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« August 2011 | Main | October 2011 »
The Doctor [Sort Of] Dances
Matt Smith (in the animated gif above) as the Eleventh Doctor in the long-running series Doctor Who, certainly has a different style than Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor. :)
Below, the ending of the 2005 episode, "The Doctor Dances".
Happy Hobbit Day!
Will you indulge old Gaffer’s Home Brew?
While it isn’t Bilbo’s 111th birthday, it is a special day for fans of Tolkien as Frodo and Bilbo are said to both have been born today, by Shire Reckoning of course.
Add to that the fact that "The Hobbit" was first published this week in 1937 and you’ve got the makings for a party of special magnificence! Tolkien fan groups have parties planned at which books are discussed and movies are watched. Cookies, honey cakes and even Lembas (Elven waybread) are among some of the Middle-earth themed snacks that can be found at these gatherings.
"Lord of the Rings" cosplayers and casual fans alike can indulge their “inner Hobbit” by going barefoot to celebrate.
“Hobbit Day” has been observed for over 30 years and with the films in production, the event will only surely grow as the upcoming "Hobbit" films near completion.
Do you have any plans to celebrate?
We Have No Idea Who’s Right: Criticizing “he said, she said” journalism
PressThink.org has a very interesting post about a discussion generated by its author, Jay Rosen, concerning what he terms "he said, she said" journalism, which limits reporters' work to letting two or more opposing perspectives present evident (utter their soundbites) and then walking away; this journalism does not evaluate the evidence that sources present or are found to be relying on, when it has the resources to do so. Rosen:
“He said, she said” journalism means… #
- There’s a public dispute.
- The dispute makes news.
- No real attempt is made to assess clashing truth claims in the story, even though they are in some sense the reason for the story. (Under the “conflict makes news” test.)
- The means for assessment do exist, so it’s possible to exert a factual check on some of the claims, but for whatever reason the report declines to make use of them.
- The symmetry of two sides making opposite claims puts the reporter in the middle between polarized extremes.
via pressthink.org
A metaphor might be: "he said, she said" limits the reporter to setting the stage for a debate and moderating it, but not examining the evidence behind the debaters' claims, not seeking to confirm the veracity of claims.
As one commenter, Steve Buttry, noted, the first principle in the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics is "Seek truth and report it." "He said, she said" journalism dispenses with the "seek truth" part; it changes journalism to "Find claim-makers and have them state their claims and in equal measure." That's it.
But, as other commenters imply, can any one story on a topic, such as the NPR three-minute segment that Rosen cites, be crititiqued apart of the overall reporting of a topic over time, which may require multiple reports (articles, segments, pieces, etc.; the terms vary by media) by the same journalist(s)? As NPR's omsbudman, Edward Schumacher-Matos, stated regarding the particular NPR segment the Rosen took exception to:
It was a simple daily story that did a sufficiently good job in pulling together the facts on what happened, with analytical commentary from different sides.
Is more needed? Of course. That’s why you have follow-up stories.
Hat-tip to MUG.
IM N UR NORTH POLE
Mark the date: lolcats actually made it into The Wall Street Journal on August 25, 2007.
Enjoy the LOLCat Bible Translation Project. Here’s how to write and speak lolcat (a.k.a. lolspeak).The above is an animated gif. Click on it to watch it.
17th Century Nun's Prayer
Lord, You know better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occassion. Release me from the craving to straighten out everybody's affairs. Make me thoughtful, but not moody. Helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom, it seems a pity not to use it all, but You know, Lord, I want a few friends at the end.
Keep my mind free from the endless recital of details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing, and love of rehearsing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others' pains, but help me to endure them with patience.
I dare not ask for improved memory, but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memories of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occassionally, I may be mistaken.
Keep me reasonably sweet. I do not want to be a saint - some of them are so hard to live with. But a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And give me, Lord, the grace to tell them so.
Amen
This prayer is attributed various places online to an anonymous 17th-century author, as having been "found in an old English church," and as being called the "17th Century Nun's Prayer" or the "Old Nun's Prayer." But not one of these online attributions that I'm aware of cite a source for any one of those three claims.
But, who needs a possibly make-believe nun anyway when we've got the very real Sister Wendy Beckett?
"Yes, I was a strange child."
3 days ago on 15 September 2011 @ 12:51pm + 666 notes
via poisonouschicken (originally poisonouschicken)
via fuckyeahstephenfry.tumblr.com
Stephen Fry is cool.
