A communal blog for ENGL 3177/5177: Web Logs and Wikis
morgan's office
course wiki

 
wikis in the news

This kind of revision work is becoming prevalent as wikis move into the mainstream. Wiki vandalism coming from Congress - TechSpot News. There are solutions to the problem, but they're not technological.
posted by morgan at 7:06 PM

 
Yes, Tiffany, you should edit the page you started in class. Here's an example of my page from last year. It's quite a bit more detailed and complicated than you need to be, but it will give you an idea of what Morgan wants. Here is a page that I did quickly yesterday, showing how to use all the different effects on the wiki like bold, indent, lists, etc. To see the language, just click edit page and you'll see how I did it. I hope this helps.
posted by Jes at 8:26 AM

 
To set up my WikiName page do I just edit the page I have already started or was that page something else? For right now, I am pretending that I edit the page I started in class. Please tell me if my adventure in make-believe has been a waste of time!
posted by Tiffany at 2:17 PM

 
This message is primarily for Morgan, but feel free to read it whoever you are. Um...well, I was thinking about doing the wiki assignment on the syllabus site, but my name is conspicuously absent on the list of participants! Not a big deal, but something to consider maybe adding me to.
posted by Dr Kuha at 12:58 AM

 
Just a reminder, folks. I WILL be in the computer lab at 1:00 on Monday afternoon to help people (to the best of my ability) with whatever they'd like help on. If you feel like you need some help or that you can lend a hand (there's a lot of smart cookies in this class!) then come on down, too.

Thanks, everybody. And see you Monday.

Erin
posted by Sweetandsourgoth at 10:13 PM

 
So now people can re-write history?
posted by Sharon at 4:27 PM

 
eHOw wiki

Sharon put me on to this WCCO article on eHow Wiki, a how-to site set up as an open, collaborative wiki. We looked at in in WCW to get a sense of how writers handled how-to's on the web, but it's interesting as a writing space for this class, too.
posted by morgan at 11:27 AM

 
Erin - if the offers still open for monday at one I would happily accept the offer of your time (i think that was the time)
posted by witchfairie at 5:09 PM

 
Sandi,
About Renee's image-link essay. The link on the course wiki is not the 'Walk-Away Renee' that Morgan meant. She killed her blog and someone else has the name now.
posted by Sharon at 11:01 AM

 
Sandi, Sorry to hear about your back! No fun!
We missed you on Friday...but we blundered on...
Check the course wiki for the readings for Monday. Morgan has links to the pieces there.
Get well!
posted by Sharon at 10:56 AM

 
I regret I was unable to join my classmates on Friday. I threw my back out and couldn't get out of bed. Can anyone tell me what I missed? What were the handouts?
I was checking the course wiki and read about Renee's image-link essay. I don't get it. Anybody feel like educating a mindless orb???
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 7:41 AM

 
Does anyone want to loan me the three papers we got in class so I can photocopy them? I dropped mine in a puddle and... it's long story. If you want to find out more on that I wrote about it in my blog. Really though, whether you read it or not I really would like those sheets. Unless they are posted online somewhere.

Thanks in advance, and lookout for karma, she's out today.
posted by Michael at 10:26 PM

 
HELP!!! I've fallen into blogging and I can't shut up!!!!!
posted by Sharon at 7:41 AM

 
BloggingBlogs#1 I'm contracting for 200 points for this assignment.
posted by Coach Kavanaugh at 1:30 AM

 
Here are the last two parts to JJ's assignment:
#2
#3
posted by JJ at 11:28 PM

 
Aspen, I'll be there by 9:30 tomorrow...barring a hurricane...ice storm...etc.
posted by Sharon at 10:24 PM

 
Okay, so here I am at home. The first few discs of Firefly just arrived from Netflix, and I'm very excited about watching it. However, I took a break, put on some Pearl Jam and finished blogging some blogs.

I am contracting for the whole shabang. 200 Points. Without further ado here they are:

#1: Turning the Tide
#2: The Oracle of Jessymandias
#3: Basketcase Mama
posted by Dr Kuha at 9:09 PM

 
My first blogging blogs entry. It's sure to offend someone, and it'll definitley generate a reaction.
Here's my assignment, part 1
and here's the link-->welcome to SWhicker's World

Over and Out-
JJ
posted by JJ at 8:24 PM

 
Well, I hope I'm not too late for this. I seem to get further behind the faster I go.

