Comments for Karen Hellekson

Comment on Adjuncting by Michael

Michael — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:09:24 +0000

I have a feeling that provide us with a study guide means “tell us what to think so we can repeat it back to you.”

Comment on Adjuncting by Kathy Stockman

Kathy Stockman — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:46:13 +0000

Very nice. I think I agree with everything you have here. I’ve taught one online course…a hybrid class that met one day each week and all other work was done online.

I think I am in the same place as you as far as seeing adjunct teaching as part of a whole. I too am on my husband’s health insurance plan so have similar flexibility: can take some risks and try new things. I can also be home with the kids. I currently teach one art history course a semester and it helps round out a nice professional package: Art Historian/Critic/Educator. With this I am preparing to launch my own business and “adjuncting” keeps me grounded in the teaching. It also adds an attractive title to my bio.

Absolutely, not for the money, but the flexibility.

Comment on My life hacks: Firefox add-ons, software, and optimization hacks by Shelley

Shelley — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:27:14 +0000

oooh, I love it. I’m even thinking about developing a workshop with this idea in mind.
Thanks for sharing!
Shell

Comment on A review of Torchwood: Children of Earth by Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:00:56 +0000

“Gwen’s happy marriage to Rhys and her pregnancy offer a beam of hope: children, a family, mean life will go on.” I don’t disagree with this reading of the end, but it certainly has me thinking of what else it means, particularly in light of Ianto’s death following hard on the heels of Tosh’s and Owen’s. What does it mean that the heteronormative families–remember Ianto’s sister’s family as well–survive the alien horror while Jack’s family, structured on absent fathers, and Ianto do not? It could be read that sacrifices must be made in order for this husband-wife-child structure to survive as the most important unit in the continuation of human life. In that case, it privileges heteronormative family structures, which seems so at odds with the other illustrations of love and humanity that TW has given us in the past. I find that highly unsettling, and while I appreciate that there are reasons for hope in the darkness, it saddens me that the hope comes primarily in the form of the nuclear family structure.

Comment on Why the ending of Life on Mars US fails by Moschops

Moschops — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:05:45 +0000

@Graham B.

Mind blowing conclusion? MIND BLOWING CONCLUSION?

When I was five years old I knew that “and he woke up and it was all a dream” was a crass cop out used when the writer has fumbled things so much that they couldn’t think of an ending. It was unacceptable from my five year old self and to see allegedly professional writers use it is revolting.

Comment on My life hacks: Firefox add-ons, software, and optimization hacks by Doctor Tracfone

Doctor Tracfone — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:36:53 +0000

I find it impressive that you’re a TracFone user, given the care and thought you’ve put into selecting your tools and resources. Kudos!

Comment on My life hacks: Firefox add-ons, software, and optimization hacks by My life hacks: Firefox add-ons, software, and optimization hacks … | Firefox News on Twitter

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:11:35 +0000

[...] Follow this link: My life hacks: Firefox add-ons, software, and optimization hacks … [...]

Comment on Personas profile by Karen Hellekson

Karen Hellekson — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:40:12 +0000

I suppose I am lucky in that my name is unique, so this kind of program works well! I spend a lot of time spelling my name aloud (“That’s h, e, l, l”). If you type in my name at Google and hit “I’m feeling lucky,” it will take you to my Web site.

I didn’t try this with my fan name! I ought to.

Comment on Personas profile by Rana

Rana — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:13:06 +0000

The Personas program is cool, but it didn’t work for me. My first and last names – and the combination – are common, and the program doesn’t allow for including middle names or even really initials. (Using an initial isn’t a fail-safe either, as my middle initial is a letter commonly used in a lot of geneological abbreviations.)

If anything, it indicates how flawed the idea that one can know – or control – a person’s internet presence in any simple way.

Ironically, my pseudonym is easier to identify and pinpoint! There’s more noise, but the difference between signal and noise is much, much clearer than is the case when searching under my legal name.

Comment on Two very different fan productions: “The Hunt for Gollum” and “Battlestar Redactica” by Karen Hellekson

Karen Hellekson — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:17:56 +0000

@CVM_Productions When I drafted this post, I had in mind a male/female divide, but I thought of so many exceptions, and in general got so uncomfy with making such assertions, that I recast it to be more factual. But in this compare and contrast, I was definitely aware of the gender implications. Your transformative production fits my experiences as embedded in Internet fandom (via LJ and elsewhere; my primary fandom is still on Yahoo! lists): primarily women. The Gollum project struck me as mostly male, and the fanedit.org site was so full of testosterone that I did not feel welcome! (I’m sure they’re very nice, but they’re technofetishists, not necessarily story fetishists.)

I really like your remark about restoration; it reminds me that early Doctor Who missing eps (mostly from the Hartnell and Troughton Doctors) have been recreated by fans from various sources. DW is a valuable property, but as long as they are not sold openly, the BBC seems okay with it. This can be transformative of course; but it seems instead that the fan is trying to create an uber-text in line with the original production’s ethos.

Thanks for all your long, thoughtful responses! I loved your project and hope it gets all the attention it deserves.