Cabaz-ssic Park I’m not sure what was bigger- the size of my eyes or the decibel reading of my eight-year-old squeal. It shimmered in the distance. The oasis in the desert. We were almost there. My grandfather hardly pulled off the road when I tumbled across the back-bench seat of his hulking 1980-something GMC crew cab, threw the heavy door open, and ran through the settling dust cloud to stand rapturously in the shadow of oasis. I was here, standing amongst history. Basking in the connection to lives lived before me. And it was even more glorious than it seemed…
Digital History, medium
Them’s fightin’ words Want to see academics get into a verbal brawl? Ask a group of humanists in your most affected naivete Elle Woods voices, “So, like, what is the definition of digital humanities?”. And to really get them going, follow up with: via GIPHY Defining digital humanities, including digital history, is notoriously divisive. So much so that Jason Heppler created a “What is Digital Humanities?” definition generator based upon #DayofDH tweets from 2009-2014. My favorite and oft-quoted definition from this is, “My lawyer advised against me answering this.” This gives incredible Marshawn Lynch energy (which, honestly, I respect and…
Tinker, Tanks, Social Media, Spy
By Cassie Tanks Spy Dreams My nose hovered above the glass. I leaned so close that the faintest traces of my breath condensed, gently distorting my view of erstwhile Cold Warrior and leader of the former Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev. I wanted nothing more than to gently shimmy the case and watch the head of the man barred from Disneyland wobble to-and-fro. But I behaved myself. And the toy bobble-head Khrushchev remained still. Instead, I contented myself with studying the comically stout features and gleamingly bald head of the doll until… “Ma’am. Ma’am. MA’AM!”, a kind but insistent voice said…