Anyway, I've blogged (is that the right word) and I'm contracting for 200 points.
Here are my three blogs:

• Blog Surfing
• Deviating from my topic
• The cat blogs
  
  Just a note--I'm having some difficulty finding blogs that are recent. Perhaps it's where I'm looking. . .
  
  More later. I think I'm beginning to get the concept.

posted by Sue at 8:00 PM

 
The blog that Erin linked to is very interesting. If you have not checked it out, I think you should. It gives an intersting point of view from a aspect of life that is well...gross...
posted by Dan at 6:29 PM

 
A lot of people are still using the original blogger templates, and I'm wondering if maybe people are afraid to start messing with templates? Are there any questions about templates or how to change the look/feel of your blog? We could talk about it in class tomorrow. It appears Aspen will be in there early on Friday morning. And I'll be able to stay late on Monday afternoon if anybody would like.

Good luck.
posted by Sweetandsourgoth at 3:55 PM

 
True Stories of a Porn Clerk.

It's one of those 'naughty' blogs about just what it says it is, so viewers beware. If you'd be offended by it, don't stop in. But, if you're curious, it really goes to show how blogs that are limited (Or focused, rather) to one aspect or another can still be very entertaining. In fact, in some ways it's much more entertaining...
posted by Sweetandsourgoth at 3:52 PM

 
The title that I've got now is the one I'm going to stick with for a while. If you could change it on the blog roll when you get a chance, that'd be cool.
posted by Tiffany at 11:51 AM

 
Attention: Anyone looking for technical help!

I will be in the lab on Friday at 9am... along with a few other people, some needing help and some offering help.
Feel free to come in early for some help!

~Aspen
posted by Aspen at 2:22 PM

 
Message for Sue, Aspen, and Sandi-
For Friday--let's have our beginning circles in following order:
Sue - upper rt
Sharon - bottom rt
Aspen - upper left
Sandi - bottom left
Then when we put them all together, they will connect in the middle.
Couldn't get my email server to respond, so hope you read this!!!

posted by Sharon at 12:46 PM

 
so, wow, i can't read. i'll revise my contract for 150 points, and i'll go through my posts and see what else i have to say. thanks for the extension.
posted by mur at 5:01 PM

 
Hoo-ray for assignment extensions!
posted by Coach Kavanaugh at 4:12 PM

 
Thanks for the extension. I've been sweatin' this trying to get it done fast. I'll slow down and contract for 150pts.
-Jess
posted by JJ at 3:02 PM

 
Governor's Reprieve

If you didn't get to the BloggingBlogs assignment, now's your opportunity.

To my mind, you - as readers, as bloggers - have a lot to gain by engaging it. More immediately, it prepares you for writing a project proposal and studio tours. So if you haven't done it yet, you have until Thursday, midnight: no late penalty. If you got it in Monday or today, I've assigned the points the points you contracted for.

Have a close look at the assignment and what it's asking. It may be asking you to step out of some habits of reading and writing (a Good Thing), to come at the problem from a different angle than you typically might. It can take some time - if you want it to - or you can do a fly by and contract for 50 points: Even that is valuable. Contract for 50 - 75 - 150 - 200 (there is no 100). When you're ready, post what you're contracting for and a link to your first entry to the Daybook.

(Those who have finished it oughtn't worry. You'll be fine.)
posted by morgan at 2:41 PM

 
Thanks, Aspen. I will try to get there early tomorrow....I really do need help....
posted by Sharon at 1:05 PM

 
Help you say?!

I'd be more than happy to offer my services in this department... you can email me or ask me before or after class...
Don't know about after since there's that class that comes in right after us, but it's worth a shot!
posted by Aspen at 12:36 PM

 
i know this is late. i'd like to contract for a hundred points in an effort to get half those points because i'm late. sorry.

part one.
part two.
part three.

i'll be more careful next time. (ps. this was more fun that homework should be.)
posted by mur at 9:34 AM

 
As I am probably one of the most "technologically challenged" people (persons? not sure) in our class I can only say that I would graciously accept help...Thanks for asking because it's embarrassing to be so lost
posted by witchfairie at 9:06 PM

 
For those of us who are somewhat 'technology challenged', how about a 'show-and-tell' after class on Wed. or Fri.?
posted by Sharon at 4:08 PM

 
Go to my blog page and from there click on [view] from the top tool bar and scroll down to [source]. When you click on it you can see the entire html code for the weblog. Then, what you want to look for is something that looks like: Begin footer --> and ends with: End footer -->. Just copy and paste that whole section and replace it in the spot where your footer is suppose to be. Make sure you delete all of your previous incomplete code.

