I keep class relevant by updating materials as time passes, but it felt wrong going into Spring semester with my revised Rhetoric of (Indigenous) Comedy curriculum. Besides the fact that Joe Rogan and podcasters have pretty much destroyed stand-up comedy, I worried students would feel like I was trying to ignore the “real world” or…
I Attended a 3-Day AI Workshop. Here’s My New Course Policy.
“Know your enemy, know his sword.” -Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings I am signing up for just about every training, microcredential, and workshop on artificial intelligence implementation in higher education. This week, I completed a three-day faculty development workshop that walked us through gauging AI’s “disruption” in our classrooms and assignments. Overall, I…
Review: The Conjuring: Last Rites (2025)
A disappointing chapter meant to whitewash the Warrens’ legacy without a good story or attempt at being suspenseful. This one isn’t going to be very long. Believe it or not, I am a fan of the expanded Conjuring universe. I love demonic possession films and despite their flaws, most of the films are enjoyable if…
4 Common Myths About Ancestry DNA Testing
Understand that if you are someone who worries about state surveillance or police violence, contributing DNA samples and genealogical information to “ancestry” corporations only feeds the system. The Biden administration’s failure to renew or bolster antitrust protections prior to his end-of-term allowed for the current wave of corporate restructuring and mergers, but most media attention…
Let’s Talk About: Downplaying the Christofascist Threat to Our Children
Erika Kirk has one verified degree and one unverified degree she was awarded after marrying Charlie Kirk, by Kirk’s affiliated university, and who gave the commencement address at her ceremony. I could not find any evidence of her actual grad enrollment, a submitted thesis, or certificate of degree completion while researching for my essay on…
Ableist Terms & Slurs: Part 2
This set includes eight different terms with their original meanings, common use, and sociopolitical implications. The next set will focus on mental health and hospital jargon. Removing oppressive, racial capitalist language from our vocabularies is a necessary part of the decolonization process. When someone claims these terms are neutral or their use is inconsequential, what…
With All Due Insult to Graham Linehan
Whenever I see or hear the argument, “trans kids don’t exist,” I flash back to Oktoberfest 1999 when I was 10 years-old. My dad and I were walking around while my mom and brother were off getting food or something. I was dressed in blue jeans, a Raiders athletics-style jacket, and had my ponytail stuffed…