The final internet chatroom exchange took place on 28 June last year. “U want me 2 take him 2 trafford centre and kill him in the middle of trafford centre??” said one message. “Yes,” came the reply. Less than 24 hours later, a 14-year-old boy was critically ill in hospital with stab wounds in the…
It’s exciting to see the topic generate such interest and activity — especially since that’s one of the premises on which the Disseminary is based. One of the topics involves the question of what the various conversants mean by “open,” which I’d summarize with the following list of opennesses: “open source” (Stephen Carlson’s emphasis): primary…
Amusement parks just wouldn’t be amusing without all the warnings that we ignore. Whipper-Snapper Whiplash Worries Bull’s-Eye BS Astounding Amusement Park Physics —Dennis G. Jerz —Cruel Amusement Park Instructions (Jerz’s Online Reading Room) Similar:Ursula K. Le Guin: A Personal Take on Go Set a Watchman Before Watchman was published, I…BooksCanada's Globe and Mail Uses Expandable Inline…
“Teenagers need to be engaged as equals, not talked down to,” Niles said, scrubbing the words “Miss Niles is a kunt” from the surface of her desk. “A heavy-handed approach takes the joy out of learning. Some teachers give out detention, but I praise my students for the times they don’t skip class, rather than…
Yes, graduates, as much as you love your Mom and Dad, you’re realistic enough to understand, deep down inside, that they are the two most annoying human beings on the planet. And so the time will come — I give it six weeks — when you realize that you can no longer continue living with…
“When Zaphod first comes out of the temple and is approached by well wishers, the banana alien on the mole-horse needs to replace the multi-headed groupie.” You just don’t get notes like this every day. —Kerry Kirkpatrick —HHGG Interview with Myself (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy [Official Blog]) Similar:The Alternate (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 2,…
“Under the right circumstances,” Surowiecki argues, “groups are remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than the smartest people in them.” For evidence, he cites how groups have been used to find lost submarines, correct the spread on a sporting event, locate a Web page, even predict the president of the United States. So why aren’t…
Traditional sources of water collection are from dams, springs, rivers, streams and farm reservoirs, with the introduction of boreholes where these traditional sources of water are unavailable. Until now such boreholes have been operated by handpumps as the use of modern alternatives such as diesel, petrol or electric pumps are costly to install and have…
Jurors sentenced Carmack to seven years for convictions in March of forgery, identity theft and falsifying business records. He must serve a minimum 3 1/2 years. —Carolyn Thompson —Spammer Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison (AP/MyWay) O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Similar:Virtual debates about homelessness in Sim City hold up a mirror to real lifeBack in…
A student who admits plagiarising his way through his three-year degree course plans to sue his university for negligence after he was caught out on the day before his final exam. Michael Gunn was told by the University of Kent at Canterbury earlier this month that a routine review of his English literature degree coursework…
Should you happen to find yourself captivated watching slender Lara bound lithely through Tomb Raider’s dark, moist-looking caverns, you will do so without quite forgetting that Lara is, in a sense, you. Like the stranded Marine in Doom, the progenitor of first-person shooters, Lara awaits your input before she makes her decisions. Lara and Doom’s…
A social studies office worker said she was fired this week after administrators discovered provocative posts in her online journal, including threats to fellow workers and superiors. —Leon Neyfakh —Online Weblog Leads To Firing (Harvard Crimson) An online weblog… as opposed to some other kind of weblog, such as an offline weblog, which, according to the…
She now has 81 grandchildren and great-grandchildren to hear her schoolgirl tales, but the end of the story always troubled her. So after outliving three husbands and letting seven decades pass since her last high school class, Babson decided it was time to go back to school. —Jill Barton —Fla. Woman, 90, Receives H.S. Diploma (MyWay/AP)…
As Peter Rojas points out in Engadget, it was not actually a mainstream news source which first reported Rumsfeld as saying: “To protect the Iraqi prisoners from any future abuses; any digital cameras, camcorders, or cell phones with cameras are strictly prohibited anywhere in any military compound in Iraq.” That statement was actually a satirical…
In a society devoted to “reality shows” and rampant commodification, it had to happen some time. Late last month an independent scientist auctioned off his services as a co-author on eBay, with the promise of helping the highest bidder write a scientific paper for publication. The offer even had the added allure of a linkage…
The perception and use of an avatar – as the primary means of agency in online environments – might be expected to be shaped by the motivations for participating in the environment. In particular, goal-oriented users may be more likely to treat avatars as tools/pawns to achieve goals, thereby encouraging a preference for 3PP that…
Neckties worn by doctors can and do carry dangerous pathogens, a clever new study released yesterday reveals. It suggests a bedside visit by a well-dressed physician could dole out disease along with comfort and care. —Helen Branswell —MDs’ neckties ‘a health hazard’ (Toronto Star) Similar:Is College Worth It? Clearly, New Data SayAmericans with four-year college degrees…AcademiaSynchronous…
“Most writers are not getting published in magazines or literary journals,” Lee said the other day, clicking through her Internet Explorer favorites in her cluttered cubicle at the I.C.M. office on West Fifty-seventh Street. “For some more unconventional voices, for people that don’t have connections, blogs can be an entryway into the game.” —Daniel Radosh…
Students might be surprised to know how nervous some experienced teachers can be at the prospect of a new class. I have taught at least 40 classes, but I still find teaching stressful, particularly after the summer break or a sabbatical. As the first day approaches, I’ll begin to worry: Will my voice tremble? Will…
Since I started using computers, they’ve become almost a million times more powerful. Although big computers can be alienating, their evolution generally leads to a better user experience…. Although the bigger, newer mainframe had an actual CRT screen, it also had obscure commands and horrible usability. Worst of all, it was highly alienating because you…