An experiment in which group members could pay for the privilege of fining free-loaders suggests that the threat of being punished by angry peers helps to check selfish behavior. (Consider this in light of the "Bernie Shifman" article.) —Anger Plays Key Role in Human Cooperationb> (New Scientist) Similar:Video Game about Cancer and GriefOn my list…
“It began as a fireside story spun by a Catholic dad. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings became a great epic that has inspired conversions, steeled young people in virtue, and changed lives — including mine.” John Zmirak —The Lord and the Ring (catholic.net) Similar:When Robert Pinsky Wrote a Video Game[F]or a brief time in…
“There’s only so much time. And there are so many great books. And every year more books are published, some of which will be great. Reluctantly, the reader begins to acknowledge the appalling necessity of choosing to read certain good things and not other good things.” —Reading Anxiety (Nat’l Post) Similar:Kairos: Open Since 1996As a…
Hundreds of websites that used to give their content away for free are now charging for their services. This weblog chronicles the changes. —The End of Free Similar:In October, 2000, I was blogging about bobbed hair, Woolf, a CFP for interactive fiction s…In October 2000, I was blogging about …CultureWhile searching my bag for a…
Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the air—these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle. —Wow, Check out that Motorcycle Revving! (The…
You have not truly lived, until you have seen Star Wars rendered as ASCII animation. The FAQ page includes the answer to “Why (oh, God why)?” Similar:You are standing in a field. There is a meme here. Via David ThompsonAmusingI came of age playing too many CD-ROM point-and-click adventure games to ignore these stee…I came…
is an open-source encyclopedia. If it doesn’t have an entry for something, you can write it yourself! —Wikipedia Similar:Have 40 years of mobile phones given literature bad lines?The X Files did a good job of embracing …CybercultureTurnitin's slick new iPad app almost erases years of web-based GradeMark traumaI have in the past griped on Twitter…
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse… [More or Livingston? Authorship uncertain.] —“A Visit from St. Nicholas” Similar:That one ungraded assignment is an early submission due Jan 2. I’m all set for a relaxing …AcademiaTake my feedback if you want to pass.As…
Very sad: “Sixteen mothers, all of whom were pregnant on Sept. 11 and lost their husbands in the terrorist attacks, and their babies are photographed with news anchor Diane Sawyer.” —Sept. 11 Widows with NewbornsAP via Yahoo!) Similar:Merry Christmas 2013Current_EventsSeriously, Fuck You, "Kindle Unlimited"I’m just quoting the f-bomb in the link,…BooksBureaucrats Put the Squeeze on…
Programming bugs have bedeviled many a scientific researcher. Now, some researchers in Japan have programmed a bug. Thanks to a surgically-implanted device, scientists can control the motion of “Robo-roach.” —Weird Science (Guardian) Similar:How To Gain or Lose 30 Minutes of Life Every DayIf you smoke two cigarettes, you lose 30…DesignAdam Savage’s 10 Commandments Of MakingAdam…
“An experiment to uncover the world’s funniest jokes has found that some computer-generated gags can be more amusing than those thought up by humans.” —What Kind of Murderer has Moral Fibre? (New Scientist) Similar:Fascinating, and very sad, story behind an iconic National Geographic photo.Fascinating, and very sad, story behind …AestheticsVanessa Otero's Complex vs. Clickbait, Liberal…
Children born to high-tech nerds appear more likely to show signs of a behavioral disorder similar to autism. Silicon Valley cases are booming. —The Geek Syndrome (Wired) Similar:Updated my "Show, Don't (Just) Tell" HandoutTaking advantage of a summer day in the …AcademiaProfessional or college Shakespeare productions in the Pittsburgh area this fall?Does anybody know of…
“We are confident that you will have many years of trouble-free enjoyment if you carefully read these instructions and follow them.” (Note: Anybody who bothers to read instructions at all is probably already grouchy and impatient.) —IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! Similar:Me loving my birthday truck, c. 1971. I adored this truck, and spellin…DesignPolice respond to…
“Does Jackson’s effort remain reasonably true to Tolkien’s richly imagined universe? And will filmgoers not inculcated with the lore of Middle Earth enjoy it anyway? The answers, happily, are ‘probably’ and ‘definitely.’” —Ring: One for the BookWired) Similar:The Quickening #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 4, Episode 24) Bashir visits a planet where …Rewatching ST:DS9 After a…
Search an index of 6000 frequently-updated weblogs, news summaries, and opinion pages; or, see a list of the top 40 pages cited by the ‘bloggers who create Internet buzz. My new second-favorite website (after google). —DayPop.com Similar:What My Journalism Class Looks Like on Election DayMy journos are out there, gathering news…AcademiaHow The Ballpoint Pen Killed…
Over a century before Orson Welles’s “War of the Worlds” hoax, the New York Sun‘s moon hoax claimed that an astronomer discovered life on the moon. The website also describes many other hoaxes —Museum of Hoaxes Similar:Insipidest. Play. Ever. –Pepys, on "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Sort of.After attending a performance of Midsumm…CultureThis Woman Inspired One…
(book review) : “…the activity stilled, the cars, houses and workplaces buried beneath layers of volcanic ash, the artefacts of a single moment preserved. What could we learn…?” —Imagine Silicon Valley Buried Like Pompeii Similar:Narnia Lesson Plans: Activities Related to the Musical (based on The Lion, the Witch and t…I just posted the latest musical…
“Much web design has suffered from an over reliance on graphic design principles. Too many graphic designers have tried to force the Web to be what it is not…” —Information Architecture vs. Graphic Design (New Thinking) Similar:Standardized Test Scores Don't Really Measure LearningThere are ways to raise a child’s test s…AcademiaAnother #steampunk #neovictorian control panel…
“My cookies, cakes, and brownies are always the highlight of our church bake sales, and everyone says so,” said parishioner Connie Barrett, 49, openly committing the sin of pride. —All Seven Deadly Sins Committed at Church Bake SaleSatire from The Onion) Similar:Commentary: What My Struggling Students Wanted Me to UnderstandI haven’t taught a developmental course…
“From Oklahoma City to New York, we’ve turned violent human loss into epic narratives of suffering and patriotism. Does this help people heal or hurt them?” —Trauma Culture (Salon) Similar:WARNING: Picasso, Van Gogh, Gauguin have been stolen in UKOne of several paintings that were, acco…ArtThe Most Unexpected Workplace Trend Coming in 2020: the Return of…