Learn from this typesetter’s mistake

Wisdom to keep in mind as I plan for this semester’s “History and Future of the Book.”   FAIL Blog. Similar:Twitterverse, are we grieving over coder droves now leaving? AmusingJournalism is now the second draft of historyThe unavoidable truth is that first draf…CultureLighten Up (an illustrator explores the racial politics of skin color in comics)Lighten…

Constitutional Kombat: Psychological Evidence Used to Restrict Video-game Violence

Violent video games have triggered substantial controversy due to highly publicized incidents of youth violence that have been allegedly inspired by the content of such games. Several jurisdictions have passed legislation penalizing the distribution of violent video games to minors and used psychological research to support the justification for such laws. However, courts have consistently…

on lesson plans and pedagogic tactics

I am far less interested in turning my students into good bloggers, or good podcasters, or good YouTubers, and far more interested in helping them develop the big-picture synthesizing and evaluative skills that will enable them to learn whatever comes along next, and to keep learning whatever comes next.  Of course, I also ask students…

Raising a stink over printer ink

The price of printer cartridges has long irritated consumers and their advocates, and they say the lack of information from manufacturers only aggravates the situation. One recent study even estimated that consumers could save billions of dollars a year if they were armed with full information about how much it would cost to operate various…

First-Person Tetris

An interesting spin on Tetris. Similar:Google Trends: blog, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook (2004-2012)I rather expected this — popularity of …Current_EventsMy 10yo Launches a Soda Bottle Rocket http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbNu8…AestheticsA #neovictorian master status display board for a #steampunk #blender3d project. Inspired …AestheticsContemptible and Exploitive “Share if You’re Not Ashamed of Me” Facebook ScamsOutline: Various Facebook posts that fea…BusinessKindle App Vs.…

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:Multimodal News Packages (for Student Journalists)A multimodal news package simply means “…AcademiaHow Trump Is Making Journalism School Great AgainThis is an important time to teach peopl…AcademiaBihar Boards: An annual ritual of…

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…

Colossal Cave Adventure Playthrough (with my 11-year-old son)

  Similar:Industriousness. Self-improvement. Thrift. And orange slime. The girl amusing herself on our 70m …AestheticsLocal News in a Digital AgeLocal TV news is the “most visible prese…AestheticsDeadline seems to have briefly published, then taken down, story that says Pence has teste…Deadline seems to have briefly published…Current_EventsThe Mere Presence of Your Smartphone Reduces Brain Power, Study…

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

Similar:AmLit Rescue — Scratch GameA student in my “American Literature: 19…AcademiaWhy Hoboken is Throwing Away All of its Student LaptopsUntrained teachers. Damage-prone machine…CybercultureIn September, 2001 I was blogging about… With a grant from UWEC, I was able t…Aesthetics#PPTPlaytime Tartuffe @thepublicpgh (Looking forward to Part 2 of this live videoconferenc…CultureHow Social Media Silences DebateThe Internet, it…

A playable game of Tabletop Pong

If that’s not good enough for you, try Similar:Where Are the Women?Thanks for the suggestion, Nicole. The …CultureIn October 2001, I was blogging about nothing, apostrophes, the anthrax scare, and Boilerp…In October 2001, I was blogging about …AmusingDebunking the newspapers are dying ideaDon’t count on viral social media posts …CultureShould the AP Really Have Fired…

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:The joy of text – the fall and rise…