Friday, December 28, 2012
Morning Coffee (12/28/12)
I feel like this was created just for me: The Hundred Best Lists of All Time
Rocknroll? Really, Kate? Rocknroll?
Wil Wheaton is awesome.
Whoa: Dioramas Inspired by 19th-Century Women Novelists
Here are Slate's favorite books of the year.
Ooh, drama at a Romanian film festival in New York.
In Hong Kong, History at a New Hotel
Rocknroll? Really, Kate? Rocknroll?
Wil Wheaton is awesome.
Whoa: Dioramas Inspired by 19th-Century Women Novelists
Here are Slate's favorite books of the year.
Ooh, drama at a Romanian film festival in New York.
In Hong Kong, History at a New Hotel
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Morning Coffee (12/27/12)
Electronic textbooks that tell teachers what students actually read? Hmmmm.
Social Security comics!
Cadbury Invents Unmeltable Chocolate
Interesting: Re-evangelizing New England
Aww, Patrick Dempsey is trying to save Tully's Coffee.
Netflix for nail polish just seems squicky.
Social Security comics!
Cadbury Invents Unmeltable Chocolate
Interesting: Re-evangelizing New England
Aww, Patrick Dempsey is trying to save Tully's Coffee.
Netflix for nail polish just seems squicky.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Recipe: Oreo Balls
I wound up making these sort of accidentally because I had extra Oreo cupcake filling, and a few people on Twitter asked for the recipe, and seriously, SO EASY.
Oreo Balls
1 package Oreos
1 block (8 oz) regular cream cheese
Colored sugar or sprinkles for decoration
1. Take out the cream cheese an hour or two in advance to let it soften.
2. Put the Oreos in a food processor and process until they're fairly even crumbs.
3. Dump out into a bowl, add cream cheese, and mix. (It's probably easiest to just use your hands.)
4. Roll the mixture into balls about 3/4" in diameter, and roll each ball in sugar, sprinkles, or other decorations.
5. Keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve!
Oreo Balls
1 package Oreos
1 block (8 oz) regular cream cheese
Colored sugar or sprinkles for decoration
1. Take out the cream cheese an hour or two in advance to let it soften.
2. Put the Oreos in a food processor and process until they're fairly even crumbs.
3. Dump out into a bowl, add cream cheese, and mix. (It's probably easiest to just use your hands.)
4. Roll the mixture into balls about 3/4" in diameter, and roll each ball in sugar, sprinkles, or other decorations.
5. Keep in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve!
Morning Coffee (12/26/12)
Happy Boxing Day!
Here are GQ's 25 Most Stylish Men to ease you back into your week.
Oooh! The Dead Sea Scrolls are now online.
I reeeeally want these Penguin Drop Caps Classics.
Mormon Women Set Out to Take a Stand, in Pants
9 Joyful Ways to Demolish Your Favorite Genre
Aww, an illustrator proposed marriage in his book's acknowledgements.
50 Best Literary Insults
Here are GQ's 25 Most Stylish Men to ease you back into your week.
Oooh! The Dead Sea Scrolls are now online.
I reeeeally want these Penguin Drop Caps Classics.
Mormon Women Set Out to Take a Stand, in Pants
9 Joyful Ways to Demolish Your Favorite Genre
Aww, an illustrator proposed marriage in his book's acknowledgements.
50 Best Literary Insults
Friday, December 21, 2012
Why I Want to See The Following for Myself
It's not surprising that a lot of wildly different reactions and opinions and theories have appeared in the aftermath of last week's tragedy in Newtown. But one in particular did surprise me: a small chorus of TV reporters and critics are calling for FOX to cancel its upcoming drama The Following, which is set to premiere on January 21. For those who haven't heard about it: It's a show about a serial killer (James Purefoy) forming a cult of serial killers, and the FBI agent (Kevin Bacon) trying to stop him. Yes, by all accounts, it is very violent and includes lots of murder, for obvious reasons. But it's worth noting that it focuses neither on guns nor on killing children, and it will be premiering over a month after the events in Newtown.
First, a small issue: Some of the people saying this have seen at least one episode of the show, but others (by their own accounts) have not. (For the record, I have not seen it yet. I've heard wildly differing opinions, but people whose taste I trust have loved it, so I'm looking forward to trying it. But until I do so, I HAVE NO OPINION. That's how this works.) Publicly condemning a show without actually watching it strikes me as completely irresponsible. It frustrates me when people - especially people who viewers look to for advice on what to watch - give uninformed opinions. Saying you don't find the trailers for a show appealing so you don't want to watch it? Sure, that's fine. Saying, based on trailers and buzz, that you think a show should not be on the air? That's problematic.