I wish I could just show you the code but this posting tool just thinks I'm telling it to make a footer in this post.

Silly computer.
posted by Michael at 2:43 PM

 
Your footer html code should look something like this:





To see the code above look at this post from the edit screen in the dashboard. If you can't see it I'll email you what the code should look like.
posted by Michael at 2:38 PM

 
put on display

Michael, and others: it might be a tad embarassing at the outset to be "displayed" during your class hours, but surely it is because the rest of your group can learn from you. What's odd is finding out your blog has been displayed or discussed in classrooms outside BSU. Yes, it happens.

Looks like you all are uncovering some interesting blogs this term.

Cool tip on the screenshots, I'll have to try it.

posted by Berne at 1:14 PM

 

Thanks for the info, Michael. Sorry if I caused you any embarassment today...

posted by Sharon at 12:54 PM

 
I've been trying to change my footer, but I can't figure out how to make it do what I want it to do. My template has footer information, but I don't know how to doctor it. What should I change about this--

 
Just wanted to say thank you for all the positive comments in class today. It was quite encouraging (and a little embarrassing) to be put on display. Getting back to the question of taking screen shots - the program is called irfanview and it is for windows. You can download it here.

To get to the screen shot menu press c on the keyboard and a new window will pop up. From here change the file directory extention to a .jpeg rather than a .bmp file. Then press the start button. Now you can go to whatever webpage you want and when you find the right screen image press [ctrl] + [f11] and you will have your screen shot. Don't forget to save it!


On a random note: I'm eating Batman spaghetti O's, and they're not too bad.
posted by Michael at 11:43 AM

 
Okay, so I didn't quite get this thing at first, so I'm going to contract for only 75 points. I'm not sure if I needed to blog on exactly 3 blogs, because, as I said, I did not quite read it fully enough. My bad.

From here on, I'm going for the Full Monty! I will contract for nothing less than 200 points on every assignment!

So here's my super-cool blog about a blogging blogger:

WitchDreamer's Self

....edit after the fact....

Hmm...it seems I really didn't read the assignment. Because, unless you didn't know, witchdreamer is in our class, how silly of you all to not catch this sooner. I'm instead contracting for 50 points and taking the fall. I'll do better next time, I promise.
posted by Dr Kuha at 10:16 AM

 
It's been exciting checking the Daybook for new postings on the blogging exercise. Lots of interesting blogs to check out!
posted by Sharon at 11:56 PM

 
Guess what...My link I posted to my site does not work..try this one...

1

2

3


and here is the link to my hole
posted by Dan at 11:48 PM

 
I'm a bit new to this contracting idea and process, but I'd love to contract for 150 points. I'm hoping the time I put into it shows through, unfortunately I'm not an english major and my eloquence (such as it is) seems to have deserted me as of late.

Here's my first.

It tickled me that I got a response from the blogger of my second already.

And, heck, may as well link to the third here as well.
posted by ~B at 11:11 PM

 
Professor Morgan,
I am going to contract this assignment for 200 points considering I have been working on it all day long, a partially last night. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and I hope it's everything you hoped it would be!!

1. Blogging on ewritelife

2. Blogging The Backstage Boneyard

3. Blogging Blog With A View

Thanks!

Ginger
posted by Ginger at 11:08 PM

 
Morgan, I think I am gonna shoot for a solid 150. Everyone! Come check out my hole
posted by Dan at 11:07 PM

 
200 points

Go here.

If you want the first one go here.

Not happy to have assignment due on a Sunday

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
posted by Michael at 10:48 PM

 
I'm contracting for all 200 points, pretty please.

Here are the links to my posts:

Number 1


Number 2


Number 3
posted by Aspen at 10:23 PM

 
Yeah, uhhh... I kinda did it. Woot! I am really tired of talk like a pirate though. I guess that's my lot. I have explained how many points I am contracting for in my Report . From there I kinda liked to my first peice A Pressed Fer Time

but it should be all linked. Depending on how well I was able to get the links off, I just wanted to get this in so I wasn't running the deadline. Enter Queen Music, "I am imortal..." [I'll work on that one] Well, see you all Monday.
Oh, and there is a way to get around the time stamp thing. Just publish the posts and re-edit later to builk it up, get a better grade or get it in on time. So if you are running late, don't sweat it, Grubbs the Mighty will help you forget it.

