The Tip of an Iceberg?
The Bentham experiment suggests that a poorly managed payment system may be the root of a larger problem emerging in academic publishing.
The Pseudo-Mathematics of Attention
The amount of attention or concentration a consumer is willing to devote to a resource is a function of the time they have available and the perceived relevance of the resource being consumed.
Chaos Journal Preparing to Close Shop?
No new editor, a submission stop, and an announcement to authors to select another journal. As if this weren’t enough, the backlog of unpublished manuscripts is being cleared at an unprecedented rate.
Lending Credibility to Fake Journals
Elsevier deserves blame for publishing “fake” journals. Doctors share some of the blame too. Let’s not view them as victims.
Recharging the Batteries
A session with Geoff Bilder recharged some batteries, both actually and metaphorically.
Publishing for the Google Generation
Is the Google generation coming or are they already here? Why does it matter?
Adam Bly’s Keynote
Adam Bly’s keynote exhorts us to embrace a digital future of collaboration and multidisciplinary science. And a few announcements.
Cornell’s Open Access Author Fund
$50K is more than enough money for an author OA fund claims Cornell Library Board.
“Star Trek” Bashed as “Fun, Watchable”
“The Onion” continues to skewer many things scholarly publishers probably like, including President Obama and “Star Trek.” Join us for a few Friday laughs.
Bike to Work Week — Fun for Everyone!
National Bike to Work Week has ended. Here’s a bit of gentle cycling/driver humor to end the week.
Dark Secrets: Open Access and Author Processing Charges
Transparency and accountability are at the heart of Open Access. If only library advocates would walk the talk.
The WSJ’s Payment Curbstop
The WSJ shows just how it’s missing the boat with its latest announcement about micropayments.
Chaos Plays Catch-up
An embattled math journal resumes publishing without its editor. Is this journal preparing to close shop?
USPS = Spam in Meatspace
We often don’t think about the USPS as a vulnerable business entity, but a closer inspection shows that it’s another US business from a bygone era. Will its troubles push publishers to drop print?
I’m a Friend of “al” — A Rant
The disappearing -al ending seems part of a war on two innocent, helpful letters that exist because we still speak, and therefore seek sounds that let our jaws relax when we reach natural breakpoints. Why are STM editors killing the -al?