Honesty, Shining Through

What’s it like interviewing college students at job fairs? "What a snooze. By the sixth interview of the day I vow that I’ll hire anyone who can make me remember their name, and I’ll sign over my 401(k) to any candidate who can make me laugh." Erin Cronin —Honesty, Shining Throughb> (WashPost) Similar:A big day…

The Ballad of Sand and Harry Soot

(Word Circuits): Hypertext poetry by Stephanie Strickland —The Ballad of Sand and Harry Soot Similar:So, What's in It for Me?All in all, I enjoy my job very much, an…AcademiaThat Uplifting Tweet You Just Shared? A Russian Troll Sent ItProfessional disinformation isn’t spread…CultureReal college classes have writing assignments and required reading.While I can imagine teaching a…

Judge Orders God to Break Up into Smaller Deities

"Calling the theological giant’s stranglehold on the religion industry ‘blatantly anti-competitive,’ a U.S. district judge ruled Monday that God is in violation of anti-monopoly laws and ordered Him to be broken up into several less powerful deities." —Judge Orders God to Break Up into Smaller Deitiesb> (TheOnion) Similar:My Cow Game Extracted Your Facebook DataThe Cambridge…

The Need for Simple English on the Web

"Write simply. Keep headings, summaries, sentences, paragraphs and documents short. Get to the point. Then stop." Gerry McGovern —The Need for Simple English on the Web Similar:ChatGPT Is a Blurry JPEG of the Web Think of ChatGPT as a blurry jpeg…CybercultureBlondes 'to die out in 200 years'”The last natural blondes will die out w…CultureGen Z Never…

Songs about the Macintosh 

"Poor sad Mac, born in a plastic age. / A time when the world still thought in beige. / Crafted and molded just like a piece of art. / An orphan, abandoned. It’s enough to break your heart." [Which column would you put this one in? Sometimes I wonder why I continue to split my…

Phantom Weblogger: Kaycee Nicole Never Existed

Kaycee Nicole, an attractive student dying from leukemia, shared her ordeal via on online diary. Her mother started a companion diary. Web surfers became close friends with this family through email, chatroom, and even phone conversations. The New York Times even quoted Kaycee about college life.  When she finally died, her online friends grieved like…

Face-blindness

  What is life like for a person who has trouble recognizing human faces? —Face-blindness Similar:Boston Bombing Survivor Dances Onstage for First TimeTechnology and artistry combine in this …CultureThe Post drops the ‘mike’ — and the hyphen in ‘e-mail’When I announced these style changes, an…CultureYork Plays 2025: Five cameras, adding up to ~100 hours of…

Doom Ahead for Search Engines That Charge

"[T]he search and directory firms have put their futures in question by flouting time-tested business practices that require an absolutely clear separation between editorial content and advertising." Hal Plotkin —Doom Ahead for Search Engines That Charge (SF Gate) Similar:The super-rich ‘preppers’ planning to save themselves from the apocalypse This was probably the wealthiest, most…BusinessEvolution of…

Congressional Web Sites: Not So Good

When congressional Web sites are good, they’re really good. But most aren’t, says a nonprofit group that rated more than 600 of them. —Congressional Web Sites: Not So GoodCNN) Similar:Google Pledges $300 Million to Clean Up False NewsThis is a welcome step, but we cannot tr…CultureDear Google: You Should Have Talked to Me FirstTeacher Jen…

Watercolors by William Blake

found after 165 years. The watercolors were prototypes for engravings that the impoverished poet hoped would pay his bills. (Daily Telegraph) —Watercolors by William Blake Similar:Syllabusing Like a BossAcademiaAmazing McDonald's "Maestro Burger" CommercialJaw-dropping. So creative and joyful. …AestheticsMultimodal Composition: Every time a student submits a narrated PowerPoint, a puppy cries.AcademiaDéjà Q (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season…

Astrid Lindgren

, creator of Pippi Longstocking, dies at 94. (Guardian) —Astrid Lindgren Similar:‘Snow White’ gets a new musical There’s a buzz of excitement this week…CultureMy students seem increasingly confused by the difference between journal title vs. article… Sometimes students will submit bibli…AcademiaA day after using an apparently altered hurricane map, Trump defends his Alabama claimIt was…

I Want my Arts & Letters Daily

“The Web has decentralized the control of ideas, as A&LD proves. A few years ago the exchange of opinions and theories had to be managed by people living in great metropolitan centres, the intellectual world’s version of imperialism. But with the Web it can be done anywhere.” Robert Fulford —I Want my Arts & Letters…

Programmers Make Ethical Decisions

"Don’t let anyone tell you that as a programmer you don’t have to make moral or ethical decisions. Every time you decide that making users feel stupid is better than fixing your code, you’re making an ethical decision." —Programmers Make Ethical DecisionsJoel on Software) Similar:Analysis | The ‘Kellyanne Conway on the couch’ controversy is so…

Clutterers Anonymous

(CLA) is a fellowship of individuals who share experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem with clutter and help others recover. The only requirement for membership is a desire to eliminate clutter and bring order into our lives. (via Remarked Bookmarks) —Clutterers Anonymous Ironic: when I was an…

An Accident Rooted in History

The Space Shuttle’s Solid Rocket Booster problem began with the faulty design of its joint and increased as both NASA and contractor management first failed to recognize it as a problem, then failed to fix it and finally treated it as an acceptable flight risk.” —An Accident Rooted in HistoryNASA) 28 January, 1986. My senior…

I Found it On the Internet: Teaching Students to Locate, Evaluate and Cite Online Sources

The link above goes to the web version of a powerpoint presentation. Dennis G. Jerz —I Found it On the Internet: Teaching Students to Locate, Evaluate and Cite Online Sources Similar:Simulated iceberg, preserved artifacts and re-creations at the Titanic installation. …CultureFacebook Finally Rolls Out 'Disputed News' Tag Everyone Will DisputeAnybody seen a post tagged this…

Psychology of Weblogs

"Most weblogs are drivel, banal sh*t written by angst-ridden teenagers and adults sharing feelings, thoughts, and mind-numbing details about their daily lives that provide little insight into anything or anyone. But the gems can be found amongst the long-since abandoned or forgotten sites." John M. Grohol —Psychology of Weblogs Similar:Students who grew up with search…

Searchin’ for the Surfer Saint

A prayer before surfing: “Almighty and eternal God, we beseech thee that, through the example of Saint Isidore, bishop and doctor, during our journeys through the Internet we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to thee and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. Amen.”…

Of Poets, Prophets and Politics

While Westerners may be surprised by the notion that poetry is an effective way to convey a political message, Bassam Frangieh says it is an integral part of Arab culture. —Of Poets, Prophets and Politics (Humanities) Similar:Talked too much during a meeting today.Talked too much during a meeting today. …AcademiaA young father sold his beloved…