EricHoefler.com

Do Unions Really Think This?

Thursday, December 18, 2008

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I guess I just didn’t realize that teacher unions think the educational system is mostly OK and just want “a whole lot more money … and a whole lot less accountability.” I can at least say that I don’t know any teachers who would agree.

Fewer Know-It-Alls

Monday, December 15, 2008

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In a post ostensibly about the Michelle Rhee article in Time, Chris Lehmann drops a quote that reaches well beyond Rhee and the pages of that magazine: We need fewer know-it-alls in education today. We need thoughtful, humble people who are willing to acknowledge their uncertainty and still do what they believe to be right. I find [...]

The Public Domain

Thursday, December 11, 2008

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I’ve just started reading James Boyle’s The Public Domain, thanks to recent mention on the BoingBoing blog. If Cory Doctorow is to be believed (and he is), then it’s an important book and a good read. What I’ve seen so far confirms that. I’m encouraged by Boyle’s optimism, his assertion that this issue is important for [...]

A Chance for Change

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

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I had planned on writing a series of reminders to the president elect: that we didn’t elect him so much as the ideals he gave us courage to hope for; that he must now face the future with humility, fear and trembling; that his power is not his own, but belongs to the people he [...]

Change We Should Hope For

Monday, November 3, 2008

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I don’t know how anyone can listen to Obama’s campaign platform and not agree with the goals and principles he expresses or not feel the swell of pride and hope, despite the cynicism. More than anything, as I’ve said before, he seems to be a man who embraces balance and cooperation, who is studied, thoughtful, and [...]

Lovecraft Rising

Friday, October 31, 2008

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This is a bibliographic essay that surveys the scholarship and reception of H. P. Lovecraft’s work from 1990 to 2004. More background information about this essay can be found in this post. Lovecraft Rising – Upload a Document to Scribd

Obama and Redistribution

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

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I got an email the other day that contained the content of this post. In the post, the author creates an analogy that’s supposed to explain the problem with Obama’s "spread the wealth around" statement to the now (in)famous Joe the Plumber. Take a minute to read the analogy before you continue … Here’s my response: The [...]

Role of Symbol in the Onikare

Monday, October 27, 2008

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This essay was my senior thesis for my religious studies B.A. I decided to focus on Native American spirituality because of a course I took that fall with Jacquelyn Bralove, who had lived and worked on the Navajo reservation for five years. (This led to my time spent volunteering on the reservation for the next [...]

Amazon, Shelfari, and LibraryThing

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

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Amazon just acquired Shelfari along with used and rare book company Abe Books. Abe Books has been a long-time partner with and 40% investor in LibraryThing, a Shelfari competitor, so the Abe Books acquisition also gives Amazon a 40% stake in LibraryThing. A crowded shelf indeed. Details covered by Publishers Weekly and TechCrunch. I’ve never been [...]

Snarky Copyright Comment

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

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I thought this comment on a TechCrunch post was wonderfully snarky (and accurate) enough to be quoted and shared: Let me see if I have it right. The discussion centers around: Thieves (illegal downloaders)Freeloaders (can be thieves too, believe Everything should be freeee!!)Stupid Mules (stubborn labels)Artists (content producers: will play for biscuits, new strings, one sheet of [...]

Copyright, Confusion, and Cooperation

Saturday, June 21, 2008

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I’ve been collecting posts, videos, etc. related to the copyright controversy in my Del.icio.us account, tagged copyright. As a writer, English teacher, lover of film and literature, and friend of many artists, I’m very concerned about this issue (as a survey of recent posts here should indicate). However, the more I learn, the less sure I [...]

The World (of English) According to Me – Pt. 1

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

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[I realize this post is long. If you'd rather read this post as black text on white background, you can use the "Print This" link to view the post in that format without actually having to print.] In an earlier post, Humanities and the DY/DAN Method, I linked to Dan Meyer’s blog and his take on [...]