First-Person Tetris

An interesting spin on Tetris. Similar:Joyful white guys finish ahead of struggling woman and black man in this university’s cata…Looks like the quality control process a…AcademiaThe Problem with Quotes on the InternetAmusingFacebook’s Censorship Problem Is What Happens When a Tech Company Controls the NewsFacebook makes editorial decisions that …BusinessLearn to code? No: Learn a real…

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:A salute lost to historyHistory is complex and baffling and fasc…CultureSentence Definition: Species = Genus + DifferentiaJerz > Writing > Technical Writing…AcademiaDon't call it "social distancing" or you just might get a polite…

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)

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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:Code of Honor (ST:TNG Rewatch — Season 1, Episode 3) Rehashed Amok Time plot that gets ra…Rewatching TNG after almost 20 years. (Y…CultureThe Drudge Report is pulling no punches as it covers the Trump document sagaThe Drudge Report is pulling no punches …Current_EventsTwitter suspends Trump's accountTwitter suspended…

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:How’s newsgathering during COVID-19 at the state level? Depends…

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:We are in a golden age for journalismMost handwringing about the state of jou…Business12 Mistakes Nearly Everyone Who Writes About Grammar Mistakes MakesDescriptive grammarians rejoice. Formal…CultureEveryone Nov 1AmusingWhite House Bars Times and Other News Outlets From BriefingKudos to the reporters from Time and AP…