In cultures around the world, myths about “seven sisters” describe a cluster of stars, but today the naked eye can only discern six stars. What’s up with that? Cultures around the world call the Pleiades constellation ‘seven sisters’, even though we can only see six stars today. But things looked quite different 100,000 years ago.…
Rewatching ST:TNG An archaeologist who’s not very good at prioritizing natters on to Picard about finding some old glasses, a revolver, and a pocket watch in an old mine. When Picard asks why the Enterprise-D was recalled to Earth to investigate, only then does the archeologist say oh yeah, here in this old mine that’s…
Rewatching ST:TNG Some time has passed since Part 1, as Picard and the away team members, presenting themselves as a theatre troupe, are behind in their rent at a boarding house in 19thC San Francisco. (We already know [s5e16 “Ethics“] that LaForge’s visor lets him see through at least some playing cards, and Troi’s access…
Similar:About that Cough, Rough, Pony, Bologna MemeDo the spellings of cough & rough, p…BooksThe Unbearable Weakness of Trump’s MinionsNote that the URL of this story indicate…AcademiaControversial Content in YA Literature: A College Professor and Homeschooling Parent Answe…I received this comment on my blog: [F]…BooksThe Terrible Things I Have Said and Done My Entire Life, and…
Similar:15 Times "Filler Text" Became a Journalist's Worst EnemyIt doesn’t happen often but when filler …AmusingHere is an example of how I teach with Inform 7.Here is an example of how I teach with I…AcademiaNew utility chair and appliances from the service areas of my fantasy #steampunk #blender3…AestheticsLoud as a Whisper (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season…
Globally, Covid cases exceeded 250 million this month. The virus is still infecting 50 million people worldwide every 90 days due to the highly transmissible Delta variant, with thousands dying each day. Now a systematic review and meta analysis of non-pharmaceutical interventions has found for the first time that mask wearing, social distancing and handwashing…
Similar:And now that June’s almost over, it’s time to start prepping for the fall term. (Sigh.)PersonalHappy Easter 2020 CultureWhat a great time everyone had at the "Cabbies."CultureCarolyn as Dolly Levi (Arts4Homeschoolers / Stage Right)I loved listening to her practice the “M…AestheticsAnother fun 10 sq cm of a #neovictorian #steampunk control panel. #elegance #design #aesth…AestheticsIt's a…
Similar:"Godspell" is sure to entertain audiences of all ages and faithsThat’s me in the white shirt, with a tie…CultureThe Tribune-Review published a nice preview of Dani Girl.My daughter Carolyn, Matthew Hommel, Vin…DramaThough I have marking and prep and committee work and paperwork to do, I took an hour befo…PersonalThe Course of True Fun Never Did Run…
There has been a paradigm shift in the thinking behind mask use, to the current emphasis on protecting oneself as opposed to the initial consideration of keeping others safe from what we might be exhaling, said Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. “The game has changed,” he said. “We’re not…
Similar:Salesman at Pittsburgh Public Theatre. PersonalA tiny bit of rogue news leaked through the ads.Hey, Newsweek, alert your webmaster. I c…BusinessI pulled out a shelf on my teaching station and was greeted by this lovingly arrayed arsen…PersonalTurnitin's slick new iPad app almost erases years of web-based GradeMark traumaI have in the past griped on Twitter and…AcademiaThe…
The final episode of the fantasy/comedy audio miniseries “MisSpelled” drops today. A full voice cast, sound effects, original music, and a great story. I only wish I had met more of the cast in person! We were churning out these recordings in groups right before the pandemic. As the lockdown eased up, I returned to…
In addition to the fact that it’s good news that a federal judge is responding rationally to science, logic, and our basic human obligation to care for the most vulnerable members of our society, I’m also interested in the way Axios labels each paragraph of this news story and supplies details with bullet points. It’s…
Rewatching ST:TNG When a space probe zaps Picard unconscious, he wakes up in a civilian house, where a woman calls him “Kamin,” and says he has been feverish for days. Out exploring, Picard happens upon a tree planting ceremony. The leader is Kamin’s friend Batai, who answers Picard’s questions with concern. When Picard returns to…
Simulations are powerful tools for understanding our world. Murder Is Her Hobby: Frances Glessner Lee and The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death explores the surprising intersection between craft and forensic science. It also tells the story of how a woman co-opted traditionally feminine crafts to advance the male-dominated field of police investigation and to establish…
Similar:A pleasant Independence Day photo shoot with the daughter.AestheticsThe chief engineer does not know where the floating lamps are coming from, but he looks gr…AestheticsHappy 13th Birthday CarolynI’ve had the privilege of being this ama…DramaSubtle Stylesheet Tweaks for Mobile SiteOn the mobile version of my WordPress we…AestheticsSomeone seems to have slipped this over my transom.…
One of the heirs to the Disney fortune explains (and critiques) the mindset of the super-rich. If your comfort requires that society be structured so that a decent percentage of your fellow citizens live in a constant state of terror about whether they’ll get health care in an emergency, or whether they can keep a…
Great concept for a virtual escape room devoted to debunking fake information online. For years a supplement called “Euphorigen” has been used by the very wealthy to boost brain activity and productivity. Now the Government wants to make the benefits of Euphorigen available to everyone by introducing it into the public water supply. The company…
Rewatching ST:TNG A transporter accident causes LaForge and Ro to wander the Enterprise-D like ghosts. The teaser begins in medias res, with the Enterprise responding to a Romulan distress call. While prepping to beam over, Ro snarks at Riker under her breath, but backs down when challenged. The Romulans, who seem almost overwhelmed by the…
Yet many Texans feel they need the Alamo story. As one of the authors of Forget the Alamo stated, the myth speaks to what many Texans desperately want to believe about their state: that it arose from heroic circumstances, and that there’s a reason Texas is special. This includes the current crop of Republican Texas legislators. Instead of allowing critical…
Similar:Split Infinitives in English: Not Actually Wrong, But UnwiseThe rule against split infinitives is a …CultureIdlewild's Story Book Forest Improves Its SignageIn the past, I have pointed out copy-edi…AestheticsStage Right Water SpriteLast week my daughter and I were a littl…AestheticsSpace:1999 design aesthetic merged detailed miniatures with curvy Euro-futurist interior d…Clearly influenced by Kubrick’s 1969 fil…AestheticsBihar…