Trump, Obama seem equally disinterested in portrait unveiling — but journalism takes hits from both sides

On social media recently I saw people mocking Trump for “refusing” to unveil the traditional presidential portrait of Obama, and I saw people attacking “the fake news media” for pushing a narrative designed to make Trump look bad. The original NBC story that broke this item accurately states that neither Trump nor Obama is interested…

Déjà Q (#StarTrek #TNG Rewatch, Season Three, Episode 13) Amusing, insightful study of human nature

(Rewatching ST:TNG after a 20-year break) The meddlesome entity Q, stripped of his powers, throws himself at the mercy of Captain Picard: “in all the universe you’re the closest thing I have to a friend, Jean-Luc.” Lots of well-done banter and self-absorbed patter from actor John De Lancie. While Worf and Crusher have memorable reactions to…

I just found an abandoned blog draft, dated 2011, on economics in early computer games. Published!

I just found a post on economics in early computer games, tucked away as a “Draft” in my WordPress database, dated Jan 2011. I’m not sure why I never published it. The web page I was responding to has disappeared from the Internet, so I’ve linked to the Wayback Archive instead. Similar:Once again, The Onion…

Slow flyby of a scout shop. Starfield backdrop; particle-based engine exhaust; hull uses a Boolean modifier to cut out portholes; cockpit frame and text labels use shrinkwrap. #Blender3D

More progress as I continue to level up my #blender3d skills. Similar:dungeon.jpg (JPEG Image, 2535×1616 pixels)Great Zork map.AestheticsMake Video Horizontal Again For confessionals or tapdance routi…AcademiaWrite instructions for busy grouches.Updating the graphic for a writing hando…AcademiaWhat TV journalists did wrong — and the New York Times did right — in meeting with TrumpThe Times played…

Synchronous Online Classes: 10 Tips for Engaging Students

Every time I have taught an online class, I have made it asynchronous. I’m blogging these synchronous teaching tips so I can find them again when I’m prepping my fall classes (which will likely be HyFlex). The tips offered here won’t miraculously eliminate the initial awkwardness of virtual class sessions, but they’ll help. And over…

Carolyn Gombell Is Not a Real Person: #JusticeforCarolyn Is a Campaign Against Twitter Refusing to Delete Trump’s Tweets Accusing Joe Scarborough of Murdering Lori Klausutis

Fascinating use of social media. To be clear, this story about “Carolyn Gombell” is a fabrication, intended to spark Twitter to take action against people (such as Donald Trump) who use Twitter to publicize unfounded accusations. Will that matter to people who share it? It’s parody accounts, not journalists, who are retweeting this story as…

New York Times runs just 1000 names of the nearly 100,000 Americans who have already died from COVID-19

Similar:STEM Education Won't Solve the World's ProblemsI love STEM. My SAT score for math was e…AcademiaArchitecture in Video Games: Designing for Impact Deanna Van Buren writes: I wonder w…BusinessThe posthuman liberal artsAs those familiar with the liberal arts …AcademiaEmily Dickinson Manuscript for "The Chariot"A new Emily Dickinson archive is online….CultureDeath Comes for the Microbot –…

Looking forward to Part 2 of #PPTPlaytime’s production “The Rivals” (live… now!)

Similar:Loved part 2 of Romeo and Juliet @thepublicpgh #pptplaytime (Next week: Tartuffe)CultureWhere Silence Has Lease (TNG Rewatch: Season 2, Episode 2)Rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generatio…CultureThe Importance of PunctuationFrom Yahoo! News:   Update: T…GamesProper commenting is an important part of coding any project, especially in an educational…Proper commenting is an important part o…PersonalRequiem for the…

Dogmeat and I may yet win this game.

Yes, this was the decisive moment. I ended up cleaning my son out when he landed here later in the game. Similar:Every few years, I Google the name of the kid who saw "The Empire Strikes Back" the night …HistoryAnother fun 10 sq cm of a #neovictorian #steampunk control panel. #elegance #design #aesth…AestheticsI actually don't…

Leveling up my skills in #blender3D.

Using invisible shapes to cut holes in the hull, and a shrinkwrap modifier to align the cockpit frame and the glass. Similar:Thank you, anonymous donor of Mardi Gras candy.Okay, on closer inspection I see the red…AestheticsThat one ungraded assignment is an early submission due Jan 2. I’m all set for a relaxing …AcademiaOpening night. They've…

I just bought Diamond City.

Similar:Sam Shepard Giggles, Doesn't GoogleI wrote my undergraduate honors thesis o…CybercultureHanging with the rude mechanicals @setonhilluniversityA Midsummer Night’s Dream.CultureDaughter Carolyn plays Cherry in Prime Stage's production of The Outsiders (Mar 6-15)My daughter Carolyn plays Cherry in Prim…BooksSupport the humans who make art in your community. Death of a Salesman. #wirerecorderlife …Support the humans who make…

The Rivals #PPTPlaytime

A great production of a delightful play. Similar:Faculty assembling in launch tube beneath Salvitti Gym. #classof2017 @setonhilluniversityPersonalIrrational Geographic : snopes.comBoosting the signal. This is a real Nati…BusinessDate a girl who reads.I earned a +8 or +9 spousal bonus when I…AmusingJournalists Verify ClaimsConfirm what your sources tell you. Fact…CultureThe History of Typography Told in Five Animated…

The High Ground (ST:TNG Rewatch, Season Three, Episode 12) Sensitive, Artistic Terrorist Is Also a Terrorist

(Rewatching ST:TNG after a 20-year break) Crusher finds herself sympathizing with the charming terrorist who kidnapped her. After last week’s “The Hunted” and the week before’s “The Defector,” it seems the writers are very interested in humanizing perceived enemies. An unusually exposition-heavy captain’s log establishes the Enterprise is visiting a non-aligned world shaken by terrorists.…

On a little afternoon walk with my son.

Similar:More #blender3d #steampunk goodness. #design #aesthetics #blender3dart AestheticsThey've got magic to do. Carolyn is the Leading Player. (Pippin, Oct 21-29) AwesomeUnmarked papers today. How it started, how it's going.PersonalNortheast braces for temps near boiling point – Yahoo! NewsThe inter tubes are clogged with pundits…Current_EventsThe girl will be dancing as the Gold Fairy in Laurel Ballet's…

Every few years, I Google the name of the kid who saw “The Empire Strikes Back” the night it opened, and blurted out the big spoiler during gym class.

Similar:SportsWorks Adventure at the Carnegie Science CenterI confess that I have never been all tha…Culture'New York Times' considers legal action against OpenAI as copyright tensions swirlBe careful of the parts of news stories …BusinessThe girl continues her exploration of Scottish history.Carolyn: “Does no one have a kind word f…PersonalReplica of George Washington’s field camp. @fortligonierReplica…

And you thought your last teleconference was rough!

Similar:Practicing with materials and geometry. The lamps and chair require hundreds of times as m… AestheticsI am at that stage of life where I am excited about loading a new dishwasher for the first…PersonalI both like and hate that Canvas tracks the number of unmarked assignments that await me. …I both like and hate that…

Researchers: Nearly Half Of Accounts Tweeting About Coronavirus Are Likely Bots

Researchers identified more than 100 false narratives about COVID-19 that are proliferating on Twitter by accounts controlled by bots. Among the misinformation disseminated by bot accounts were tweets that conspiracy theories about hospitals being filled with mannequins, or tweets connected the spread of the coronavirus to 5G wireless towers, a notion that is patently untrue.…