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:I'm amused by the quirky way the "Thin Bread Crust" meme remixes the remix.I’m interested in the way the “Thin Blue…Business@CNN This is a mask. It prevents the spread of coronavirus. This is not a political state…https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1289161…CultureReturn to Grace #StarTrek #DS9 Rewatch (Season 4, Episode 14) Kira supercharges Dukat's cl…Rewatching ST:DS9 Played for laughs, …EthicsDC…
Similar:I think I’ve mentioned I have a daughter who sometimes does things.I think I’ve mentioned I have a daughter…PersonalHas life in the age of casual magic made moviegoers numb to the amazing?This is one of the reasons I’ve become m…AestheticsI was part of a nerve-racking, thrilling attempt to break a world record I drove…
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:The Toulmin model for analyzing arguments came up at a faculty pedagogy workshop today. I … AcademiaBless thee, Carolyn, bless thee! Thou art translated — into a 22 year-old woman. I remember when we got home from SHU’s…PersonalEnjoying a soul food dinner in honor of #blackhistorymonthPersonalThe Miller of the Dee; by James Baldwin; read by…
Similar:Tapdance / jazz music outing with the girl. Tapdance / jazz music outing with …AcademiaThe daughter is working hard as a dancer and Flaemchen understudy. @frontporchtheatricalsCultureAnother section of #steampunk control panel. #neovictorian #design #aesthetics #blender3d …AestheticsAnd you thought your last teleconference was rough!PersonalI played Pseudolus freshman year in college. Haven't seen the show in a…
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:On Stephen Hawking, Vader and Being More Machine Than HumanIn one version of Hawking’s eulogistic s…CyberculturePfully Pfizered and pfeeling pfine so pfar. Current_EventsI am a dog and I am a good boy and I am prepping my Spring courses.AcademiaFlying Saucer Irony AmusingSpotted: the North American tree daughter.NatureWe were pretty even for about 25m, but I let…
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:Greensburg Holiday ParadePersonalGoodby big Android… hello little budget iPhone SE 3rd.I just removed from my syllabus template…AcademiaMy Polish grandmother used to bake these cookies, which my wife picked up at a Ukranian fe… My grandmother shaped …AestheticsA question I find myself thinking all the time.PersonalWhat About “The Breakfast Club”?I made three movies with John Hughes;…
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:In Pittsburgh, science gets playfulImagine: sharing a secret with a friend …AestheticsNew Voices For The Voiceless: Synthetic Speech Gets An UpgradeWonderful, inspiring article that uses t…CultureArsenic and Old Lace. I haven't seen this show since I played the lead as a high school ju…CulturePart of Wright brothers' 1st airplane on NASA's Mars chopper “Wilbur and…