Sounding the Revolution
How do we gain a better vantage amidst the dust and din of an ongoing information revolution the likes of which the world has never seen before?
Let the Adaptations Begin!
The infrastructure for change is in place and largely working. What might that mean for publishing and academic cultures? (The first of a four-part series.)
The “Burden” of Peer Review
Do the benefits of peer review outweigh the work involved? How does post-publication review stack up in comparison?
Taxes Clash with Free Speech in the Philadelphia Blogosphere
Philadelphia extends local small business fees to bloggers making money, arguing they are just like anyone else trying to make money in the city. But given the free speech element, they aren’t “just like anyone else.”
Penn & Teller on the Vaccines and Autism Debate: A Model of Great Science Communication
The now completely discredited vaccines and autism linkage is tackled here in inimitable and definitive style by two guys who really know how to stage a story simply and effectively.
The SSP IN Conference — An INfernal Event!
It appears that the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP) will be holding another “IN” meeting next month over my strenuous objections as a long-standing member of the society. My objections are not concerning SSP holding a Fall meeting – indeed, the autumn is my favorite time of the year to repair to a fine club, properly provisioned with brandy and cigars, to discuss the affairs of the society with other learned gentlemen. ather, my concerns are regarding the topic of the meeting. “IN,” I am told, stands for INnovation, INspiration, and INteraction. I am wont to think of a more unholy trinity of concepts and think “INfernal” is more apropos!
Rectifying Asymmetries — Experts Are Battered From All Sides, But Are We Any Smarter?
Is the Web making experts more susceptible to challenge? Is this a good thing for society as a whole? Or is it creating a confusion demagogues can exploit?
Teaching the End of Print — Using Books Poised on the Edge of Oblivion
A teacher publishes a syllabus contemplating a print era bounded by two inventions — the printing press and the networked screen. It’s part of a sweep of interesting observations.
The Noble Plastic Bag — A Naturalist’s View
Brutal and compelling, the lifecycle of the plastic bag is beautifully captured in this short film.
Good God! Can’t a Journal Author Have Any Fun Anymore?
An article’s authors and a journal’s editor are surprised when a puff-piece backfires. Thanks for the pretentious seriousness, blogosphere.
Want a Solution to Bad Traffic? Turn Off the Traffic Signals
A town in the UK abandons traffic lights, to surprising effect.
It’s Going Too Fast — Can Embargoes Manage the Real-time Web?
Previous experience with information traveling so fast it goes out of control suggests that part of filtering includes managing release points.
It’s the End of the Book As We Know It — and I Feel Fine
As bookstores and books in general meet the fate of physical media everywhere, maybe we should celebrate.
The Mismeasurement of Public Libraries — via FedEx, Netflix, Starbucks, and VISA
A recent infographic from OCLC shifts the value considerations for libraries into a potentially risky realm, a mismeasure of value that’s just not necessary.
OCLC: Indispensable Database Collaborative or Social Media Prelude?
Despite OCLC’s legal woes, and no matter how the court of law decides, the court of user opinion may be the determining factor in OCLC’s future.