Virtual school shooings: interviewing two of the most hated game creators alive

You may or may not be familiar with V-Tech Rampage, a flash game created by Ryan Lambourn. True to its title, the game allows the player to take on the role of Cho Seung-Hui and re-enact the fateful school shooting of April 16th. The game drew hatred from the mainstream media and gamers alike; many…

'Venus Redemption'

Venus Redemption is a unique episodic casual game created for 30+ female gamers, with a rich plot written by a noted novelist. Unlike other casual games, it features powerful storylines, deep characters, emotion-based interactive conversations and exciting adventure gameplay. However, like traditional casual games, it’s extremely easy to play, requiring only the ability to move…

You Down with MCP? Twenty-five years later, 'Tron' and other 'geek' classics are more compelling than ever

The film’s extreme stylization — dark backgrounds, glowing neon colors, polygonal landscapes, geometric vehicles, and an absence of external lighting — was an aesthetic decision that embraced the limitations of computer-generated imagery. “The actual process of making something out of polygons, then shading it, became a design influence,” explains Taylor. “Not only was the film…

Poems About Fathers

—Poems About Fathers (Poetry Foundation) Having a father and being a father, I found this page interesting. When my own daughter is a teenager, I might not like “Fifteen” as much as I do now. Similar:How do I cite a tweet in MLA Style?According to the Modern Language Associa…AcademiaUsing "Strive" as a NounObviously I know what…

Tools for Teaching Basic Programming Concepts

Tools for Teaching Basic Programming Concepts Alice and Scratch. Filing for future reference. Similar:Terms of ServiceFascinating example of new media journal…AestheticsPushing and pulling vertices. Components that fit together perfectly when I model them in …AestheticsShort Reports: How To Write Routine Technical DocumentsI don’t get to teach technical writing m…BusinessWhat Khan Academy's Fun, Free Learning Empire…

Will you, won't you… Blackwell's Quadrille

Will you, won’t you… Blackwell’s Quadrille (Jerz’s Literacy Weblog) “Will you, won’t you, will you, won’t you, will you join the dance?” — Lewis Carroll’s “Lobster Quadrille” I just tried to order an examination copy of a book from Blackwell Publishing, and when I got what looked like an error message on the final screen (or…

Shakespeare hates your emo poems

—Shakespeare hates your emo poems (Threadless) Interesting cultural phenomenon… sell a T-shirt, then create a website that lets customers upload photos of themselves wearing the T-shirt. The result turns the rebellious and snarky T-shirt designs into the uniforms of conformist consumer zombies. Similar:The ‘Cancelling’ of Flannery O’Connor? It Never Should Have HappenedI regularly teach Flannery O’Connor,…

The civil war in four minutes

—The civil war in four minutes (YouTube) Similar:A student just booked an appointment to discuss picking up journalism as a second major. E…Academiafrom “The Poet” by Ralph Waldo EmersonThe poets made all the words, and theref…AestheticsA fleet of drones performs a light show in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. I can’t help thinking of the b…AestheticsInside…