web tool idea : Crowd Sourced Criticisms and Summaries

Ok, i’m pretty excited about this idea.
was watching a “Copyright Essentials for Faculty” presentation in Adobe Connect this morning, and trying to think up game ideas. (that is: rinky dink games that would convey and reinforce some of the more complicated parts of the lengthy legislation).

rather than a game, I’ve been obsessing on a “web 2.0 tool” idea, which i’m calling Crowd Sourced Criticisms and Summaries (CS:CaS). (Alternately, maybe it could be called “verbosity squad” or “hyperbole cop”)(or “MMOMU CaSS)(or Summark)

basically, when i see some text like “Notwithstanding the provisions of section 106, the following are not infringements of copyright” i often have to read it a few times to make sure I’m sorting out the bullshit language abuse properly.
I wish I could just click a button to read how some friend of mine has summarized it. Continue reading “web tool idea : Crowd Sourced Criticisms and Summaries”

Review: Fringe Tv Show: White Tulip

This was my favorite episode of Fringe. EVER. (so far).

It was probably good enough to make up for all the shitty episodes this season. Good enough that i’ll be buying the set, just so I can study this episode in more detail.

Spoilerific Summary:

Walter encounters a peer.

Walter is a crazed genius who can move between dimensions, but here we see him meet a mad scientist who is able to move through time. they trade notes, lament their similar family-loss sob stories (which drove them each to their mad science speciality), and in the end they argue over the nature of god/science.

And, arguably, they both turn out to be right.

You don’t have to know the history of Fringe to appreciate. It can be enjoyed stand-alone, and I’d recommend watching it right now. Just go here

Continue reading “Review: Fringe Tv Show: White Tulip”

Review: L4D2 The Passing DLC

I ranted on some forum about how the new DLC for L4D2 is great, because i couldn’t believe people were attacking it (sigh. Oh, internet). Since I’ll probably just be flamed, I thought it wise to save these thoughts on this here blog. n’stuff.

(spoilers for the DLC in here! don’t read if you haven’t played!)

…I thought this DLC was way better than expected. Crash Course was neat, but this one improved on all levels.

Continue reading “Review: L4D2 The Passing DLC”

The Lawnmower Man Director’s Cut – 32 minutes out of 140 minutes.

random thought barf, which I just attempted to post on netflix: (2,008 characters it seems…):

This is one of those rare movies that is completely transformed by it’s director’s cut.
the theatrical cut is a sloppy mess, but the director’s cut is genius held back by low budget filmmaking.

watching the 30 minutes of deleted scenes on the DVD really doesn’t work. You need to watch them integrated (only possible in the ancient VHS release?). Almost every scene in the movie has had beginning and ending bits chopped off to avoid references to the excised opening scenes.

Continue reading “The Lawnmower Man Director’s Cut – 32 minutes out of 140 minutes.”

Online Learning – some day?

I have this gut feeling that one day (in the crazy-future?), people will acquire college degree based solely on tests and interviews. Say over a couple of weeks. Learn it “however you like,” and come pay us when you want to be “certified”.

Most information is already available via google these days, and there are thousands world wide who are willing to try and explain things to you.

The magic of transferring Student-teacher interaction online hasn’t been cracked yet, and this is a very limiting factor for the growth of online learning Continue reading “Online Learning – some day?”

Electricritical: what about anti-gun technology?

I was watching this sad video where an idiot kid attacks a giant old viking, and gets the shit kicked out of him. Apparently it’s gone viral
http://www.urlesque.com/2010/02/19/epic-beard-man/
I assume it’s popular because the modern American idiot wonders what fist fights look like.

The tragedy here, methinks (aside from this being a hugely popular video), is that the kid likely will not be going home and learning how to fight. What dweeb cares about such non-lethal human interaction, when you can just send away for the Charles Atlas hand gun? Disgusting. (though it makes me want to mock up an fake advert)

This morning I lay awake staring at the walls, unable to stop thinking about : advancing the equation to a new level. Continue reading “Electricritical: what about anti-gun technology?”

Copyright Licensing Panic: Please don’t play ball with the dinosaurs!

I read this io9 article about Google’s progress securing third party copyright licenses, and all the pussy authors who are freaking out. I also read this guy’s comments and then his blog on the subject (he presents a view I don’t agree with. but find challenging).

This is my rant/reply:

copyright law protects publishers so they can maximize profit. It isn’t designed to protect authors.

I’m drinking the google-aid here, but it makes a lot of sense. Continue reading “Copyright Licensing Panic: Please don’t play ball with the dinosaurs!”

Space Cops: Progress and Random Ideas

btw, a lot of movement on the old Space Cops project recently. Stayed up late last night, recording a first crack at all the audio for episode 1.
Jonason and I sat down and reworked the first episode’s script this last weekend. I started the second script (pimp planet) a month back and sent it to him – sure enough he’s worked out an awesome scene by scene breakdown (and we’ll likely go over it this weekend to read out loud and nail down the dialogue). very exciting. Continue reading “Space Cops: Progress and Random Ideas”

Corporations (Juristic Persons) vs. Real People (under American law)

person in robot suit, Kanagawa Institute of TechnologyI’ve been discussing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, in the “Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission” case with some friends. I’m eager to understand how this could possible be a good thing. The only “pro” argument I’ve heard is that spending money is free speech and corporations are citizens of the United States with free speech protections. (but I have problems with both halves of that sentence).

Last night, a friend noted Adam Liptak’s article in defense of the decision: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/us/politics/04scotus.html?hp
I’m eager to better understand this situation. So please do comment if you have any sort of opinion or insight.
Here is my reply (reformatted for blog): Continue reading “Corporations (Juristic Persons) vs. Real People (under American law)”

The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur, 1953 (out of 1955))

Finally watched this picture last night.
Over the years I’ve rented it from two different libraries, and netflix – only to find the disc so scratched, each time, that it wouldn’t play past the 50 minute mark. This, and the fact that I find it hard to take pre-color movies seriously, has kind of built the movie up in my mind into a great white whale. I didn’t like the first fifty minutes enough to buy it. So it’s just plagued me for years.
But, At last, the delightful Corvallis Librarians purchased a brand new edition.

Sooo, I’ve been anticipating this movie for so long, and re-watched the first 20 to 45 minutes so many times (before disc hangs) that it’s hard to review. I’ve since watched William Friedkin’s spicy remake (Sorcerer, 1977). I’ve since learned to better appreciate/adore the merits of classic cinema. So now my thoughts on this flic are more muddled than the oil pit in the penultimate climax.

Maybe it’s one of the greatest movies ever made? Or maybe it’s bloated-overlong trash with some astonishing ideas that history has already forgotten? eh. hmm. Continue reading “The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur, 1953 (out of 1955))”