“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…
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:Should your grieving mum see your digital secrets?A US state has passed a law that will gi…Current_EventsThis is what an "umm" looks likeThis image, of…
“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:Remembering the Space Shuttle Challenger…
This computer game tries something new. “If a character tells you he’ll call you tomorrow, he’s not kidding. You’ll have to wait a day to get his information. Faxes may arrive without warning, and instant messages may pop up onscreen when you least expect them — maybe even while you’re at work.” Wired.com —“Majestic” Invades…
“Organized religion was a primary target of every one of the twentieth century’s regimes of terror. But as is evident in Nazi and Communist terrors alike, organized irreligion (to put it in Royal’s sharp formulation) has proved far more dangerous than organized religion ever was.” Alicia Mosier Similar:"Know that I glory in this nose of…
You might assume there could not be a worse time for a field calling itself “Internet studies.” You would be wrong. The Chronicle of Higher Education Similar:The Declaration Of Independence, 240 Years Later (NPR)When in the Course of human events, it b…CultureThe Rise of "Synthespians"”Mr. Serkis is the human actor behind th…ArtI was perhaps a…
“Lambert received the e-mail in December, a piece of scrap in the vast electronic junkyard that is the World Wide Web. Regrettably, she says now, she removed the letter’s forwarding markers and unintentionally put her name at the bottom, making it appear that she was the author.” Washington Post —Don’t forward that e-mail just yet!…
“[W]hat could be more scholarly than a nice, authoritative statistic, quoted from a professional journal in the student’s field?” The Chronicle of Higher Education —Telling the Truth About Damned Lies and Statistics Similar:Pioneering Harvard Blog Site Wrapping It UpI still use blogs.setonhill.edu, which I…AcademiaBooks vs. Kindles: The Choice No One Made Ever”I bought a Kindle.…
The longer the company’s annual report, the less successful the company. This isn’t really a technical writing issue — usually companies with bad news to report need a lot of words to explaining themselves. But if this is what it takes to get some pinhead CEOs to appreciate brevity, so be it. Wired Similar:Me (glares…
Danielle Preston —You Know You’re a Technical Writer When… Similar:Microsoft is once again asking Chrome users to try Bing through unblockable pop-ups If you click “Yes,” the pop-up will …BusinessInternet Archive puts classic 70s and 80s games onlineClassic video games from the 1970s and 1…CultureBeautiful, meditative video shows how books are madePretty sure you can’t…
A student of mine makes comments on interactive fiction, garish colors, and dancing text. Jan Carroll —Just For the Record Similar:Amazing McDonald's "Maestro Burger" CommercialJaw-dropping. So creative and joyful. …AestheticsSlow flyby of a scout shop. Starfield backdrop; particle-based engine exhaust; hull uses a…More progress as I continue to level up …AestheticsResults of the 18th Annual…
learns something from my freshman comp students. On March 13, 2000, I e-mailed web guru Jakob Nielsen to tell him that six of my freshmen spent 8-30 minutes on his site without finding a plain-text “search” link on the home page. A week or so later, I noticed that Nielsen changed his page, making the…
“[W]hen it comes to writing, whether you’re a seventh grader, a college student, a professor, a beginning copywriter, or an accomplished novelist, a B isn’t good enough.” Kathy Henning —For Writers, Writing Is Never a Waste of Time: Part 2 Similar:10 journalism resources for PR prosFrom PR Daily.com: In no particular o…CultureTime Might Only Exist…
“[A] society without literature, or a society in which literature has been relegated–like some hidden vice–to the margins of social and personal life, and transformed into something like a sectarian cult, is a society condemned to become spiritually barbaric, and even to jeopardize its freedom.” Mario Vargas Llosa Similar:The Hidden World of the TypewriterWhen I…
The creator of Cliffs Notes has died. Here’s his obituary — although I know you probably won’t bother to read the whole thing. Similar:Why Do So Many People on YouTube Sound the Same?So it turns out the “YouTube voice” is j…CultureSmith College Protesters Bar Journalists From Covering Sit-In Unless They Support the Caus…Reporters planning to…
On the tasteless side, but still very funny: “Some Features You May Need on Your Computer“ Similar:Facebook’s Instant Articles restore subscription options they previously strippedThe ability to serve content faster than…BusinessAmazing High School Yearbook Politics SpreadI’m gobsmacked by the creativity that we…AestheticsTevye from Fiddler on the Roof, Now a Rich Man, Receives a Letter from…
“It is our duty, as responsible citizens, to stop the rot. Next time someone touches base with you or moves your goal posts, punch them in the face.” Clint Witchalls —Business and the English Language Similar:How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled”I remember the first meeting where I ac…BusinessThe Defector…
“Europe once sought to bring enlightenment—literacy, civil society, modern technology—to benighted parts of the world. It did so in the name of progress and civilization. The ethic of Third Worldism dictates that yesterday’s enlightenment be rebaptized as today’s imperialistic oppression.” Roger Kimball Similar:FULL BLOOM at Latrobe’s Olde Main, Aug 30-Sep 2.CultureNarnia Lesson Plans: Activities Related…
Imagine yourself creating a game with a world for other people to inhabit on your own computer. It is a world without sounds or visuals. Now, put yourself into the textual world and imagine yourself in that world and living through the game. Laura L. Hogue —Text-based computer game lets players interact with story. Similar:What's…
The point is not that we should add stories to our sites to ensnare narrative-starved readers. The point is that the reader’s journey through our site is a narrative experience. Our job is to make the narrative satisfying. Mark Bernstein —The Narrative Web Similar:AI-generated essays are nothing to worry about (opinion)After reviewing 22 AI essays…