And really, that gets at the larger issue. There are absolutely things in this country that should change in the wake of Newtown. But I really don't think banning violence from TV is one of them. To be fair, people are saying that FOX themselves should pull the show, not that the government should force them to do it, so it's not quite censorship. But saying "This awful thing happened in real life, so this unrelated violent show being on the air is insensitive" seems like a very dangerous path to go down. If individuals decide not to watch The Following because they don't want to voluntarily put more violence (even fictional) into their lives or worlds, that's COMPLETELY understandable and fine. But saying that no one should have the option of watching it puts them in the company of parents who want books pulled out of libraries so that NO children (not just their own) can read about gay characters or sex or eating disorders.
Both my personal inclinations and my library training lead me to firmly believe that no one should decide what media anyone else should consume (with the exception of things whose production harms people who cannot consent to participation, such as child pornography). As Ranganathan's second and third laws of library science state, "Every reader his book. Every book its reader." I believe the same goes for TV shows. Those who object to the violence shouldn't watch. But this is a business. If enough people feel that a show is outside the bounds of taste, or just not what they want to watch, the show will fail. Does this mean that many things I personally have no interest in seeing wind up on the air? Of course. But I don't want any person or group deciding what content I'm allowed to consume, and so I wouldn't want to impose my beliefs or tastes on others.
Is The Following any good? Does it glorify murder? Is it in poor taste? Is actually brilliant? Is it more violent or scary than I'll be able to handle, watching alone in my apartment? I have no idea! But I want the chance to find out.
First, a small issue: Some of the people saying this have seen at least one episode of the show, but others (by their own accounts) have not. (For the record, I have not seen it yet. I've heard wildly differing opinions, but people whose taste I trust have loved it, so I'm looking forward to trying it. But until I do so, I HAVE NO OPINION. That's how this works.) Publicly condemning a show without actually watching it strikes me as completely irresponsible. It frustrates me when people - especially people who viewers look to for advice on what to watch - give uninformed opinions. Saying you don't find the trailers for a show appealing so you don't want to watch it? Sure, that's fine. Saying, based on trailers and buzz, that you think a show should not be on the air? That's problematic.
And really, that gets at the larger issue. There are absolutely things in this country that should change in the wake of Newtown. But I really don't think banning violence from TV is one of them. To be fair, people are saying that FOX themselves should pull the show, not that the government should force them to do it, so it's not quite censorship. But saying "This awful thing happened in real life, so this unrelated violent show being on the air is insensitive" seems like a very dangerous path to go down. If individuals decide not to watch The Following because they don't want to voluntarily put more violence (even fictional) into their lives or worlds, that's COMPLETELY understandable and fine. But saying that no one should have the option of watching it puts them in the company of parents who want books pulled out of libraries so that NO children (not just their own) can read about gay characters or sex or eating disorders.
Both my personal inclinations and my library training lead me to firmly believe that no one should decide what media anyone else should consume (with the exception of things whose production harms people who cannot consent to participation, such as child pornography). As Ranganathan's second and third laws of library science state, "Every reader his book. Every book its reader." I believe the same goes for TV shows. Those who object to the violence shouldn't watch. But this is a business. If enough people feel that a show is outside the bounds of taste, or just not what they want to watch, the show will fail. Does this mean that many things I personally have no interest in seeing wind up on the air? Of course. But I don't want any person or group deciding what content I'm allowed to consume, and so I wouldn't want to impose my beliefs or tastes on others.
Is The Following any good? Does it glorify murder? Is it in poor taste? Is actually brilliant? Is it more violent or scary than I'll be able to handle, watching alone in my apartment? I have no idea! But I want the chance to find out.
New Gatsby Trailer!
Want want want want want RIGHT NOW PLEASE.
(Can anyone ID the version of "Happy Together"?)
Fans should also check out these gorgeous character posters.
(Can anyone ID the version of "Happy Together"?)
Fans should also check out these gorgeous character posters.
Morning Coffee (12/21/12)
The New Yorker Robert Bork obit pulls no punches.
Check out this nifty etymological map of the United States.
I love BMJ's holiday tradition.
Discovering an island is one thing, but . . . undiscovering one? Wow.
At NPR, Maggie Stiefvater has 5 Young Adult Novels That You'll Never Outgrow.
I desperately want these Mythic Beasts Travel Posters.
Here's an interesting read on Tolkien and Auden.
Christmas Carols as Resistance Literature
Check out this nifty etymological map of the United States.
I love BMJ's holiday tradition.
Discovering an island is one thing, but . . . undiscovering one? Wow.
At NPR, Maggie Stiefvater has 5 Young Adult Novels That You'll Never Outgrow.
I desperately want these Mythic Beasts Travel Posters.
Here's an interesting read on Tolkien and Auden.
Christmas Carols as Resistance Literature
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