On second thought I wouldn't do it. Acidemic dishonesty in any course might be grounds for suspention, posably expultion. But, hey fight the mechine right?

posted by Grubbs_The_Mighty at 10:08 PM

 
here is my first assignment I put a lot of time and energy into it, but I'm not sure it's what is wanted so I'm only going to go for 150 points. I also finished blogging blogs #2 and #3
posted by witchfairie at 9:18 PM

 
I'll bet 200 on BloggingBlogs.
Here's my first one.
posted by Jes at 6:47 PM

 
I'm contracting for 200 points (we'll see how that went). Here are my blogging posts: Finally, the Blogging Blogs Finale, Blogging Blogs #2, and I'm blogging a naughty blog. Oops. I also blogged Kuha's blog before I realized that we were supposed to blog the blogs of strangers. Oh well. It's an interesting post, so everyone should check it out.
posted by Tiffany at 6:34 PM

 
deadline approaches: reposted

When you're done, post a note to the Daybook with a link to your first post, and mention how many points you're contracting for.
posted by morgan at 6:04 PM

 
I'm done with blogging blogs. Are we supposed to post somewhere how many points we're contracting for or are we just supposed to keep that in mind when we do the assignment?
posted by Tiffany at 5:53 PM

 
Okay, here's the lowdown on the quotes situation. In American mechanics rules the punctuation goes inside the quotes, always. In British mechanics, the quote would go outside if you weren't quoting the punctuation. However, since this is online writing, I recommend breaking rules and doing whatever makes the most sense to you. After all, those who break rules consistantly can be the ones who make the new rules.
posted by Tiffany at 4:18 PM

 
Fairy Dust Found!
Morgaine Lae Fairie has found her fairy dust! In an acorn cap, no less...so all the squirrels in the area have been rounded up and are now undergoing an acorn de-briefing.

posted by Sharon at 4:13 PM

 
A small pouch of my faerie dust was found in an acorn cap near the creek. Since it took me nearly 8 hours to find it, I was able to contract for 200 points. Thanks for the leads.
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 3:53 PM

 
Heyyyy! (Sorry, just felt like being ultra-enthusiastic). I've finised my Bloggingblogs exercise, and here's the link to my first post. Oh yes, and I'm contracting for 200 points (I worked long and hard on this!) And Oooh yes, thanks, Sharon, for your info. I'm still curious, though, if anyone knows the answer for certain to that punctuation question I asked earlier today.
Cheers!
posted by Loni at 3:19 PM

 
Somebody told me they were having difficulty contracting for points and said they weren't comfortable with it. Here's my advice: When in doubt, contract for the higher points. You won't be penalized if you don't make the points you contracted for, but you still won't be limiting yourself. If you contract for lower points but achieve more, you will still get the points that you earned from your work. You will get the points you earn, if it is more or less than what you contact for.

Hope that's helpful, if it's still unclear, just let me or Dr. Morgan know.
posted by Sweetandsourgoth at 2:48 PM

 
For Loni-
Regarding quotation marks. Years ago...I know....don't say it....I was taught that they went 'inside' the sentence, before the end punctuation. Now I see in most things I read that they go 'outside' the sentence, after the end punctuation. Go figure. I may be wrong.

posted by Sharon at 1:46 PM

 
'Blogging Blogs' Assignment finished
I can't remember how to link to a specific post... :( ...but mine begin on Thurs. of last week... explanation in most recent post.

Not going for points, but would appreciate any comments or suggestions you have for me.

posted by Sharon at 1:41 PM

 
Okay, this may sound odd, but I've gotten some punctuation rules a little mixed up, and I'm wondering if some of you could help me out.

In a sentence such as this, where I am quoting part of what a person said or wrote, does the period go outside or inside the quotation marks at the end?: Jeremy admitted that he had some "very important things to do".

And in a sentence such as this, do the commas (and period at the end) go inside or outside the quotation marks?: Sarah ate all kinds of delightful things for dinner that night -- things she had never heard of before, with odd names like "filet mingon", "escargot", and "mousse au chocolat".

I had thought that the punctuation went outside of the quotation marks in these cases, but a very intelligent friend of mine told me otherwise. Would someone please confirm the correct way, whichever one it is? Thanks!
posted by Loni at 1:03 PM

 
deadline approaches

Just a reminder: BloggingBlogs is due at midnight(ish) tonight. (The Clock)

When you're done, post a note to the Daybook with a link to your first post, and mention how many points you're contracting for.

