Overheard at Quora: “Why after all these years is Moodle still so ugly?”

Moodle is a free course-management tool that many schools (including mine) use to manage the online components of courses (including computer-graded quizzes, discussion forums, and the submission of online papers). The tool is powerful, but the interface offers a bewildering array of options, so that casual users are often dismayed by how many checkboxes it…

An Evening with a Board Game and Grandma

By the way, I won. Similar:Over the years I have leveled up my Blender3D skills.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNLArSlF…AestheticsStage Right's production of 'Secret Garden' is heart-tugging showIn the Stage Right production, the role …Current_EventsSee The Nutcracker!@laurelballetperformingco dancers and full @westmorelandsymphony orches…DanceHappy retirement celebration to two dear colleagues.AcademiaYes, it's happening here at Seton Hill. Quidditch. Academia"Chores" — Clip from Snow White:…

Yes, I do feel rather awesome right now.

Lost brand-new earbuds. Reached in pocket of freshly-washed pants & found old earbuds. (They work!) Looked down & spotted new earbuds. #win Similar:Our family has seen David Whalen in the persona of Sherlock in five or six different shows…Our family has seen David Whalen in the …CultureWhat, exactly, am I looking at here? I’m so…

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:The AI Mirror Test: Why Even the Smartest People Keep Falling ShortWhat is important to remember is that ch…CultureMy View: What will you do with an English degree? PlentyI just found my first reading assignment…AcademiaSnap's share price sinks, trades just above IPO priceNASDAQ.com throws shade via Reuters: Sn…BusinessFreelance Writing Online: What Are You Worth?Freelance writers…

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:Today's Google Doodle is Mostly HarmlessFord Prefect kept a script of Godspell i…AestheticsKnowing Poe [Annotated Version of 'The Raven']Edgar Allan Poe’s most popular poem, “Th…BooksStop Using 'Poet Voice'This article…