Thursday, June 22, 2006

Hitler or Coulter?

Did Adolf Hitler or Ann Coulter say it?
Although I've never seen the two in the same room at the same time, I have been assured that they are two different people.
An interesting exercise in reading for individual style and 'voice'-- something teachers of writing (and, dare I say, of reading) tend to do almost subconsciously.

Wiki Sticky Wicket

How to find true North? I was surprised when I clicked...

(the edit read, "Stand still for 2 years, moss will grown on one side of your legs, this is North.")
Edit was rather quickly--errr--edited (Intellectual Darwinism?), but what if it hadn't been a "'How to' of the Day" link from the Google desktop?
Could have some very green lost hikers (Darwinism again).

Monday, June 12, 2006

No Sensible Shoes Jokes, Please.

While reading CultureCat's blog, came across a link to this quiz.
You know I had to try it out. So (existentially), who am I?




Which of Henry VIII's wives are you?
this quiz was made by Lori Fury

Friday, June 09, 2006

Trust Me on This

Went to NYC yesterday for a Flash conference. No, not learning how to expose myself to the masses (isn't that what blogging is, anyway?), but learning about Macromedia/Adobe (Macrobe?) Flash 8. At the event, I was both inspired and intimidated. Three men from Big Spaceship were there to explain their process and how they have used Flash in their work, and if you ever want to have a jaw-gaping internet experience, just check out their website.
As a techie teach, I just can't help but marvel at the rhetorical implications of Flash. I know I'm sounding kind of eggheady with that statement, but the "Flash Evangelist" (yup, that's the term used, just like one of the guys from Big Spaceship was the "Minister of Technology"), referred to accessibility, creating to audience, interactivity, anticipating audience reaction, fitting the project and design to the message-- isn't this a form of what I teach every day in the writing classroom?
So what does this have to do with the pictures I've strewn around this post? Nothing really. Just thought I'd share. The conference let out at 5:15 or so (I didn't feel like staying for the cocktail hour), and I didn't want to play sardine on MetroNorth during rush hour, so I decided to walk a few (30?) blocks to the Village for some dinner. As I was traipsing down Fifth Ave. near NYU, I happened upon a film shoot. Don't know the name of the film, but the actors that I could identify (as Miss Myopia) were Tim Robbins, William Hurt, and Billy Baldwin. They're somewhere in the pics. Trust me.
On the way back I passed the scene again, this time lost in my usual post-dinner daze (fantastic food at Quantum Leap). Some young man stopped me and said something about the shot. I don't know if I was in it and get the heck out of the way or what. Sorry! That's what I get for walling off the world...

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Speaking of Composition...

I wish I knew whether this essay was actually submitted... though I can't believe any teacher would actually pass this unless it was for "Bongs 101."

Don't Think of the Technologies (Tengrrl)

While reading Computers and Writing post-mortems (morta?), I found this from Tengrrl, someone well-known/ respected in the community.

Her presentation was of interest to me because it echoed a concept I had presented at the Academic Computing conference: it ain't the technology, it's the literacy instruction that matters.

Is it the collective unconscious? Are we all moving towards this sense of understanding that we need to impress upon the nay-sayers: it's not about the bells and whistles. Technology is a means-- that is what it is by its very definition (hate to resort to that sophomoric rhetorical device of proof by definition, but what the heck)! I can dig a hole without a shovel (or backhoe) and I can get a nail in the wall without a hammer, but technology facilitates the process-- it exponentializes (nsw?) what can be achieved, presenting new challenges, ways of thinking, and ways of creating, and opportunities for creation.

A longtime SCSU professor asked me, "What do you get out of teaching with computers? Why do you do it?" I responded, "It allows me to do my job."

Monday, June 05, 2006

cURL up and Dye.

So, I've been so busy trying to get stuff done for
  1. End of Semester grading (complete except for receiving two older [meaning more than one semester ago] incompletes... one expected, one not-- but welcomed nonetheless)
  2. 12 pg. Newsletter for day job (worked 'til 8:30 pm to get pre-press complete before flying to Lubbock)
  3. Pending death due to having to fly first time since Reagan administration (reason, oh not-so-diligent reader? see #4)
  4. Computers and Writing Conference (which didn't matter because I ditched everything and decided to attempt creating a movie-- not shutting eyes until 4:00 the morning of the presentation)
  5. Prospectus for major event at day job
  6. Annual directory-- major publication at day job
  7. Flash seminar in NYC
Needless to say, I've not been taking great care of the bod and overall appearance. Looking a bit like Ernest Borgnine's and Bea Arthur's clandestine love child (which might be useful in other situations, but not this one).
As I've mentioned, I've also developed some craggy chest cold that makes me sound like the paying end of a 900 call.
All in all, I'm feeling oh-so-pretty. So what do I decide to do?
... grabs the at-home highlighting kit...

WARNING:

When tired, sick, and generally out of one's wits, do not use dumbed-down versions of professional grooming products, especially when such pgp's may create semi-permanent effects to both one's body and one's psyche.

Do men ever do things this stupid?
Oh wait.
Nevermind.

More from C&W

This is a selection from the podcast workshop... and Group 5's Live Podcast is moderated by our very own Andy Piscitelle.
Casting about with Sounds: Podcasts from Lubbock - drupal

Friday, June 02, 2006

What Is Composition?


While I was at C&W, I was simply awed by the "Coming Attractions" @get info. I've been searching the net to find if anyone had posted their contributions. I've found a few. There's the humor and invention that I would expect, but I was more struck by the ways in which the 'definition' of composition/ computers and writing has evolved. Sadly, I don't think this would go over very well where I am, as "standard innovation" is having students blog and/or create websites as part of their coursework. I really need to work on the concepts behind my C&W presentation, which had to do with access to learning for instructors--especially adjuncts-- so that we can better guide our students and their many learning styles to developing their literacies.
There may be more out there, but googling "@getinfo and C&W" tends to provide several country music (argh! the agony!) hits.

We Interrupt this Blog...

For one of my typical bouts of illness (wheeze). As I attempt to maintain oxygen levels (made all the more difficult by last night's retro visit to the land before electricity), here's a little something from ifilm: