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:STEM Education Is…

The Ballad of Sand and Harry Soot

(Word Circuits): Hypertext poetry by Stephanie Strickland —The Ballad of Sand and Harry Soot Similar:The daughter joined the cast of this show a few days ago. As Safie, she sings a folk song …She says she got the email while at a ca…Culture'Dream' casting a family affairAmong actors in Cabaret Theatre’s upcomi…CultureOn the Hatred of…

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:Facebook exec erroneously cites The Lord of the…

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:Overwhelmed? Start a new to-do list with "1) Breathe; 2) Make 'to-do' list" Felt momentarily overwhelmed by the da…CultureChoiceScript tutorial for making casual, phone-friendly, stats-driven storygames. Choice o… https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis…AcademiaIs…

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:Understanding The Fake News Universe The fake news universe is vast and eph…CultureHiggs and Englert Are Awarded Nobel Prize in PhysicsBeautiful, beautiful science writing by …Current_EventsImagine all the people. Just reading their damned syllabus.These are not the rhetorical choices I…

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:Attribution, Editorializing and DefamationIn the Nightly Noodle Monthly, former No…Current_EventsTwo Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots Talk and Argue with Each…

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:That's what's been bothering me since yesterday's #AirPod reveal. #manamanaNumber of times one of my $9.99 headphon…BusinessChatBot Helps Crack the Case of the Missing 45GBThe other…

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:Grading writing: The art and science — and why computers can’t do itTech companies and university administra…AcademiaThe Piano Lesson ( #AugustWilson #CenturyCycle, 4 of 10)August Wilson’s Century Cycle >  Spoi…BooksIn…

Astrid Lindgren

, creator of Pippi Longstocking, dies at 94. (Guardian) —Astrid Lindgren Similar:Why Study Humanities? What I Tell Engineering FreshmenScience writer Jon Horgan writes: We li…AcademiaWhen is the phrase "when asked about…" part of good news writing? Rarely.A new graphic for an existing handout, w…AcademiaSmith College Protesters Bar Journalists From Covering Sit-In Unless They Support the…

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:This is what an "umm" looks likeThis image, of the audio…

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:Breaking: Student consults syllabus before asking question about course scheduleNASHVILLE, TN – Vanderbilt University is…AcademiaRobot Dramas: Autonomous Machines in the Limelight on Stage and in…

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:Ode to Huckleberry Finn, Dec’d(Inspired by…

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:Opinion | Fake News Comes to AcademiaThe three academics call themselves “lef…AcademiaLearn to code? No: Learn a real languageI…