This Wednesday, August 5, I will be heading upstate to speak at the Games in Education Conference at the Hudson Valley Community College about Global Kids' innovative digital games program "Playing 4 Keeps." Specifically I'll be speaking on the panel "Relating Social Issues & Historical Events through Games" with Andrea Lauer Rice, CEO & Founder…
Vadis Turner + Brooklyn Museum’s super-secret tech project at 1st Fans Meetup
Shelly and Will gave us "1st Fans" members of the Brooklyn Museum a sneak peek at their new tech project last night. I was sworn to secrecy, but I will say this: it will change how you visit the museum… forever. Ok, maybe that's a bit of an over-sell. Still, it's a neat initiative that…
Cab Calloway + Betty Boop = the swingin-est cartoon ever
Check out this amazing classic cartoon produced by Max Fleischer that features Cab Calloway and his orchestra playing as Betty Boop goes on a very surreal adventure in search of the "Old Man of the Mountain." The whole thing just jumps and shakes and shimmies to the swingin beat from beginning to end. (Via BoingBoing.net)
How you know you’re a lindy hopper
You walk into an elegant social club: chandeliers, leather chairs, paintings of dead white guys everywhere, the works. A full swing orchestra is playing Basie. Around you are a dozen women dressed to the nines in ballgowns and high heels. You think, "This sucks. When will someone who can DANCE get here?" Then you head…
Map of Real World Places in Second Life
The UK company New Business Horizons has created what looks like the most comprehensive map of real world places re-created in Second Life I've ever seen. They have both a web-based graphic that you can click on to get teleport links to the sites in-world, as well as an in-world map with the same information….
Love the new bike lane onto the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn!
This week the DOT unveiled a lovely new protected bike lane leading from Sands Street in downtown Brooklyn onto the Manhattan Bridge. It goes all the way from Gold Street up to the bike entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. View Larger Map As someone who rides the Manhattan Bridge nearly every day, I can't tell…
Mystery package!?!
Today I found this mystery package waiting for me in my apartment when I got home from work. Presumably the landlord dropped it off, or little elves came in from the sink. It was pretty hefty. The return address said it was from The Netherlands. Care to hazard a guess as to what it was? …
What things inspire strangers to chat with you?
I was riding my Brompton folding bike home today, when a sudden thunderstorm forced me under an awning in Chinatown. As I was checking my mail on my phone, I heard some tapping behind me. This guy in the closed up shop I was standing in front of was gesturing at my bike and gave…
Movits: cool Swedish hip-hop jazz (video)
My friends on Yehoodi have been posting about this Swedish band Movits, who apparently are playing in town this week. I love the sound of this song from their latest album. And gotta give them props for including the Swedish lindy hop troupe the Harlem Hot Shots in the video!
Global Kids Professional Development: Learn how to engage youth on global issues using virtual worlds, games and machinima
You might not know, but my organization Global Kids not only does some of the most innovative virtual world, serious gaming, and digital filmmaking youth programs out there, but we also help other educators adopt our methods for their kids. Global Kids offers a range of professional services and professional development including standards-based training for…