Ramblings and webcomics from LeEMS
If you are in academia you are probably at least aware of the growing Open Access movement. I think of it basically as Creative Commons for scholars, and this doesn’t really mesh well with the pre-existing publishing model that scholars and academics have been using for ages. The Internet Archive has full text of the “Guerilla Open Access Manifesto”. It’s short and sweet and strong and well thought.
"Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves."
I had the flu most of Christmas break. This is one of the few drawings I managed to squeeze out of my mind/hand while I was sick. I found it. And now that the memory of how terribly I felt is almost gone, I kind of like the drawing. It could be a good logo or tattoo for something or other, except that it has my face on it.
The regulator in our living room is stopped right now. The wall across from the TV was not a good place for a chiming clock in the apartment of movie watchers. But gee have I loved time pieces. And I have fallen in love with Klockwerks by Roger Wood. I mean, look at them. Aren’t they beautiful?
The Cartoon Crier, shared on ISSU, is a gorgeous comic magazine and far far from any semblance of a funny paper:
“Sorrow and woe is the focus of this free 36-page newspaper tabloid that highlights the work of The National Cartoonists Society members and of The Center for Cartoon Studies’ community.”
GReader starred items strike again! Introducing the Random conspiracy theory generator. So far my favorite – time in the Alaskan wilderness causes breast cancer in: Verified Facts About The Census Bureau and Unemployment.
While I was trying to snap a shot of her angry face she kept looking away. I ended with with all these pictures and no good one. boo. I suppose it just makes the good pictures of her more amazing:
When no one else is around I read aloud to my pets. Though, I have tested the limits of my reading aloud lately, resulting in a long standing sore throat, I am intrigued by LibriVox » Volunteer for LibriVox. I will probably volunteer and get an assignment and read things aloud so that those things might be listened to by people all over the internets. In my voice even.
Cornell University Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections: The Fantastic in Art and Fiction is a gorgeous and curious assortment of images and illustrated book pages having to do with Demons, Death, Magic, and all things fantastic.
Yes, something like a second hand item from the GReader starred list. Though, it gives me an idea.
I’ve trumpeted National Novel Writing Month a ton on this here blog. I have enjoyed every year I have participated. Not only have they created an environment of encouragement and commiseration for people who may have never ventured into writing otherwise (my Mother), but they do great things to encourage youth to write as well! We all have stories and NaNoWriMo helps us tell them.
Ok, that was way thoughtful and somber – point is Yay! I don’t have to wait for November to embrace that feeling again. For the first time ever there will be a National Novel Writing Month Spring Writing Marathon on April 13th. Your marathon can be editing, writing fresh, continuing a story, anything. Just pledge what you can, ’cause you want to support the awesome stuff NaNoWriMo does, and then hunker down on the 13th and write write write! I did and will.
Another from the GReader starred list. Usavich is a Russian cartoon about rabbits and? I really don’t know. But it’s hilarious and not focused on language, so completely understandable.
But there is really good content therein. I don’t usually end up in situations where I might be beat up or anything else …now that I think about it – ‘or anything else’ has happened to me. I thought I was just lucky. Ok, so the technique of giving calm but nonsensical responses that Derren Brown describes in Derren Brown’s Guide to overcoming Awkward Situations – Entertainment – ShortList Magazine wouldn’t necessarily also have come in handy when I was being followed around the record store I worked in by a guy who repeatedly told me he liked my shape, and who continued on with other lewd comments and offers to take me home after my shift. That was a long time ago. But, Derren Brown’s advice on other situations is good to have in your head just in case. To sum up: awesome article, and hilarious in its description of the technique.
So, I like things like JEM and the Holograms, and the massively under-appreciated Josie and the Pussycats. There’s something about girl bands battling evil that is too fun not to love. Thus, my own girl band, who may or may not end up fighting evil: The Buffalo Chucks. Right now they are kind of like Josie in an Archie and Jughead crowd scene, but just you wait!
And, in the meantime, check out a webcomic that embodies all that too: Band vs. Band by Kathleen Jacques. You will not be disappointed.
Crisco likes the camera, but sometimes gets too close. He was too lazy to investigate this time and I ended up with a cover for Cat Fanciers magazine or something. Isn’t he handsome?
I have tried to keep the cat love to a minimum, maybe in some vain attempt to resist the librarian trend. Seriously, everyone (bold generalized statement) in my library is obsessed with cats. Want a topic to break the ice at a staff party: Cats. But who am I kidding? Why am I resisting?
I have the coolest cats ever!