As coronavirus cases climb, the White House line is consistent: Everything is well in hand

Traditional journalism aims for neutrality. My social media feed includes voices attacking journalists for for unfairly criticizing a president they support, and voices attacking journalists for uncritically repeating what the president says. But part of journalism does include sharing opinions (in editorials, roundtables, etc.). And part of journalism does call for neutrally reporting what newsmakers…

O tea, O moistened herb! Mug-harbored, Spouse-delivered Steaming under the canopy of a spare shirt. O essence, Inhaled (so that’s what breathing is… now I remember) Consumed (so that’s what swallowing is… now I remember),  Now you are gone, But your goodness endures.

O tea, O moistened herb! Mug-harbored, Spouse-delivered Steaming under the canopy of a spare shirt. O essence, Inhaled (so that’s what breathing is… now I remember) Consumed (so that’s what swallowing is… now I remember), Now you are gone, But your goodness endures.

Mr. Chen Goes to Wuhan

A Chinese media personality with over half a million followers reports on the Coronavirus outbreak from inside Wuhan. Gripping audio news reporting. What happens when a Chinese man—just a guy, not a journalist or dissident—decides to go to Wuhan and investigate the country’s response to coronavirus? Reporter Jiayang Fan brings us the story.

Up the Long Ladder (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season Two, Episode 18) — The Enterprise Visits the Planet of Irish Stereotypes

(Rewatching Star Trek: TNG after a 20-year break.) A distress beacon leads the Enterprise to a colony of red-headed bumpkins who bring their farm animals, spinning wheels, and a still aboard. A few plot twists later, the smooth-talking, flask-swigging colony leader named O’Dell has occasion to say, “Send in the clones.” (I am not kidding.)…

Watching ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ with 18,000 teenagers was one of the most profound theater experiences of my career

The arts are vital to our lives as humans. And if one entered the cavernous arena suspecting that 18,000 teenagers might view this as class-trip goof-around time, those suspicions evaporated with the extinguishing of the house lights. The students from Queens and Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island laughed with the actors playing the…

Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh sentenced to 3 years for ‘Healthy Holly’ children’s book fraud scheme

Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, who held elected offices in Baltimore for two decades and was elevated by voters to lead the city following the upheaval of 2015, was sentenced to three years in federal prison Thursday for a fraud scheme involving a children’s book series. | Pugh’s political fall began in March when The Baltimore…

Musician uses computer algorithm to compose every melody possible in C, releases them for free online to fight copyright trolls

  A lawyer and hobbyist musician collaborated with a computer programmer to generate every possible 12-note melody in the key of C. The final compilation includes 68.7 billion melodic combinations, which the pair uploaded to the Internet Archive through a Create Commons Zero license, meaning they reserve no rights of ownership to any of them.…

Daughter Carolyn plays Cherry in Prime Stage’s production of The Outsiders (Mar 6-15)

My daughter Carolyn plays Cherry in Prime Stage’s production of The Outsiders (Mar 6-15). Because Prime Stage works to incorporate the curriculum of local schools, each production contains a student matinee performance, allowing the students to connect more deeply to their school readings through theater. Prime Stage also seeks to bring each work of literature…

Dennis G. Jerz | Associate Professor of English -- New Media Journalism, Seton Hill University | jerz.setonhill.edu Logo

In February 2000, I was blogging about “The Heist” (Sorrels); the “Instant Muse Poetry Generator,” a London raid on a Pinter play rehearsal, and the boom in active weblogs

In February 2000, I was blogging about The 1995 Walter Sorrels hypertext story “The Heist“ The “Instant Muse Poetry Generator“ A London Metropolitan police raid on a Kurdish community theater group rehearsing a Harold Pinter play about the persecution of Kurds The number of active weblogs increasing from 50 to 500 in the past year…

Samaritan Snare (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 17)

(Rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation after a 20-year break.) Picard, who resolved last week’s plot by proving he was not too closed-minded and stubbornly prideful to admit he needs help from Q, sets this week’s plot in motion by demonstrating he is too closed-minded and stubbornly prideful to admit he needs help from his…

Q Who? (ST: TNG Rewatch, Season 2, Episode 16)

Rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation after a 20-year break. The unpredictable entity Q introduces the Enterprise to the Borg, a collective of hybrid biological and technological drones. We learn that Q and Guinan have some unspecified backstory that, based on their hand gestures, seems to involve a community theater production of Cats. In this…

Seton Hill University advertises for “Social & Digital Content Manager”

The Social & Digital Content Manager provides strategic support to marketing and admissions for the creation and maintenance of undergraduate content on the university’s website, social media, and email recruitment efforts to support enrollment. This position works in a collaborative/supportive relationship with admissions and faculty for all undergrad recruitment-related initiatives to ensure a cohesive and…

“You work for the @CollegeBoard?” the bright-eyed teen behind the fast food counter asks. I tell her I sometimes mark #APEnglish tests. “I’m taking three AP classes now!” she says. “After I go to college, I want to be the #POTUS!”

“Unsweetened tea. And can you use this cup?” “You work for the College Board?” the bright-eyed teen behind the fast food counter asks, spying my branded mug. I tell her I sometimes mark #APEnglish tests. “I’m taking three AP classes now!” she says. “After I go to college, I want to be the president!” I…