Late looses points.
posted by morgan at 12:58 PM

 
Buenos Tardes!
Many thanks for the leads on my missing faerie dust. I am still looking into it, but methinks you may be onto somethin'.
Adieu!
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 12:15 PM

 
I couldn't get Blog This! on my toolbar at home because of my crappy computer, but I was able to create links to everyones blogs through html. Check it out, and let me know about name corrections because I put the names of your profiles on the list.

By the Professor Morgan, I think I caught your virus, not technologically related, but in blunt- the flu. It's not good, and for the record I haven't been this sick for a while! Take care everyone! Hope you all have a good Saturday night, while I am at home-in bed!
posted by Ginger at 11:31 PM

 
Uncovering some very interesting blogs for this assignment...

Listening to Solid Gold Saturday Night...
(only time I can get my oldies fix in this accursed rap-loving town)
posted by Aspen at 9:43 PM

 
Happy Saturday!

Dr. Morgan, glad you are feeling better (I'm assuming, since you are doing homework!)
I installed "Blog This", but can't figure out how to use it within the 'posting' section of Blogger. Maybe you could go over this in class on Monday?

posted by Sharon at 9:57 AM

 
blogging blogs: a visit

I'm watching with excitement (and a cup of hot Ribena) the results of BloggingBlogs come in. The first responses I've read are impressive: insightful, witty, clever - especially at extending Blood's sense of purposes and kinds. You are also highlighting some blogs we would otherwise overlook.

Linking: Refer to Castro, p 16 - 17. Or, better, get the BlogThis! bookmarklet from blogger.

Trackback: When you link to a blog, the blogger you linked to often knows it and can follow the link back to your blog. You might pick up some readers and some comments this way.

I'm going back to my reading. See everyone on Monday.

Listening to BBC 6Music.
posted by morgan at 8:50 AM

 
Early Friday evening Morgaine Le Fae, Queen of the Faeries, reported her fairy dust was missing. An all points bulletin was posted and the usual suspects were brought in for questioning. Although the investigation turned up no promising leads, the Grey-Haired Coed insisted she saw a 'sparkly pile of something' in the corner of HS 109 early Thursday morning.
Le Fae has been suffering from 'post-dust-depression' ever since the incident. The Chief Constable on the case has directed her to the "Blogging Blogs" page of the course Wiki in the hopes that re-tracing her steps may lead to a recovery of her precious dust.
The community wishes her well in her quest!
posted by Sharon at 10:34 PM

 
I've looked over the wiki outlining our assignment. But I don't quite understand what to do. Are we supposed to check out the blogs on the list, then analyze them in a written/blog format? And what should I be posting on my blog - is there anything in particular I should be writing about??? Please help... I've lost my fairy dust and don't know what to do.
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 8:20 PM

 
sickbed observations

Hope your day is going well. I've called up enough strength to drag myself to the laptop and read blogs.

Loni has posted her first blogging blogs installment. Her work is impressive for how she uses Blood's rough categories to guide her reading of the blog, and how she links to the posts she's describing. Good blog technique. Sandi has been reading Blood, too, and suggests that Blood's rough sketch of kinds of blog postings warrants refining. (You might want to have a look at Blood's weblog: Rebecca's Pocket.)

Tiffany has been reading Eric's blog for the course, with this observation:

His content is informal and political in nature. He has, however, created a persona for himself that he sets in opposition to the "evil" character portrayed in his first blog....

What's interesting is how reading one blog post sent Tiffany into looking more closely at the topic of the blog - Satanism. Hypertext prompts writing and reading laterally, not just down the page, as we follow lines of associations writers create. We'll see this again when we look at wikis.

I'm also seeing some experimenting with posting styles. witchfairie is making short, single topic posts, a couple a day, apparently writing them as they occur to her. Jessica is doing brief and focused, too, posting vignettes like birth control and egg salad. The titles make a concise comment on the subject. Jess is using posting as a way of recording and thinking about an assignment in another writing class.

Some of you (Sharon, Eric, Jess) are adding blogrolls. Interesting things blogrolls. They are like a personal set of bookmarks or favorites list: The Blogs I Read. But because they are posted publicly, they start to define a social group, like groups or the social net in Facebook. In one of the Faeire Queen's metaphors, items on blogrolls are the flowers we flit among. When you get a chance, find a template that has a space for a blogroll and try planting a few.

Listening to Un ange en danger by Ron Carter and M.C. Solaar
posted by morgan at 2:30 PM

 
Everyone's blogs look really good so far. There are a lot of good links I've been exploring, and I have the hang of posting them now myself. Does anyone know how to get a permanent picture to appear in the blog and on comments posts? Is it HTML realted?

I really like Ginger's dedication and working for change blog. It's an example of how this medium can help to bring about change and be a place of healing and rememberance.
My deepest sympathies.


See you all on Monday,
-Jess
posted by JJ at 2:17 PM

 
I was rereading the posts today, and came across Ginger's idea of using the Blog to explore the possibility of "petitioning to get either four-way stop signs or stop lights put at that intersection ." Ginger--that's a great idea. What better way to do some grassroots movement and get change.

And, Ginger, my sympathies are with you. I don't know that we ever get over loosing someone that we care about.

In my lifetime, I have found that two-way stops are more hazardous than one might think. Neither side is aware of who should stop, and the tendency from both directions is to "slide" through without looking both ways.
posted by Sue at 8:23 AM

 
Sure, I finally get my invite to the daybook on a day that class in cancelled. About par for me...
posted by ~B at 7:54 AM

 
I hate when I forget what to say, but sometimes I think it might be for the better!
posted by Ginger at 6:38 AM

 
I have spent the last half an hour trying to figure out how to post on the daybook. I got so frustrated that I forgot to say what I wanted too...
posted by Dan at 5:49 PM

 
Class cancelled Friday, 20 Jan
I'm way under the weather and need to cancel our class meeting for Friday. Instead, visit the wiki for a blogging assignment, due by Sunday, midnight.

And keep up the daily blogging. Visit the wiki Friday late morning to see if there are any updates.

Have good weekend.
posted by morgan at 4:55 PM

 
Ginger, I think you have a wonderful idea and should run with it. It will help give you closure and maybe prevent future tragedies.
As for publishing online, I have a blog chock full of stuff I've written. I've read that "some people" consider it to be self-published but I submit these pieces as new, especially when there is a considerable amount of rewriting done before I submit it to a non-cyber magazine or journal. So my question is: Is it considered a simultaneous publication if the piece is also on my blog?
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 9:23 AM

 
Great ideas. I'll definately have to try the publish-it-elsewhere-link-to-it technique. I'm still not comfortable being screwed out of that first-rights thing but then again who just publishes one short story when you can make it a collection.
posted by Michael at 12:14 AM

 
Hey Michael,

Thanks for the push. By the way, that was some pretty weird stuff. Those tatoos of the his and hers would probably not be something I would personally be willing to brand myself with forever. HA!

On a further note, I think that it would be really cool if you posted your short stories. I think that would I would do is set them up as a link.
posted by Ginger at 11:09 PM

 
Michael, thought this might be useful You might want to publish your stories elsewhere and link to them in the blog. I think that a ton of text would look intimidating in a blog (but I'm new here, what do I know). I know that writing.com lets you publish works of any length, and you get feedback. It's free for a little membership.
posted by JJ at 8:18 PM

 
Michael,

I don't know why it WOULDN'T be a good idea to post short stories. First off, it's copyrighted more or less...as for length, it may be best to test two or three different short stories to see what response you get. If they're too long you'll know. As for publishing rights, that'd probably be under "frist electronic" rights, and you'd have to worry about that when the time came.

At least, that's what I am thinking, I've still got my entire senior project up here. You can check some of the lengths of the posts there, I only wish I would've enabled comments when I was actually in weblogs class like you, it would've been easier for the aim of the project.

In closing, since this is getting long, I say this about short stories: Go for it!
posted by Froyd at 8:13 PM

 
First, my comment for Ginger: I say do it. Your idea isn't crazy (although I don't know you well enough to say that you arn't) I've seen far weirder things out in the blog world. It actually sounds kind of practical.

Now my question for the general audience: Is it a good idea to post short stories in blogs? My concern is length (what is acceptable to read) and if I ever decide to publish a story elsewhere, what will/can happen?
posted by Michael at 7:06 PM

 
Possibly of Interest: Teen Blogs

Came across this article from the Washington Post thru the Tech Rhet listserv. It discusses teen bloggers, Facebook, and MySpace...

