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:A news site used AI to write articles. It was a journalistic disaster. Artificial intelligence has been deplo…BusinessFacebook exec erroneously cites The Lord of the Rings when comparing the social network to…A Facebook executive, Andrew…

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:Why ‘Cats’ the Movie Fails So FlamboyantlyI can’t seem to get into superhero movie…AestheticsMultimodal Composing, Sketchnotes, and Idea GenerationUsing the mixed media of sketch notes, a…AcademiaAdvent of Digital Humanities Will Make English Departments Pointless — New RepublicDon’t overreact to the headline, which i…AcademiaSights, Sounds, and Smells of Elizabethan TheaterSomewhere during…

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…

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:As a student journo, naturally I covered the visit from Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry…I recall just sort of telling the editor…AcademiaHow One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s LifeA PR professional should have known bett…BusinessiMovie Glitch: Unplug Removable Media before Using iMovieI spent a few hours today working on a v…CybercultureThe first ever…

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

Similar:An Academic Conference Where YOU are the Hero: Interactive Fiction in Print and OnlineI wish I had known about this in advance…AcademiaMore #Blender3D practice. Additional details for a steampunk control panel. Just because.AestheticsIn September, 2002, I was blogging about science writing, satire, ebonics, Google News, ow…In September, 2002, I was blogging about…CybercultureStill More FaceTime FunI…

A playable game of Tabletop Pong

If that’s not good enough for you, try Similar:I just finished recalibrating the port scanner station and lookout post. If you need help … AestheticsHow We Can Help Students Survive in an Age of Anxiety Today’s students have also lived…AcademiaMy Student Calls Out a Mental Health Stigma in a Biased Headline — But Here's Why…

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:More world-building props for a fantasy #steampunk #Blender3D project.DesignCandy…

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:Granting a Student SuperAdminGoddessOMGWhatHaveIDone Network PrivilegesI should probably not grant a student su…AcademiaI Quit Liking Things On Facebook for Two Weeks.She stopped liking, and started commenti…CybercultureDigital…