Steven Johnson has an interesting entry on his blog called "Tool for Thought." SBJ looks at a number of invention/brainstorming software apps like DevonThink (or Tinderbox or even Sticky-Notes serve similar functions) and suggests that they actually inspire the thought process by pointing out connections that might otherwise be hidden to the writer. While at first I thought Johnson was toeing the line of technological determinism ("Gee whiz! Isn't it great how computers can think for us?"), I think now that he's pointing out how we can put our technology to previously unforeseen and surprising new uses. Worth a quick read.
http://www.stevenberlinjohnson.com/movabletype/archives/000230.html
My friend Nishanta took this shot with his cameraphone a couple of months ago at a Fado poker tourney. If I recall correctly, it was the next-to-last hand of the game; I, thankfully, had the rolled-up aces. Four aces on the flop... never did that before. Nishanta, of course, reminded me that it was only the 41st strongest hand.
Job-hunting travails have kept me rather silent in the blogosphere as of late; hopefully that will change soon, and I'll be back to some of my more substantive musings on teaching with technology, new media theory, and such. In the meantime, check out this link, not only for its contents, but also as a new model for academic publication: Into the Blogosphere.