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:BWW Review: TWELFTH NIGHT Is Farcical Fun at Prime StageIn his review, Greg Kerestan, who must h…CultureRip Van WinkleCertain it is, that he was a great favor…AcademiaSeattle Times ‘Outraged’…
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:Yes, I do feel rather awesome right now.Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocke…PersonalOverheard at Quora: "Why after all these years is Moodle still so ugly?"Moodle is a free course-management tool …AcademiaAnd the girl has succeeded…
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:Hypertext as a Teaching Tool — Brown University Poetry Classroom 1974This short film documents an early attem…AcademiaMLA in-text citations: avoid these common errors AcademiaThe Better Angels…
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:Don't Be a Sucker (antifascist film from 1945)https://youtu.be/CXm3WxU–fM?si=E1BHac8J…CultureYour Students Learn by Doing, Not by ListeningToday one of my students gave a final pr…AcademiaLife Support (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 3, Episode 13) Bashir keeps…
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:WTAE-TV's Wendy Bell fired over racially inflammatory Facebook posts I have no particular opinion on her perf…Current_EventsScammer tricks YouTuber who exposes scams to delete his anti-scammer channelThis one is hard to unpack, and painful …Current_EventsFight choreography via teleconference. As You Like It @steelcityshakespearePersonalBack in the groove.…
Next up: Stage Right summer musical theater camp starts Monday! Similar:Lining up for Honors Convocation 2016. #setonhillAcademiaAt the chess club holiday party. Peter looks forward to his Wednesday…GamesHi, I’m the St Joe’s basement doorstop. Let me start your three-day weekend by wrapping my…PersonalStunning picture of my daughterAestheticsLetter of Recommendation: Fanny PacksWhat other accessory ensures the…
Testing a tool to automate connections between iOS apps. Similar:A Revolutionary Approach to Treating PTSDInhabiting an improvised play designed t…HomeThe Dadliest DecadeThe eighties, at least, were drenched in…HomeGirlhood 2014They don’t even seem to want to watch Fr…CultureYou'll Cry When You See This One-footed Penguin Rescue the Blind Vegetarian Orphans Who Ru… Watch A Trailblazer Become…
Similar:Games Based Learning through Text Adventures As I make progress in designing the cl…AcademiaHeard any good stories lately?My daughter has a terrible time settling…BooksVulcan mind-melds from Star Trek: The Original Series, in the order that I can think of th… With Dr. Simon Van Gelder in Dagger …PersonalHomefront #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 4, Episode 11)…
Submitted revisions of 6 video tutorial scripts & drafted 5 more. Also, scored 3 boxes of leftover reception cupcakes and 1 of brownies. Similar:COVID-19 Becoming Less DeadlyBits and pieces from a news article that…Current_EventsGetting in the Christmas spirit.PersonalThe girl on Halloween 2018. (The boy and I were watching the 1931 Frankenstein at the libr…PersonalMoonBot is…
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:How hate and misinformation go viral: A case study of a Trump retweetOn Sunday night, President Donald Trump …AcademiaJuror's CreedWhile researching my obligations for #ju…CultureI'm no longer surprised, but still want to document.This is really…