Aug
20
The Ampersand
Filed Under All Entries, Design and Aesthetics | Leave a Comment
The ampersand is easily my favorite logogram. It originated from the written version of the Latin for ‘and’, et (thanks, Wikipedia)! So it appeals to me not only on an aesthetic level, but for being a bit of classics nerdery too.
This t-shirt from Ser-vice is the first ampersand paraphernalia I’ve ever owned. It’s printed very nicely on a creme American Apparel shirt, so it fits and looks excellent. There’s even a bit of embroidery on the back, in the shape of an abstracted stalk of wheat (Ser-vice’s logo).
This t-shirt from Turn Nocturnal is my second ampersand shirt. Also printed on American Apparel, it features a nice big ampersand that more clearly reveals how the ampersand is a ligature of the Latin ‘et’, and has a subtle oversized pattern print of many different kinds of ampersands in the background.
A couple of gorgeous ampersand bookends from House Industries, in cast iron and cast aluminum. I would love to have these sitting on a bookshelf… they’re currently a bit out of my price range, unfortunately.
You can satisfy most of your ampersand-centric urges with The Ampersand, a blog started in May 2008 devoted to that most beautiful ligature.
Aug
12
My Video Game Shortlist
Filed Under All Entries, Games | Leave a Comment
Here’s a list of games that I think people should play, for various reasons. There’s not much else to it than that… but you should get an idea of what I look for in video games. In no particular order:
new: Braid
Xbox 360
A terrific independent game that’s about… a bunch of things. And hopefully it will revolutionize video game design!
leaves the player with more (really quite interesting) questions than answers, many possible ways of answering those questions, innovative game mechanics, short enough that those mechanics stay fresh for the entire game, clever level design, really really really great ‘last’ level, pervaded with meaning, complex story line (bordering on convoluted… but that depends on how you approach it), trendsetting and history-altering (remains to be seen)
new: Gravitation
Windows/Mac/Linux
Pretty dang deep, dude. I found it more moving than Passage, by the same designer (Jason Rohrer). download
super-short, very free, pretty deep, emotionally moving
Rock Band
Xbox 360/PS3/Wii
Rocking is pretty fun, especially with your friends! It’s kind of like being in a band except you get immediate rewards and you don’t need to be able to play an instrument.
pretty good tunes, lots of people can play (especially if you’re good at sharing and taking turns!), the drums are actually a lot like playing drums (except you don’t cross over your hi-hat arm, and learning challenging parts is different than with real drums), character customization/playing with dolls, ninjas, sweet tats (if you’re into that sort of thing), awesome musical fun
Mass Effect
Xbox 360
I’ve played it all… it’s a roleplaying game and it’s about space and aliens and stuff.
it’s like being in a pretty-decent science fiction novel (I didn’t like that there were evil robots that had to be stopped, who were just kind of there), the slow-speaking aliens that announce what kind of utterance they’re making are a little interesting linguistically (also funny), discursive roleplaying (if you’re not a meta/power gamer… but it unfortunately doesn’t have much of an effect)
Sam & Max
Mac/Windows/Linux/iPhone
I’ve only played Hit the Road, but there are some others only for Windows and soon for Wii; files available on my downloads page
more challenging non-arbitrary (mostly) adventure (though not quite as hard as Monkey Island, I’d say), interesting characters, actually decent dialogue with voice acting!, nostalgia, irreverence, satire, musical numbers
Passage
Windows/Mac/Linux
It’s like, deep. download
super-short, very free, dude, it’s deep
Bridge Construction Set
Windows/Mac/’nix
Yeah, it sounds really boring but actually it’s an awesome puzzle game of bridge engineering. download
non-violent, puzzles with relatively simple rules (physcis!) but potentially complex solutions, non-arbitrary puzzles (real stuff, like physics; which is not to say that you don’t have to learn the system. You do, especially how the parts fit together and what their strengths are), most efficient use of limited resources, multiple bridge materials to choose from, problem solving, bridge engineering!
Aerobiz
SNES
An ‘airline management simulation game’, as I like to call it. Imagine what Airline Tycoon would be, if that existed. If you’re interested, download an emulator and a ROM (and maybe check out Aerobiz: Supersonic while you’re at it).
learning stuff (about somewhat outdated airplanes, like capacity, range, and fuel efficiency; about major airline routes), advance planning, maximizing utility from limited resources (resources including not only money but airplanes in your fleet, flight slots in cities, etc.), complex in its simplicity, 1-4 players with as few as 1 controller, a touch of geography (with a touch of information about various cities worldwide), non-violent
CAVEAT: turns, not to mention full games (I’ve never completed one) take a long time, especially with more than two people! Ice cream is recommended.
