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:College Instructors Don't Require Enough WritingI was surprised a few years ago to learn…Academia"I don't view Shakespeare's work as intimidating anymore." — midterm reflection from coll… “It has made…
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:I asked my geekling whether she was ready for bed…I asked my #geekling whether she was rea…AmusingMy Minecraft-obsessed tween made this blocky foam pig at art camp. Next up: Stage Right summer musical th…AestheticsAnd the…
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:Blessing the “American sweet gum tree” that grew from a seed that Artemis I carried around…AwesomeDetails from the author's life are not the magic ticket to…
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:Victorian Literature for Accounting MajorsIf I can get the English majors in my ne…AcademiaYounger friends, can you write or read cursive? I’m curious.CultureAdvice to First Year College Students on Freshman CompFull disclosure… I…
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:Multimodal Composing, Sketchnotes, and Idea GenerationUsing the mixed media of sketch notes, a…AcademiaDonald Trump Is a Broken Man (Assessment by Speechwriter for Reagan and both Bushes)Powerful assessment of Donald Trump, wri…CultureIt’s something to do.PersonalMy Kids Are Shatner Than MostI passed along to my geeklings an…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Short-range #neovictorian excursion craft, now with glowing power orbs! Over the past year…https://youtu.be/-cJp-kelrL8 AestheticsNew handout: "The Shape of an Academic Paper"I’ve given an in-class presentation on “…AcademiaMy college writing students are out making short videos responding to a prompt.While my students are out of the…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:Take that, grass! Eat rotary analog steel.HomeGirlhood 2014They don’t even seem to want to watch Fr…CultureClassroom Project: Students Get 1 Hour to Propose, Shoot, Edit, Publish DocumentaryStudents created this in 60 minutes. …HomeIncoming Seton Hill Students Pick Up Their MacBooks and iPads TodayI find it impossible…
Similar:Another #steampunk interior. High tech garden gazebo or away team dropship? Why not both? … AestheticsPater Noster Passenger ElevatorsSome 50 years ago, my father took me to …AmusingCode is not literatureA literate programmer describes his atte…CybercultureIn September, 2001 I was blogging about… With a grant from UWEC, I was able t…AestheticsI've completed my second set…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:Apple’s new diverse emoji are even more problematic than beforeThis author did a great job articulating…Aesthetics'New York Times' considers legal action against OpenAI as copyright tensions swirlBe careful of the parts of…
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 …TweetsI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really noteworthy. Today the Pre…Current_EventsAnd the girl has succeeded in…