Published at August 31, 2004
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Despite my slow pace of posting lately, I’ve been honoured by BlogsCanada as a Top Blog for August 2004. This is really great and I know who to thank for nominating me.
Here’s a sample of what they have to say about this humble blog:
“[Liam’s] blog is for grown-ups and is, as Vicki puts it, “humourous and interesting, covering topics you don’t necessarily see all over the place.”
The grown-up bit is because they mention that I write for kids. I often have to clarify that with people when I tell that I blog – “Really? Do ten year olds read blogs?”
With Daily Dose of Imagery as one of the fellow top blogs, I know that I am in good company and proud to be on the list.
My thanks to the Blogs Canada crew.
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Published at August 29, 2004
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Published at August 22, 2004
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This Sunday sees me surrounded by new Canadian children’s books picking the best and writing about them for an upcoming Canadian Bookseller article. It’s a great way to spend a Sunday, so I’m not complaining.
And now that I’ve found this article about book-reviewing cliches, I am armed with a map that will make my job easier. Thanks to Judith at over at The Misrule Blog, for highlighting this one and making my article stronger already.
The cliches are alphabetized for your convenience. Here’s just a sample from A to B:
achingly beautiful
anything-fuelled ? narratives of a new, edgy type of fiction sometimes called Britfic tend to be fuelled by a range of uppers ? amphetamines, caffeine, cocaine, Robbie Williams
as good as any novel ? why should writers of fact aspire to the standards of novelists?
**** is a deeply moral work ? a handy way for a critic to say that those who don’t like the shocking book under review simply don’t understand it
breakneck speed ? no successful thriller will go any slower
bursting to get out ? of novellas in vast, sprawling epics
And there’s 24 more letters of cliches over at the Telegraph, where the article originally appeared.
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Published at August 18, 2004
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Found this little note from China in my inbox this morning:
“Dear Sir or Madam:
We are the European & American Contact Department of The Organizing Committee of the 6th World Cartoon Conference which is considered as the summit of animation and comic industry and art of the largest scale in Asia. During 3-6 October 2004, the 6th session will be staged in Beijing, China. The theme of the exhibition is “Comic and Nationality Nature in 21st Century”, we genuinely invite your company to participate in the conference.”
China: the land of free expression and cartooning. Right.
Tony Walsh was also invited to the conference. I think his response sums it up nicely:
“Hey, Chinese government–how about you allow your citizens to draw, animate, write, or think freely? How about you get the hell out of Tibet and stop bullying Taiwan? The Olympics may be cuddling up to your iron fist, but all you’re going to get from me is a kick in the nuts.”
Well said Tony. Now, where’d I put my steel-toed boots?
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Published at August 16, 2004
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I don’t usually report on world politics around here. Although I follow events around the world closely, there are many much better blogs and news sources than my ramblings. That said, however, I do have to comment on how happy I am that Hugo Chavez has finally silenced his right-wing, bourgeois critics by winning yesterday’s referendum, as reported in this Guardian article.
With 94% of the votes counted, Chavez had 58% of the votes and retains the right to govern. Chavez is a left-wing leader to be admired. Since his first days in office, in 1998, he has been under attack by the middle and upper class who have seen their secure way of life (built on the backs of the desperately poor) threatened by Chavez’s policies that re-distribute the nation’s oil wealth to the poor and his refusual to bow to American pressures to stand down.
Unfortunately, like most news stories that don’t happen north of the Equator or involve a round ball, I’m sure this story will go under-reported in light of other competitions going on these days. Regardless of how mainstream media reports this, today is a great day for democracy around the world and like the American’s losing their first Olympic basketball game for eons, it shows that anything is possible and that democracy is alive.
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Published at August 15, 2004
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Thanks to Chandrasutra, who found this via Joi Ito, I’ve now got instant chat on my blog. Why? Because it’s Sunday night and everyone needs a new toy on Sundays.
So, if I’m online, drop in and talk to me. I have a deadline tomorrow – I’m desperate for distraction.
These nifty buttons will tell you if I’m online or not:
Oh yeah, the chat is courtesy Chatango, it’s free. So, pick up yours today (and somebody design a new skin, so we can do away with the lime green – yech!)
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Published at August 14, 2004
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I don’t know if it’s psychsomatic or the bayer thought police’s mind tricks, but ever since I posted about that misleading ad for aspirin, my carpal tunnel syndrome has flared up badly. After a day of sitting at the computer writing, I’m left to enjoy an evening of burning wrist pain and numbness. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to take one of them aspirins!
Instead, I shelled out some money on a medieval-looking wrist brace. It may look stupid but it works. I wore it for about two hours yesterday afternoon and for the first time in weeks wrists didn’t hurt.
It’s from Bauer & Black and their website has some good info on the treatment of CTS.
Using the mouse and keyboard are tricky at first but you eventually get used to it.
If you’re suffering from CTS, I recommend you pick one up. Your wrists will thank you.
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The September issue of Todays Parent magazine is on newsstands across the country and it features Screen Doors, my article on digital literacy in adolescent boys.
Heres a sample:
Having a button-mashing, book-bashing son is worrying for many parents. For the last six years, literacy tests have shown Canadian boys trailing girls in reading and writing skills. In 1998, for example, 15 percent of 13-year-old girls scored higher than boys on reading tests and, in more recent writing exams, girls continue to do better. Are video games and other digital distractions to blame? While many parents and teachers are quick to say yes, some educators are coming to the defence of video games. Boys arent becoming illiterate, they say. Boys are redefining literacy and gaining digital literacy skills. And in the workplaces of the future, these skills might just give them a head start on their book-reading buddies.
The whole article is available in the September issue of Todays Parent, which is for sale across Canada. Alternatively, you can read the piece online here.
Related: Over at Nesta Futurelab theres been some great articles relating to digital literacy, video games and education for kids. Check out: More Than Just a Game and Digital Literacy and the I-Curriculum Project.
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Published at August 9, 2004
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Toronto based author Jim Munroe has launched his new novel, An Opening Act of Unspeakable Evil, via his No Media Kings web site and has already received $1000 in orders. Way to go Jim.
The novel is told through a series of blog entries, posted by a woman unsure if her roommate is a demon or just a goth gone bad. To coincide with the launch, the book is being rolled out in a series of blog posts over at roommatefromhell.net, which also features a “Is She or Isn’t She a Demon?” quiz.
Last month, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jim and discussing his unique approach to book marketing for Canadian Bookseller Magazine. Unfortunately, and unlike Jim’s blog, that interview isn’t licenced under Creative Commons. So, unless you’re a Canadian bookstore owner and have a copy of the July/August issue lying around, you’ll have have to wait until next month to read the article when it’s posted on the CBA’s web site.
In the meantime subscribe to roommatefromhell.net and get a taste one day at a time or go old skool and buy the big papery thing wrapped in string.
Related: for more on the blurring line between blogs and books, check out this Guardian article.
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