News reporters and anchors have repeatedly referred to the recent tragedy in Las Vegas as the “worst mass shooting in U.S. history.” Like all things that are constantly repeated, the proclamation has become fact.
Month: October 2017
👓 A Tech of Our Own | Beyond the Wrapper – Martha Burtis
Last night, we (meaning the DKC and my colleagues in the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies) hosted a premiere of a short horror film that we shot in May of 2016. We developed the script over about three weeks, shot the movie in one day, and then took over a year to get our acts together and finish editing it. In fact, the only reason it WAS finished was because of two amazing new students who split their time between tutoring in the DKC and supporting DTLT, Stef and Bethany. They started only two months ago, but they began working on the movie almost immediatley and, in collaboration with Jess Reingold, masterminded a pretty amazing event last night. We had a nice turnout in the Digital Auditorium and it was incredibly satisfying to be in a room of people enjoying The Convergence.
👓 Unverified | Hack Education
I’ve tried half a dozen times now to get my Twitter account verified. Each time, I’ve been rejected. “We reviewed the account, and unfortunately it is not eligible to be verified at this time.”
👓 Decades of Sexual Harassment Accusations Against Harvey Weinstein | New York Times
An investigation by The New York Times found allegations stretching back to 1990 about Mr. Weinstein’s treatment of women in Hollywood.
👓 Former Obama Adviser Anita Dunn Helped Harvey Weinstein Strategize Before New York Times Story | Buzzfeed
On Thursday, the New York Times published a major investigation about the Hollywood mogul, who had assembled a team of top legal and PR professionals.
Checkin Dunsmore Park
🎧 This Week in Google 421 Not OK, Google | TWiT.TV
How important is it for companies to have good morals? Hackers in US power grid. An Oreo deep dive. Essential Phone: beautiful, unfixable. Facebook code controls 16% of the average website. Will Apple or Amazon make the next James Bond film? Farewell, Solaris. Good riddance, Juicero.
👓 Frantic switchboard calls, geometry of fire, led police to killer on Mandalay Bay’s 32nd floor | Washington Post
The gunshots came from the Las Vegas tower’s golden facade. But where was the shooter? And was there only one?
🔖 Origin: A Novel by Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the ultramodern Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend a major announcement—the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever.” The evening’s host is Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old billionaire and futurist whose dazzling high-tech inventions and audacious predictions have made him a renowned global figure. Kirsch, who was one of Langdon’s first students at Harvard two decades earlier, is about to reveal an astonishing breakthrough . . . one that will answer two of the fundamental questions of human existence.
As the event begins, Langdon and several hundred guests find themselves captivated by an utterly original presentation, which Langdon realizes will be far more controversial than he ever imagined. But the meticulously orchestrated evening suddenly erupts into chaos, and Kirsch’s precious discovery teeters on the brink of being lost forever. Reeling and facing an imminent threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape Bilbao. With him is Ambra Vidal, the elegant museum director who worked with Kirsch to stage the provocative event. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.
Navigating the dark corridors of hidden history and extreme religion, Langdon and Vidal must evade a tormented enemy whose all-knowing power seems to emanate from Spain’s Royal Palace itself . . . and who will stop at nothing to silence Edmond Kirsch. On a trail marked by modern art and enigmatic symbols, Langdon and Vidal uncover clues that ultimately bring them face-to-face with Kirsch’s shocking discovery . . . and the breathtaking truth that has long eluded us.
👓 Origin by Dan Brown review – fun in its own galumphing way | The Guardian
In his fifth blockbuster outing, professor of symbology Robert Langdon takes on the battle between science and religion
And by the way, who doesn’t like the word galumphing?
👓 Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. Were Close to Being Charged With Felony Fraud | ProPublica
New York prosecutors were preparing a case. Then the D.A. overruled his staff after a visit from a top donor: Trump attorney Marc Kasowitz.
👓 Billionaire relents, kicks open his gate to popular Martins Beach | SF Gate
A billionaire landowner who had blocked access to a beach near Half Moon Bay opened the gate leading to the sandy shore Wednesday, two days after legal papers were filed demanding he comply with a court order. The decision by venture capitalist Vinod Khosla to finally allow the public to use the only road leading to picturesque Martins Beach was touted as a victory for surfers and sunbathers, but lawyers say it probably isn't the end of a decade-long battle over the sandy cove.
They didn’t do a very good job describing the subtleties of the situation and the law here though.
👓 Anti-abortion Rep. Tim Murphy plans to retire amid sex scandal | USA Today
The announcement comes a day after the pro-life lawmaker allegedly asked his mistress to get an abortion.
If only the people who protest so vociferously and who spend money to fight abortion would instead spend their time and money to support the adoption and care of all these unwanted children, the problem would be so drastically different. You have to care about the lives after they are born or you’re just being hypocritical, otherwise, just what are you really saving? Do they want to save and add to the suffering in the world? Should they be called pro-suffering activists instead of anti-abortion?
🎧 This Week in Google 419 Foie Gras Lollipop | TWiT.TV
Google partners with Walmart to take on Amazon. Amazon's Whole Foods acquisition clears the FTC. Google Home gets phone calling and Bluetooth features. Supreme Court may have to decide if you can google that on Bing. New Chromebook Pixel and Google Home Dot? Google Assistant headphones? Treble might work on existing phones. Android Oreo is official. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is super expensive - unless you bought a Note 7. Terms of service controversies from Sonos, Plex, and Uber. Plus: Hamburger Helper, peanut butter Oreos, foie gras lollipops, queso, bisto, and chicken in a can.
- Jeff's number: What FB is paying and expecting for Watch episodes
- Stacey's thing: The Prepared
- Jason's tool: Google's Inbox can finally show multiple email accounts at once