First-Person Tetris

An interesting spin on Tetris. Similar:Today's second 10sq cm of #steampunk control panel. Love those letter flip tiles. Maybe I'…AestheticsLong Live The English Major—If It’s Paired With An Industry-Recognized CredentialWhat does this simple question and its r…AcademiaStage Right Water SpriteLast week my daughter and I were a littl…AestheticsTell Me a Smart Story: On Podcasts, Videos,…

What Type are You?

Why did Brian Wilson use Cooper Black on the cover of Pet Sounds? Why did Obama use Gotham for his election propaganda? It has long been apparent that typefaces reflect the character of the person using them, and that type choice, as well as the words that are typed, is a powerful conveyor of meaning. At…

I Hate Your Blog — MC Frontalot

Very catchy tune. I love the way the meter of the refrain sputters, not unlike the sporadic posts of a blog that won’t die. Similar:IOC spokesman: Journalists free to Instagram at Sochi Olympics  Journalists will be allowed to u…BusinessRediscovering Infocom Games With My Kids  Call it the Familyhood of the Tr…CybercultureI’m a 12-year-old girl. Why…

Nil by mouth

Afer extensive treatments for cancer, including the removal of part of his jaw, film critic Roger Ebert is still critiquing movies and writing, but he is unable to speak; he also can’t eat or drink. His recent column reflects on life without a mouth. One day in the hospital my brother-in-law Johnny Hammel and his…

The Turtlenecked Hairshirt

Ian Bogost has stirred up some discussion with his post on how digital humanities has challenged the humanities at large.  I’ve been very happy with the level of support I’ve received from my English colleagues, my humanities colleagues, and the dean, but all interdisciplinary, hybrid, and emerging fields rub against the sharp edges of the…

My 11yo Son and I Play Adam Cadre's 9:05 (Interactive Fiction Playthrough)

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A playable game of Tabletop Pong

If that’s not good enough for you, try Similar:Just remember: what you’re seeing and what you're reading is not what’s happening.Words apparently spoken by the President…Current_EventsWhy are sports in trouble in the U.S.? Because we didn’t do the work. Hard-hitting column from Sally Jen…BusinessResearch Before Google Books (from 2006)Me: It took a few days for…

What art thou, Pez?

What are thou, Pez, that must needs be dispensed? T’ be merely wrapped would leave thee so incensed? T’were better still to leave the fingers sticky, Than be vomited up by the likes of Mickey. — Mark Janello Curtis Allina, 87, Put Heads on Pez Dispensers Similar:To meme, or not to meme.AestheticsPlaywright #AugustWilson Takes Center…

crazy…creative…it's a fine line

What would be more awesome than a colorful display of iconic images from 100 beloved games? How about a colorful display of iconic images from 100 beloved games on cupcakes? Similar:Evolution of Gambling: Pay by Phone CasinoWhat will we use our phones for next?&nb…BusinessElderly ballerina hears familiar music from 50 years agohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owb1uWDg…AestheticsFather-daughter bonding between takes.That’s…

Deus Ex Memories

I’ve just finished my final training run as a nanotech-augmented super-agent. Nasty terrorists holed up in the ruins of the State of Liberty have captured one of my fellow agents, and it’s my job to get him out. In real life, it’s 2002, and I’m just a guy in Wisconsin. My four-year-old son is asleep…

Video Game Culture and Theory

My online three-week course will start tomorrow morning. It will lean heavily on blogging, so chances are I’ll be a bit more productive than usual in that area. Video Game Culture and TheoryThis course isn’t about learning how to “win” a game, nor is it about programming or design. In fact, according to a recent…

Ms. Pac-Man: Feminist Hero

It’s a spoof, but it’s well-researched and contains plenty of insight. Similar:The "Best" E-mail Signature Is Actually the WorstI have no particular opinion about how t…BusinessMy son showed me #PacificRim.My son showed me #PacificRim. Liked the …CybercultureWhen Asking the Question is Part of the News Story (New Example: Clinton Supporters)I ask my journalism students to…