Fans of Darwin, the history of science, digital media studies, open source software, and electronic textual editing should take a look at Ben Fry’s fantastic animated text of On the Origin of Species, which accounts for textual changes across the six editions of the book that were published during Darwin’s life (from 1859 - 1872). The text was assembled using an open source animation program  called Processing. As Fry himself says, one big advantage of seeing the text evolve over several editions at once is the ability to illustrate shifts in Darwin’s scientific thinking, both large and small:

We often think of scientific ideas, such as Darwin’s theory of evolution, as fixed notions that are accepted as finished. [...]  In the changes are refinements and shifts in ideas — whether increasing the weight of a statement, adding details, or even a change in the idea itself. [...] Using the six editions as a guide, we can see the unfolding and clarification of Darwin’s ideas as he sought to further develop his theory during his lifetime.

THE CORNFIELD REVIEW is a quarterly publication of poetry, prose, art and photography. Submit your invention by Feb. 14th, and your creative talent could be captured for posterity between its pages. For the brave and reckless among you who seek fame and glory, send your ponderings and creations to mccorkle.12@osu.edu. Limitations on submissions are 20 pages prose, 8 individual poems, and 12 photographs/artworks. There is no work that does not fit–it’s all just one more piece of the evolving puzzle.

[copy and image courtesy of students from my ENG 662 ("Literary Publishing") course.--bm]

For those of you at OSU interested in the digital media goings-on in the various areas of our university, you may be interested in attending the following meeting of the Digital Media Collective (re-posted from the site wiki—login/password needed—at: https://carmenwiki.osu.edu/display/digmedcol/Home):

First Public Meeting of the Digital Media Collective

Where? Thompson Library Room 150A&B

When? January 27, 2010,  10:30 am - 12:00

Agenda:

Introduction: Who we are and what we want to do

Fire Hose Session (introduce yourself, what you do, and a challenge that you face –in 2 minutes!)

Put Yourself on the Map (org chart and physical campus map)

Refreshments and networking

It’s not that I have anything against smartphones per se. I just made a pledge to lastyearsmodel to hold onto my current phone for one more year, and I am nothing if not a man of my word. Plus, I happen to actually *like* my old-school dumb phone, a Sony Ericsson w810i, which at the time was a handsome piece of industrial design and functionality. Even today, over 3 years after I purchased the thing, the original battery still holds a near-full charge. And of course there’s the fond memories of those countless calls, texts, songs, pictures, and what-not that I’ve made with the wee beastie… What can I say? I’m sentimental that way.

So in my effort to make the thing still viable in the age of constant facebook updates, Twitter streams, and other social media maelstroms, I’m on the lookout for lean, quick software for the thing–Google’s slew of mobile apps fit the bill nicely. Recently, though, I installed snaptu, a UK-based product that’s basically a portal of little applets that connect you to the aforementioned facebook, Twitter, and also Picasa, flickr, various news readers, and more. So far, so good, so I’m recommending it to you, dear readers.

But if I try to hold onto this phone for another year, someone needs to talk me off of that ledge.

[Re-posted press release.--ed.]

Want to learn more about social media/higher education instructional technology and interact with like-minded instructors and researchers? Present at or attend the 2010 Digital Media in a Social World conference at Ohio State University!

Held on the OSU-Columbus campus on Saturday, February 20, this conference has keynote speakers OSU Distinguished Humanities Professor Cynthia Selfe and Professor H. Lewis Ulman (http://daln.osu.edu/), with featured presentations from Illinois State University digital media scholar Professor Cheryl Ball (http://www.ceball.com/) and PodCamp Ohio creator and director Angelo Mandato (http://www.podcampohio.com/).

Submit your proposal at http://cstw.osu.edu/digitalmedia/digitalmedia2010.cfm until December 4.

Co-sponsored with The Harvey Goldberg Center for Excellence in Teaching in conjunction with partners WCBE (90.5 FM), The OSU Foreign Language Center, and the OSU Digital Union.

Hey, OSU-Marion English majors, friends, and family!

For a great start to the quarter and the new academic year, check this out this coming Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2:00, at Beehive Books in beautiful downtown Delaware.

Honor and Celebrate the 2009 WINNERS of the Ohio State Marion CREATIVE WRITING AWARDS
and the 2009 issue of the Cornfield Review!

at

BEEHIVE BOOKSTORE

25 NORTH SANDUSKY STREET,
JUST NORTH OF WILLIAM STREET
IN BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN DELAWARE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, at 2:00 P.M.

HOSTS:  STUART LISHAN AND BEN McCORKLE

For additional information: 740-363-2337
Ohio State Marion students, winners of the 2009 Ohio State Marion Creative Writing Awards and writers who have been published in the Cornfield Review, will be reading from their excellent work. Readers include:

• Tabitha Albright
• Jacci Baumann
• Mike Beatty
• Carlee Mabrey
• Stephanie Howard.

Come on out and support your fellow students and writers!

–

Beehive Books is an independent bookstore where you’ll find new books on all subjects, delicious coffee, magazines, newspapers, and other objects of interest. Most books can be ordered within 2-3 days. Stop by, because we’d like to get to know you. we have FREE WI-FI! We’ll see you soon!

(Note: For most readers, the context for this show is probably unclear, especially since the design is a little light on the text. This accompanied a talk/discussion I gave for a couple groups of students at CCAD. Questions? email me at mccorkleDOT12ATosuDOTedu.)

See it here.