Peacemaker
Mac/Windows
Attempt to resolve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as either the Palestinian or Israeli head of state: hell yeah. download
incredibly challenging, unique goal (peace! wow!), complex (fairly many options, many of which are hard to accomplish, all of which have various pros and cons; lots of interests and effects to keep in mind when choosing actions), replayability (multiple levels of violence that arguably correlate to greater levels of realism: the more violent, the more real, honestly; at the higher levels of violence, I can imagine the game is almost impossible: I’ve only beaten it on ‘calm’ and the middle level as the Palestinian president), powerfully moving (incorporates real video and images)
The Secret of Monkey Island & Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
Mac/Windows/Linux/iPhone
Files available on my downloads page
humor (puns, tongue-in-cheek, not only in dialogue but in the puzzles themselves), nostalgia, good midi music, pixel art (especially in Monkey Island 2), challenging and usually non-arbitrary adventure, pirates, grog, insult swordfighting
Escape Velocity
Mac/Windows
If you get Nova, you can get the previous two games and play them on the Nova engine: download
large universe, open-ended (you can play however you want: for the story, to accumulate wealth and a majestic fleet, to become the most powerful, to conquer the universe, to accomplish challenging feats, etc.), customizability (not only your ships, but the game itself can be modded extensively and relatively easily), immersion (if you want it), replayability (because of the open-endedness and customizability, as well as multiple engrossing story-lines), ‘more powerful’ ships are not necessarily better (being able to take down pretty much anything one-on-one in a nicely tuned Starbridge is awesome)
Geneforge 4
Mac/Windows
I’ve actually only played the relatively long and engaging demo, but it was a terrific (albeit time-consuming) experience. download
engrossing story-line, complex yet mysterious world, choices that actually make a difference, interesting character classes (that appear in previous Geneforge/Avernum games, but still), moral dilemmas
ElectroCity
Web
environmental and social responsibility, challenging in its relative simplicity, replayability (multiple criteria for success)
SimCity 2000
Windows/Mac (Classic)
Mac-only files available on my downloads page
learning about city planning at an obviously simplified level, replayability (because of open-endedness and scenarios), advance planning
Jul
11
Sesame Beef Strips
Filed Under All Entries, Recipes | 1 Comment
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
3/4 cup oil (I use canola)
1/2 cup Chinese sesame oil (this can be tricky to find at a supermarket)
2/3 cup light soy sauce (not low sodium ‘light’; you can just use regular)
2/3 cup dry sherry
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3/4 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut across the grain into paper thin slices 2″ x 1″
Bamboo skewers soaked in water
Directions
1. Mix oils, soy sauce, sherry, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Marinate beef strips in mixture, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Heat broiler. Thread beef onto skewers. Brush with the marinade, coating heavily. Place on rack and broil for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Turn over. Brush with the marinade. Broil on the second side to desired doneness. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Makers 12 appetizer servings.
Why this recipe?
Because it’s delicious and easy! Even if you don’t have sesame oil (my local Dominick’s/Safeway didn’t have any, although they have in the past), it will turn out excellently. You could also use the same marinade for pretty much any preparation of beef. I made 10 skewers for a small potluck party, and they were an immense hit. A tip on slicing the beef thinly: it’s easier if the beef is partially frozen, and be sure to use a sharp knife.
Jul
10
Why this Recipe?
This recipe comes from the July 9, 2008 New York Times. I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds promising! They interviewed several professional bakers to get their cookie tips, and this is the recipe published in the paper. It mentions several crucial factors: cooling the dough before baking (which has a similar function as using only 1 stick of butter in my current favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe), making large cookies (which I do anyway!), using 60%+ cacao chocolate disks, and sprinkle the tops of the balls of dough with sea salt before baking. Once I try this recipe for myself, I’ll pass judgment.
Ingredients
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons
(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (available here and here)
sea salt
Directions
1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.
[recipe via NY Times]
Jul
8
Diplomatic Games of Strategy and Intrigue - Railroad Board Games Class for Gifted Students
Filed Under All Entries, Games, Projects | 1 Comment
Yes, it might have a somewhat overwrought title… but it’s simply the name of the class I teach to gifted students entering 4th-6th grade over the summer in Worlds of Wisdom & Wonder and Summer Wonders, two programs through The Center for Gifted in Illinois. Although the class originated as a splinter from a broader board game-centric class created by Christopher Freeman, mathematics teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, the specific materials for this class were created by myself.
Overview
The class meets for 50 minutes a day for two weeks, during which students play one of two railroad board games, Empire Builder or EuroRails, both of which are published by Mayfair Games. Both games are played by drawing track on the board, which is divided like a grid, and delivering loads of goods from cities in which they are available to cities which have a demand for them. The only significant difference between the two games is the geographical area they cover: North America and Europe, respectively. My students work in teams of two, optimally with four teams playing each game.
Learning
Learning through activity, in this case play, can be greatly meaningful. When I was in 6th-11th grade, I attended a similar program (also through The Center for Gifted) that has had a profound effect on my life. It further kindled my desire for intellectual exploration and to learn and discover ideas, as well as forming the basis for my still-developing theoretical perspectives on learning and semiotics. By actively encountering the cities of North America and Europe, my students learn more permanently not only where these cities are, but what goods they export and how they might interact economically with other cities. On an even more superficial (yet important) level, they learn how the availability of goods and geographic considerations like mountains have affected the growth of railroad systems. More generally applicable, they must grapple with the life skills of teamwork and cultivate an ability to effectively plan for the long term.
Class Materials
Beside the materials of the board game itself, which includes reference sheets listing all the cities and where each good is available, each team records all of their plans on a handout that I have adapted from Christopher Freeman’s original after watching my students interact with it. This not only facilitates my students’ planning and day-to-day continuity, but helps me write their evaluations at the end of the session. You can downloads section, and the games are available from view this record sheet here. All of the materials I’ve created for this class are available in the Mayfair (educational discounts apply).
In addition to this record keeping sheet, my students fill out a self-evaluation form before I write my evaluations. They are asked to describe at least one of each of the following: a correct decision they made, a mistake and what they learned from it, a good decision on the part of another team, and a general piece of advice to share with a new player. This self-evaluation helps me know what they actually learned from their experience playing the game.
Other Responsibilities
Other than classroom management and helping to create an exciting, safe environment in which to explore the games, I am responsible for writing three letters primarily targeted at my students’ parents. On the first day, each student receives a handout describing the class to give to their parents. On the last, they receive a handout recapping the class and detailing ways to extend their classroom experience, in this case where they can buy the games they played and other recommended board game publishers (all of which are listed in the sidebar under ‘Board Games’). Finally, my evaluations of the students, which includes 4+ sentences detailing each of their specific personal achievements, are mailed home after the final day of class.