish… this is a parenting strategy. Similar:11 Tips H.P. Lovecraft Had for Novice Writers”Avoid reading so as not to taint your c…CultureFinished the girl's 10th grade homeschool evaluation with PA Homeschoolers Susan Rich…PersonalLooking forward to this! @thepublicpghLooking forward to this! @thepublicpghDramaAdding detail to a #steampunk control panel workstation. #blender3d #design #aesthetics…