Schwarzenegger to foe: (Veto) 'you'

In California, the governor’s office reacts to hearing of a vulgar message hidden vertically in the first row of letters in this gubernatorial veto. As The Swamp puts it: “My goodness. What a coincidence,” a shocked, shocked Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear is quoted by the Associated Press as saying. “I suppose when you do so…

Living on $500,000 a Year

What can be learned from Fitzgerald’s tax returns? To start with, his popular reputation as a careless spendthrift is untrue. Fitzgerald was always trying to follow conservative financial principles. Until 1937 he kept a ledger–as if he were a grocer–a meticulous record of his earnings from each short story, play, and novel he sold. The…

They Grow Up So Fast

A few years ago, my daughter was thrilled to receive a hand-me-down fanny pack. (See the price tag hanging on my spiffy new one?)Earlier this month, when my wife took the kids on a family visit for about 10 days, my daughter cried for me at night. Similar:Disaster (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season 5, Episode 5)…

Pressure-cooker kindergarten

Our decision to homeschool began when we moved from Wisconsin to Pennsylvania with a five-year-old, and found there was no option for half-day kindergarten. We decided the move was stressful enough, and since school attendance wasn’t mandatory until age 7, we decided to handle the afternoon naps, storytimes, and playing-with-blocks ourselves. As long as our…

Sweaters from Rover?

From Awful Library Books. For more schadenfreud, see Cake Wrecks, Photoshop Disasters, and Fail Blog. Similar:Coming of Age (TNG Rewatch: Season 1, Episode 18)Rewatching ST:TNG A character-heavy e…MediaKirk's manly, sensitive advice to young CharlieIn popular culture, Captain Kirk from th…CultureLanguage Log » 25 Questions for Teaching with "Word Crimes"A little perspective is good. So is…

On the Edge of Math and Code

Great stuff from Mark Marino… not only is the content fascinating, but the blog-sized presentation, for discusison, of a fundamental theoretical concept is a great example of what the blogging medium can do for (and to) scholarship. Item for today: = In Donald Knuth and Luis Trabb Pardo‘s article on the history of computers, the…

Margin of Error

I’m gearing up to introduce my journalism students to a news project that requires a basic knowledge of math. I don’t want to make it too frustrating to them, but I do want to emphasize how easy it is to be misled by the math. Margin of Error deserves better than the throw-away line it…

Teaching the Holocaust

I assigned book one of Maus: A Survivor’s Tale to a “Writing About Literature” class, the designated writing-intensive course for our English majors. The students discussed the abrupt ending, the use of ethnic stereotypes, and of course the comic book medium itself. One student’s “Hearing through Yiddish… Seeing in Ink…” is particularly thoughtful. About a…

Does anyone like 3-D?

Movie critics are sometimes asked why all movies cost the same to view, even though some may have cost $100 million to make, and others $500,000. It’s a reasonable question. I suppose the reasoning is that you get about two hours of movie either way. Now 3-D has provided exhibitors with a subterfuge to force…

Balloon Boy Dad: "Absolutely No Hoax"

When Heene appeared, he instead simply displayed a box into which he invited the media to submit questions, to be answered this evening. —CBS Well, he’s managed to extend his fame by another 15 minutes. Similar:Journalism is doing just fine, thanks — it’s mass-media business models that are ailingHmm… I warn my freshmen not to…

Animator vs. Animation by *alanbecker on deviantART

Jaw-droppingly cool– though it probably helps if you’ve ever worked with Flash. Animator vs. Animation Similar:Earth With RingsSure, Saturn’s rings are cool, but the E…AestheticsHidden Spaces, New Possibilities I’ve often had dreams about returning …CultureNAVY TO DROP ALL-CAPS COMMUNICATIONSCaps off to the Navy’s plan to drop all-…CultureUnless Buzzfeed-style Clickbait Replaces all Forms of Human Communication,…

Alright, already! Sheesh.

  Similar:The only snow alert you'll ever need.AmusingPippin! Last show today at 2pm.Culture#MyNYPD Hashtag Promptly HijackedSomeone is regretting this PR move. …Current_EventsThe Dish (2000 Australian comedy)I try to watch this every July to commem…CultureI was perhaps a bit more conversational and chipper than usual during class today. A grinn…I was perhaps a bit more conversational…