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:Defiant (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 3, Episode 9) Riker visits DS9, and it's he who's …Rewatching ST:DS9 After an overworked…EmpathyUnification, Part 1 (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5, Episode 7) Picard Questions Sarek a…Rewatching ST:TNG Informed…

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:Fun with Kirk and SpockSee the Enterprise. See the Enterprise g…Amusing35% of my site visitors right now are using mobile devicesThis year I have seen an uptick in the p…Cyberculture“Link In Bio” is a slow knifeWe don’t even notice it anymore — “link …Business‪Uncanny footage of an outdoor sculpture.‬‏ -…

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:Connecting the Dots…Madeline Cash reflects on her boomer mot…CultureRobot Dramas: Autonomous Machines in the Limelight on Stage and in SocietyA thoughtful overview of robots in cultu…AestheticsThe Distracted Classroom: Transparency, Autonomy, and…

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:Covfefe chaos: What Trump’s typos say about his administrationMisspelled tweets and typos in press rel…CultureSinéad O'Connor's open letter to Miley CyrusI was never a fan of Sinéad O’Connor, bu…AestheticsA warning to college profs from a high school teacherMy students did well on those questions …AcademiaPresidential RhetoricCultureBecause Internet: the new linguistics of informal EnglishI’m planning…

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:Richard Halloran / Owns Home Computer.“Engineers now predict the day will come…AmusingVintage TV News Coverage of Pac-ManVintage TV news coverage of Pac-Man. …CybercultureNew Voices For The Voiceless: Synthetic Speech Gets An UpgradeWonderful, inspiring article that uses t…CultureHow Americans DieFantastic data visualization. How Ameri…CultureDebunking the newspapers are dying…

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 facts evolve as we look into how our…

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:"If It's Not Baroque, Don't Fix It" Cogsworth Broadway Supercuthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx6t-pef…AmusingFacebook Instant Articles Are on Their WayTons of large new media operations produ…BusinessMy Review of the…