August 2011
12 posts
Scams: Woman Buys a Block of Wood with an Apple Logo Thinking It's an iPad(via @Gawker) →
gawker.com
The spectacularly stupid Ashley McDowell was approached by two men in a McDonald’s parking lot where they offered to sell her an iPad for $300. She only had $180, but they gave it to her anyway.
Wow…yeah, one should definitely look inside the box before making this kind of purchase.
Earthquake brought seismometer of ‘citizen scientist’ to life in Charlottesville →
washingtonpost.com
Sometimes it pays to be a weather nerd!
Review: Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Earlier this month, NPR published a list of the top 100 Science-Fiction Fantasy books.
Here are their top five, check out their site for more:
- The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
- Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card
- The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
- A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
I’ve read 10 of the books on that list so far (at least it gives me something to aspire to!).
The latest book I gave a try on that list was Foundation by Isaac Asimov. I have to say, I wasn’t enthralled.
I only read the first in the multi-part series written by Asimov in the 1950s. He is the same author who brought us I, Robot, the book that was later made into a Will Smith movie.
There is something alluring about reading science fiction from the 1950s. There’s a sense that plots are less derivative and self aware, simply because the genre hadn’t been around as long.
I was drawn in by the publisher’s description of the Galactic Empire where a scientist, Hari Seldon, uses an obscure branch of science, psychohistory, to predict and therefore manipulate history. Seldon promises the leaders of his day (sometime far into the future) that he would be able to reduce 30,000 years of suffering through his techniques.
To read the full text of my review, see it here: http://patch.com/A-l6DG
Fairfax Station in Social Media
The unglamorous life of a print reporter covering Irene →
washingtonpost.com
I’ve been there! Sure, being a print reporter on Hurricane coverage is largely a thankless job (especially if you’re just providing the feeds), but there’s a certain amount of excitement that comes along with it as well.
“You’re in the streets of Florence! You’re in the streets of Florence! #jerseyshore”
—Jersey Shore
Video: The 10 Best Videos of Reporters Being Blown Away by Hurricanes(via @Gawker) →
gawker.com
With just hours left before Irene pummels New York City, we can all agree on one thing: hurricanes aren’t funny. They’re scary! But you know what is funny?
Just saw this on Gawker. Is it really necessary to have TV journalists out in the field in this way?
I have to admit, I love covering breaking news and being in the middle of the action. I can see the allure of being out there in the crazy winds, covering the big story.
However, does this practice really serve the readers or the egos of the reporters?
Hello, World
I’m a multimedia journalist who, when not reporting, writing, taking photos or producing, is a pop culture junkie. Though I have a lot of guilty pleasures (think Jersey Shore and store-bought buttercream cookies), I also enjoy reading anything I can get my hands on.
