>>: Part of what we do in rhetoric as a field is look for spaces on the map of oratorical practice that haven't been charted just yet, like the history of nineteenth century women's parlor manuals, for instance. Well, I found another such site last weekend when I happened upon the Centerburg Old-Time Farming Festival. Amongst the antique farming equipment, steam engines, sheep-herding demos, fried candy bars, and women's rolling-pin-throwing competition, there was a quaint, old-fashioned oratory contest. Kids and adolescents participated, a little stiff in spots and spinning platitudes about the joys of farm life, but on the whole, it was fascinating. Here's a tradition that has survived for who knows how long, most likely outside of the academic gaze. Someone should write an article, is all I'm saying....
>>: The WAC-e Thoughts blog has a write-up on a roundtable discussion I took part in a few weeks ago, where we shared our different approaches to using free, cheap, and open source software in our various courses and projects. Lots of good, practical advice was passed around the table, and I especially liked hearing the fact that NCTE/CCC is planning a statement in support of using open-source apps in the writing classroom.
DD, participating in the roundtable discussion.
>>: How academia vets and disseminates its knowledge is a time-honored topic of navel-gazing conversation. Will the call to change the outdated printbound paradigm ever reach critical mass? Here's a piece of kindling to throw on the fire, and it comes from the sciences, no less (those hardliners!).
>>: Franchising the Writing Center for the real world? Dave Eggers seems to think it's a good idea. Watch what happens...
>>: Friend Mikey visits the Land of Ice, tells all.
Three words: New Bomb Turks. Last Saturday's show at Carabar (w/ openers Necropolis and Grafton) was, well, hugely satisfying. Rawk!