Teens' Bold Blogs Alarm Area Schools

Hopefully the link will take you to the story...

posted by Berne at 1:40 PM

 
Please look all the way through to the 'comment' section. His readers also have some valid points!
posted by Sharon at 1:39 PM

 
My son alerted me to this blog and these comments on spelling, etc. The author has some valid points.
posted by Sharon at 1:32 PM

 
Gyarr!
There might be somethin to this!
posted by Aspen at 12:17 PM

 
recommendation for Friday

I'd recommend visiting Blogger Help : What is BlogThis! ? and adding the BlogThis! bookmarklet to your toolbar.
posted by morgan at 9:38 AM

 
Hi! How's everybody doing? I just got the same confirmation to join this blog. So, I have an idea on what I want to achieve from having a blog. I am looking for my fellow classmates to tell me if I am completely wacked out of my cranium. Ok, here goes... I am basing my blog mostly on my family. My thirteen year-old brother was killed in a car accident nearly ten months ago at a sketchy intersection where I grew up. That same interesection there have been countless deaths and car accidents. I picked up the news story about my brother's death not too long ago and read the article again; two weeks before his death a seventeen year old girl died at the same intersection. I am petitioning to get either four-way stop signs or stop lights put at that intersection and I figured that I could use this blog as a way to get it changed. Do me a favor and let me know if you think this is a good idea or if I am just losing my mind. Thanks!
posted by Ginger at 8:48 AM

 
Hello. Didn't mean to butt in on the conversation...
I'm just getting my feet wet. Took me a bit to figure out I had to sign in first. Duh!
posted by Morgaine Le Fae at 7:38 AM

 
I totally agree with Sue. I worked with many Special Ed. students during the last 20 years of my teaching as Indian Home School Liaison/Indian Education Director at WHA. They DO need that type of nurturing environment in school longer than the 'regular' students. Too many of them didn't have support at home. This is not meant to be a comment on racial issues, that just happened to be the population I worked with.
posted by Sharon at 5:48 AM

 
Education has a tendency to swing back and forth on a pendulum. In the 50's, we didn't teach phonics, then we did in the 60's. And then in the 80's we went to whole language for reading instruction, and now we are back to phonics.

Here's another example. Sometime in the past, perhaps in the 70s, schools moved from the typical elementary-secondary to the elementary-middle-secondary. Now, school districts appear to be moving back to the elementary-secondary school.

I am on an email special education news service (CEC SmartBriefs) that points readers to current news about special education. An article titled "K-8 shuffle might not be cure-all for schools" published in the Baltimore Sun on 1/16 got me to thinking:

I have always felt that the middle school was a good move in education, for the following reasons:

• There is a vast difference between students in the elementary school and the middle school. In fact, there is a body of literature on middle school thinking and how this differs from elementary or adolecent thinking.
• Students in middle school are beginning to move away doing things with their immediate families and move into doing more things with their peer groups.
• The activities of students in elementary school are different. In elementary school, parents often encourage (or push) their children into activities. In middle school, the initiative comes from the peers.

However, perhaps there is another side, especially for studets with disabilities. This group may benefit from the pendulum swing. These students typically need more nurturing. They are generally not ready for a huge campus. They need to feel safe with one teacher, not have to learn the hidden curriculum of several teachers.

So where I am with this? I'd like the best of both worlds: Small middle school campuses, built more like the elementary school. Playgrounds for students who are developmentally not ready for large gyms; pods for students so that the change in classes is not so drastic, and nurturing teachers. Realistically this won't happen. But one can always hope.

posted by Sue at 10:59 PM

 
I've always been a difficult person. So why would I stop now? This should be fun. My blog for the class can be found by clicking this shiny little button.

My other blog, that you may or may not be interested in looking at can be found by clicking on this shiny little button.
posted by Dr Kuha at 1:11 PM

 
my computer hates me with a passion, and seems to think it deserves a new power cord. this makes blogging difficult at home, but i'll survive. the world is full of computers, and this only takes moments, right? so, hello from the information desk. hockey tickets are available now.

i think i'll do some homework.
posted by mur at 12:24 PM

 
I'm not sure if this page is for this but can someone please tell me how to get to the bemidji blog (yes i feel stupid) I've tried everything I can think of and my computer just keeps returning me to blogger and telling me the url dosen't exist
posted by witchfairie at 10:51 AM

 
hello all- first post outside my blog so... here goes - finding blogging interesting and have been on a few interesting ones, but as alas I am computer illiterate and have not really had time to explore my books (any further than has been requested) I do not know how to do links yet but am confident that it will come in time
posted by witchfairie at 10:28 AM

