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:Crazy-looking keyboards that never caught on As the typewriter become popular, it w…AestheticsFact check: Biden ad misleadingly suggests Trump called Covid-19 a 'hoax' CNN fact-checks a misleading Biden a…Current_EventsEditors and editorial board quit top linguistics journal to protest subscription feesWhen I publish as a scholar, my goal is …AcademiaA trend story about millennials, by The…
Similar:My #AugustWilson #Steampunk NightmareToday is my last official day teaching a…AcademiaHappy birthday to the son.PersonalThe Story of Rolf and the Viking Bow: Icelandic bromance, with weapons, secret panels, and…I try to read to my kids for an hour eve…BooksSnowfall at the White House (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour, Jan 7) Tweeted by…
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:“If music be the food of love, play on!” I may have mentioned that I have a daughter who d… CultureUshering for a school matinee. Love seeing the kids excited about @prime_stage Frankenstei… CultureThe girl rehearsing as Babette in Stage Right's Beauty and the BeastCarolyn rehearses with Nick Lenz. Her sh…Current_EventsOnce on This Island…
Similar:I try to create one brand new element, modify one existing element, and reuse existing ele…AestheticsA #steampunk control panel in context. #blender3d #design #aesthetics #blender3dartAesthetics"I don't view Shakespeare's work as intimidating anymore." — midterm reflection from coll… “It has made me more confident in my…AcademiaModular components to mix and match. The upper storeys are next.…
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:Professor Sees Parallels Between Things, Other Things”By drawing parallels between things and…Academia‘Broken Age’ ReviewThis will be my self-reward when I finis…CybercultureThe Problems of Real-Time Feedback in Teaching WritingSometimes my students get nervous becaus…AcademiaAs I was preparing to take this screenshot, two more papers came in.I still have odd jobs to tie up, but I’m…AcademiaI'd love…
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:Happy retirement celebration to two dear colleagues.AcademiaA 20 sq cm section of #steampunk #blender3d goodness. #blender3dartAestheticsEmpathy in a Downtown Sub ShopSitting in a downtown sub shop. A half d…CultureCarolyn and Alex in “The King and I”PersonalFall 2025 Grades Submitted!PersonalLooking forward to another visit to Illyria. Support humans who create art in your communi…Personal
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:Covfefe chaos: What Trump’s typos say about his administrationMisspelled tweets and typos in press rel…Culture14 Machines That Were Brilliant in 1985I used something very similar to this sh…CultureA 27-Story Vertical Forest Grows in MilanBosco Verticale was conceived in respons…Aesthetics45m into a game against a player ranked 400pts higher than him. In a frilly shirt for…