Parallel Structure vs. Faulty Parallelism

I just touched up a handout on Parallel Structure vs Faulty Parallelism. Similar:Harvard University says it can't afford journal publishers' pricesRobert Darnton, director of Harvard Libr…AcademiaI told them to put their name on both pages.I told them to put their name on both pa…AcademiaWhat a 21st-Century English Major Can Do: Screencast Demo of an Inform…

Parallel structure in writing: Use it!

These comic panels cover the issue well. (Pennington Publishing)   Similar:Why Writing Matters When You Advertise a Cragslist GiveawayThe latest example of why writing matter…Current_EventsA former student contacted me to share her thoughts.A few years ago, I told myself I would s…AcademiaIn April, 2001 I was blogging about interactive fiction, Roget's Thesaurus, John Lennon, H……

In Space as on Earth

A thoughtful reflection on religion in Star Trek. While Humans aren’t depicted as participating in any form of organized religion (there is a reference to a Christmas party here, a nod to monotheism there), the series also includes a distrust of science and technology, regularly depicting mad scientists, societies over-dependent on technology, etc.) that insists…

Ben Franklin Sings about Your Rights as a Photographer

If you’re legally present on a public street or sidewalk, you can legally photograph anything in plain view. (This includes children and crime victims… but just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea.) If law enforcement engages you, ask whether you are free to go; if so, then move out of the…

Jury Duty Update

I’m a happy, responsible, and no-longer-obligated-for-jury-duty citizen. Similar:The Sentence That Knocked Down the Berlin Wall (But Almost Didn’t)Words that defined Ronald Reagan’s presi…CultureA student who had often been frustrated during my class used this poem in her final reflec… PersonalHappy ice cream turkey cake day. AestheticsLiving Room PhysicsI’ve blogged before about my eight-year-…EducationMore #steampunk control panel…

Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices.

Judge: Apple conspired to fix eBook prices. #ethics #books The Federal lawsuit claimed that Apple, led by then-CEO Steve Jobs and senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, conspired with HarperCollins, Hatchett, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster to drive e-book prices up from the $9.99 price point Amazon had established. –readwrite.com Similar:Donald Trump…

RT @spj_tweets: How TV could suffer the fate of newspapers

RT @spj_tweets: How TV could suffer the fate of newspapers: @alanmutter shares the second installment of his two-part blog – http://t.co/l… Similar:Former student: "I remember sometimes being annoyed with all of our blogging assignments, …A third alum in the last few weeks has c…AcademiaWhat kids do when Dad won't hand over the iPod So I’m not being…

Juror’s Creed

While researching my obligations for #juryduty Thursday, I came across this “Juror’s Creed.” The gender-specific reference to men, the instruction to reflect upon the virtues of democracy, and the instruction to respect the judge’s education all hint at a historical context for the creed. Institutions never put their creeds into writing unless they feel those…

RT @mykidcancode: Managing Your Preschooler’s Fasc…

RT @mykidcancode: Managing Your Preschooler’s Fascination with Apps – bit.ly/lv1ZyR #parenting #technology Similar:NASA finally makes contact with Voyager 2 after longest radio silence in 30 yearsI was thrilled as a middle-schooler to s…Current_EventsRebooting “Rossum’s Universal Robots” for the 21st century“It is over three hours long, and it is …CultureRequiem for the NewsroomWhen I worked at…

“Bach is not for the weak of mind.”

“Bach is not for the weak of mind.” — Miss Renee, my kids’ piano teacher. “I’m in trouble.” — Peter, my son. Similar:My meme about the distracted boyfriend memeAmusingThey still need work but we have 2 weeks before classes start, so I feel pretty good.They still need work but we have 2 weeks…PersonalWinnie the Pooh…

Classroom collaboration marketplace

While I am uncomfortable with the whole “classroom as marketplace” metaphor, since it’s pretty much gamifying without the fun, I am nonetheless interested in this strategy for encouraging students to collaborate by having them attach a value to the artifacts they present to the class for sharing.. We shop for everything from apps to ideas.…