 
I looked over the Bemidji Blog. Interesting, but not something I would go back to unless asked. It reminds me of the monthly newsletter we receive from Beltrami Electric Coop. Some interesting parts but mostly the work that they are doing.
Messed with my template tonight for over two hours...but feel so gratified that I now have links in my sidebar that work!
posted by Sharon at 9:56 PM

 
I'm here, as here as one can be, and glad to be recieved in daybook. I want to thank all the little people that helped me get where I am today. Or scoff them, hmm, anyway, goodday and goodby
posted by Grubbs_The_Mighty at 2:47 PM

 
Per Morgan's suggestion, I browsed the Bemidji Blog. Being new to Bemidji, I found parts of it interesting (e.g., the new events center and comments about the first city meeting), and others rather uninteresting (e.g., waste water treatment and pictures of people). But, perhaps it will get better as I get to know Bemidji better. Just a thought.
posted by Sue at 8:33 AM

 
Hi there!

Well, I see that the link to my blog is right to the left in the company of many others, and that's a delightful thing. There's a bit of a problem there, though.

My last name is "Swensen," although it used to be "Kallerman," and the title of my blog is spelled, "Call Me Crazy," not "Craze." ;) Heh heh. That's all right!

People have messed up much worse! Once, in 5th grade, someone pronounced my name "Connie Kalar." Hah!
posted by Loni at 10:46 PM

 
the story so far: welcome to the neighborhood

Just under half the class has emailed their blog address and started posting. Writing her blog has prompted her tore-think some conventions of print. And so is Sharon, who writes,

It's an informal venue so why not informal speech patterns, slang, whatever?

Sue is introducing her cat family, and snapdragon is contemplating true and false friends. Jes H has discovered she's agnostic and has been exploring the work of other bloggers. And Loni has decided to step out of her comfort zone and explore new environs.

And others not in the class are visiting blogs and leaving comments. I'll let you look for their traces butBerne and froyd have been reading new blogs even before the new paint has dried on the siding. It warms my teacherly heart.

Email your blog address to me and I'll add you to the blogroll and send an invite to the Daybook.
posted by morgan at 6:10 PM

 
Wooters! I'm now part of the Daybook.
Hello to everyone - new (like me) and returning!
posted by Aspen at 6:04 PM

 
Pioneer: Bemidji Enters the Blogosphere

Need something to blog about? Saturday's Bemidji Pioneer has a front page article reporting that the City of Bemidji has set up a blog: The Blog From Bemidji City Hall. Being bloggers, you might want to comment on the article or the Bemidji blog here, on the Daybook, or on your own blog. There might be something worth talking about in class on Wednesday.
posted by morgan at 3:16 PM

 
Well, I'm in the Day Book. That's good. And I'm exploring the way to do a blog--by creating one. I'm not happy with it yet--too mundane, but. . .

Hope everyone can have fun this weekend.
posted by Sue at 2:21 PM

 


Received my invitation to the Daybook this morning. I really feel as if I've arrived! Looking forward to learning more and hopefully contributing something meaningful.
posted by Sharon at 10:50 AM

 
new blogs
New blogs have been added to the blogroll, and invitations have been sent to those bloggers to join the Daybook.

And it's only Saturday morning.
posted by morgan at 10:27 AM

 
Vlogging? You bet. Check out MN Stories to see a regularly updated Video Blog from Minnesota. Neat.
posted by Sweetandsourgoth at 9:26 PM

 
Well, hello! I'm pretty honored to be writing in this daybook thingamaroo, and pretty excited to be a part of this class, even though I'm so far away from everyone else. Cheers!
posted by Loni at 11:46 PM

 
how i spent my winter vacation

Taking a big set of suggestions from Brian Lamb at Abject Learning about tagging and folksonomy, I set up a del.icio.us account and started collecting and tagging readings and stuff. I placed the tagcloud on my blog so you can jump to points of interest. One of the tags is engl3177. So, if you want to see what I'm looking at that connects with the Weblogs and Wikis course, click on the tag.

Or (and this is the part that makes tagging social), if you set up a del.icio.us account, you can add to the engl3177 pool by tagging your stuff with the same tag. del.icio.us will display all the pages tagged with engl3177 on one page.

(There are two clouds on my blog: the top one is a search cloud for the blog itself. The del.icio.us tagcloud is a few lines down.)

And that's how I spent my winter vacation. (151 words)
posted by morgan at 5:14 PM