Data Smog

Too much information?  “[T] this weed in our informational landscape has just sprouted–it is only about 50 years old. Up until then, more information was almost always a good thing.” David Shenk —Data Smog Similar:Despite its impressive output, generative AI doesn’t have a coherent understanding of the …[A] popular type of generative AI model&…CybercultureGoogle Trends:…

What Do the US News Rankings Measure?

“Log onto almost any college Web site and you’ll see the same beautiful students talking about their beautiful campuses and how much they learn. But there are no numbers, no studies, no objective measurements.” —Wash. Monthly —What Do the US News Rankings Measure? Similar:Had a rough day. Designing another 10 sq cm of #steampunk control…

Velma Rules — Jinkies!

“Hey, all you crafty, capable women wearing chunky, horn-rimmed glasses (this year) and doing your brainy chick thing…” Hank Stuever, Wash. Post —Velma Rules — Jinkies! Similar:Civil Defense (#StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch, Season 3, Episode 7) O’Brien accidentally triggers …Rewatching ST:DS9 Although some time ag…EmpathyAdding a media project to a semester-long paper assignment is like adding…

Industry Standard

Failed to Practise What It Preached The magazine that chronicled the excesses of the dot.com revolution did not spot the extravagances that led to its own downfall. Mark Tran —Industry Standard Similar:Cursor*10Great free Flash game, emulated at the I…AestheticsThe Air Force's Rules of Engagement for Blogging [Updated]GlobalNerdy, via.You’ve probably seen ma…Cyberculturewhen someone say ur joke…

Real Headlines

Include Your Children when Baking Cookies New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half —Real Headlines Similar:McCain: Dictators 'get started by suppressing free press' “If you want to preserve democracy a…CultureWhat My Journalism Class Looks Like on Election DayMy journos are out there, gathering news…AcademiaR.U.R. (Rossum's Universal…

E-Books Solving a Problem Consumers Don't Have.

Despite the technological hoopla, nobody’s paying attention to e-books but the courts.  “Digitizing the printed page has put the very nature of books up for grabs, unleashing heated battles among writers, readers, librarians and technologists over who should control electronic books.” Chicago Tribune —E-Books Solving a Problem Consumers Don’t Have. Similar:Healing the WebThe lessons I…

CNN Should be Named the Crappy News

Not-Work: “CNN acts like they’re the network of record in Millennial America, just because of their award-winning Gulf War coverage. That was so 10 years ago, and people only watched because there was no MSNBC back then.” The Onion —CNN Should be Named the Crappy News Similar:'New York Times' considers legal action against OpenAI as…

A New Read on Huck Finn's Distinctive Voice

At first, Huck Finn said “as if” instead of “like,” “wasn’t” and not “warn’t,” and described a night sky “sprinkled”–not “speckled”–with stars. A new edition of the American classic traces Mark Twain’s efforts to refine the speech of his most famous character. LA Times —A New Read on Huck Finn’s Distinctive Voice Similar:I regularly teach…

First Rule of Usability? Don't Listen to Your Readers.

  (Watch them instead.) “Create a few alternative designs, show them to a group of users, and ask which one they prefer. Wrong. If the users have not actually tried to use the designs, they’ll base their comments on surface features.” Jakob Nielsen —First Rule of Usability? Don’t Listen to Your Readers. Similar:How The NY…

But what about Jemima Puddle-Duck?

At a graveyard near where Beatrix Potter (author of the “Peter Rabbit” stories) spent her youth: “Names on headstones included Mr Nutkin, Mr McGregor, Jeremiah Fisher, Tommy Brock – and even a Peter Rabbett.” BBC —But what about Jemima Puddle-Duck? Similar:Me: Carolyn, are you ok? Carolyn:Just reminding myself that I am a gift.AmusingThe Business 9…

A modern language changes when we change it

“A modern language changes when we change it, and the metaphor that makes it autonomous only obscures our real task, which is to consider just how and why we change it.” Mark Halpern Similar:Boys And Girls Memorize Words DifferentlyGirls were more likely to memorize words…CultureStudents must learn how to get things wrong. Only one subject…

Sci-Tech Web Awards 2001

That said, we’ve decided to acknowledge our very favorite Web sites—five each in 10 subject areas—with the Scientific American.com Sci/Tech Web Award. It is an eclectic mix—from the practical to the academic to the downright silly. Among this year’s winners are sites that decode computer acronyms, explain group theory, unravel the genome, track chemistry in…

Violent video games encourage violent behavior (Contemporary Pediatrics)

The second most popular form of entertainment after television, video games have rapidly become the largest segment of the entertainment industry. Mounting evidence lends support to what parents have suspected all along — violent videogames encourage violent behavior. Contemporary Pediatrics Similar:Everyone thinks AI is replacing factory workers, but Amazon’s layoffs show it’s coming for… Amazon…

Wal-Mart Opens Store in Winesburg, Ohio

.  Painfully funny small-town satire from The Onion. —Wal-Mart Opens Store in Winesburg, Ohio Similar:Adding a little Middle-Earth drama to a photo shoot.The girl was concerned she wasn’t nerdy …AestheticsThree challenges for the web, according to its inventorA letter, published a few weeks ago, in …BusinessNetflix’s ‘The Piano Lesson’ adaptation breaks cycle by not filming…

What Good is Literature?

“If anything, the recent expansion of literacy and educational opportunities has increased our access to literature and our enjoyment of it.” J. Peder Zane —What Good is Literature? Similar:Final grades are due tomorrow. My Fall 2020 is almost over. I survived.Final grades are due tomorrow. My only u…AcademiaStanford to offer new undergraduate majors integrating humanities,…

There's More to Life…

“Today, I’m one of the world’s leading anthropologists, an accomplished archaeologist, and an award-winning novelist. And, at 41, I’m only now becoming aware of the globetrotting rut I’ve been in my entire life. Looking back on everything I’ve seen and done, I can’t help but ask, ‘Is that all there is?’” more satire from The…

Bad Design Can Be Costly

Microsoft Word requires at least 30% more keystrokes and 100% more mouse moves to accomplish certain editing tasks than would an optimal word processor. Forbes —Bad Design Can Be Costly Similar:How Bad Design Wrecked Steve Harvey's "Universe"The consequences weren’t as serious as t…Current_EventsSMS Generator SMS Generator.Amusing5 Fun Ways to Help Your Kids Learn Math OnlineMy son…

The Gist Generation

“We are the Gist Generation. We have acquired a taste for hit-and-run, cut-and-paste knowledge. We expect a home page or e-mail correspondence to give us the gist and only the gist—time is money and you’re a click away from an iconographic trash can, so get to the point.” Jeff Barbian Similar:It will be harder to…