Uses the Blogger engine, but keeps the look and feel of the surrounding site
through use of an integrated template
My roles: Although the blog started life as a Blogger template, I'm fairly certain that it's
unrecognizable by now. The design, code and content are mine, except where noted in source.
I use the XHTML and CSS of this site as a resource for my coding classes. It contains a mix of
external, internal and inline style, with various techniques applied to provide examples of good and bad
coding practices.
Pages are generally written in XHTML, with the exception of the blog page. Blogger still can't
produce valid XHTML. Blogger code works fine, but it won't pass W3 validation. My hand-code generally will.
Site on summer hiatus, but please feel free to follow me on Twitter.
This is the public version of internal training modules that I developed for the nation's
largest newspaper chain (and owner of USA Today) with Amy Eisman of American University.
As some proprietary material has been removed, I can't take full credit for what's left; however,
the remaining elements are a reasonable approximation of my design.
If you compare the two modules, Breaking News Online and Local Conversation, you can see how my comfort with the
content management system increased over time. The first module (BNO) utilizes far fewer tricks of the customization trade.
By module two (LC), I was embedding CSS wherever possible. The third module, which I can't write much about, due to
a non-disclosure agreement, is as customized as anything produced in Gannett's CMS.
My roles: Designer, coder, content-creator.
While working with Gannett, I learned that I have a bizarre affection for beating a CMS
into submission with embedded code, achieving usability that senior content managers and coders never envisioned.
This video was shot as a lighting study with two of my students at Shenandoah University.
We didn't mic anyone, as audio wasn't part of the study.
The moody results caught my imagination, so I added the French subtitles --
a twist on the “foreign film” concept.
These videos aren't short; but they do feature Nobel Prize winners and other esteemed scientists,
briefing Senate staffers on anthropogenic global climate change.
My roles: I arranged for videography teams (occasionally shot video myself),
edited the video (integrating PowerPoint-type presentations with additional video and animation) and
managed the audio and video podcast feeds.
For your convenience, I have embedded the AMS's YouTube player; however,
the video looks best on the podcast feed. I also have DVDs available.
I didn't often shoot video for these productions, but I always enjoyed the challenge.
Lighting had to be limited, to prevent interference with the presentations, and we weren't authorized
to touch the audio setup, as it was a union gig. A great challenge!
Newseum Second Life presence
I proposed the Newseum's “build” in the persistent virtual world of Second Life,
pitched the idea to key players on the board, helped pick the development team and “proofed”
where appropriate.
University servers have been switched to a new CMS, so we're moving the MUG blog
to blogspot. The site design is still 90% template, but that should change as
we shuffle students toward it over the next month or so.
The site seems to be down, which is odd, since it's used by all sections of the basic writing class
at American University's School of Communication.
I have an e-mail out to a colleague there. We'll see if the xserve is still running.
