Site: http://www.csdfreelance.com

But you can skip directly to the (in)famous advertorials here: http://csdfreelance.com/advertising.htm

This website, csdfreelance.com, is a web presence that I have had since February of 2007. Initially, it was designed as an information and portfolio site for my freelance writing, editing, and proofreading business, CSD Freelance LLC. Because the platform was already designed and tested, for this project I decided to keep the original site with a few alterations to tailor it to reflect my new academic pursuits. Aside from changing the information on the “index” page and the “about” page to reflect my new role as a student and GTA at WSU, the two major changes to the site are to the “Vita” page and the “Academic Blog” page.

Originally, the “Vita” button on the side bar read “Experience” and linked to a page where a PDF file of my professional resume could be downloaded. Now the button links to a page where both my professional resume and my academic CV (once I have something to put on it) can be downloaded in PDF format. The former “Links” page which linked to former clients and business associates has now been converted to a link to a blog that I set up at WordPress.com (cshawdraves.wordpress.com). This blog, in the future, will be utilized as another space for academic discourse and exploration.

It is my hope that I can retain the usefulness of the website as a marketing tool for my freelance business (for summer work, etc.) while also continuing to incorporate my academic life and pursuits. If this proves too difficult, I will eventually split the sites and keep one for academics and one for freelance.

My plans for future development of this site include upgrading and updating. At some point, I would like to migrate this site to my own domain name rather than hosting it on WordPress. I would also like to turn the site into something like an online teaching portfolio, including a statement of teaching philosophy, course feedback pages, and example syllabi.

You can see the site in its embryonic state here.

http://hamtramckcyberwriters.pbwiki.com/

The website that I have created is the companion site for the summer camp that I am developing for the high school aged children (grades 10-12) that attend school in the Hamtramck Public School system. The students that we will be serving are motivated individuals with a strong interest in writing.

The site serves several purposes. The frontpage is informational. It houses the mission of the camp, schedule of activities, and links the user to specific information for each day, links to writer resources, links to the online writer’s notebooks that the students will be using, links to published materials composed by the staff members and campers, links to news stories published about the previous camps (elementary and middle), and links to the collaborative writing zone.

The schedule offers a breakdown of what each day of the camp will entail. By clicking on the day, another link will open with the schedule and more details and links about the activities planned for those times. Handouts, lecture notes, and pictures will be posted on these pages as the days progress. Campers will use the pages during lab time for finding directions to assignments and places for posting. They will also use these pages for planning their weekly goals and their Writing Marathon to the Detroit Institute of the Arts.

The collaborative writing page on the site offers four tasks. The first is to write a silly song. There are two sample videos from You Tube loaded, along with the task description. Campers will use the link to go to another page to find the song topic (student drivers). The second project is a chain story. The third is about cut-ups and offers links to information on Burroughs and a poem to get started with. The fourth page is reserved for riddles.

The writer’s notebook sections are reserved for private writing in a public space. Campers will have their own sections of the site for brainstorming, listing, and drafting new stories and poems. These will be available for reading by the public, but only editable by the camper and his/her mentor (teacher). There is a sample camper site for modeling.

The writer’s links offer a place for campers to read writing tips from published authors. They can explore writer’s tools and find tips for improving their own writing. There is information on plot and character development there. Here is where the campers can find what authors recommend doing with writer’s notebooks.
The site offers a place for students to become accustomed to online publishing (a skill they will use in their postsecondary education) while honing their digital literacy. They will be able to share their work with their community, parents, and peers. Finally, the campers will find that writing applies to more than just the classroom assignment, but means more when it serves a purpose other than the grade.

galvaticus.wordpress.com (or just click “jargoncomputer,” as it should take you there)

I also took the liberty of putting my resume online. I know that I’m a long way off from the hiring process but I thought it would be helpful to get some experience creating a curriculum vitae (You can access this information from the other website I created).

P.S. I intend on exchanging the picture on the galvaticus website with a more professional one.

(Derek Risse)

• In the chapter entitled Hacking, Andrew Rice was quoted about the view of the hacker and his/her failure to recognize “private information property” of digitalized information. This makes me consider the deprivatization of information through the blog and other methods of entering private information into vulnerable sites (those accessible to others – in some fashion). If we are to take the position of the hacker and the private nature of personal information is becoming less and less private due to the very nature of the digital world (for the world of the digital revolves around “processing, copying, replication, and simulation” – pg 170), does this idea mean that the very nature of individual ideas and thought is to change as well? If things in the public sphere loose the private ownership of idea, does plagiarism become an ancient and defunct practice?

• In reference to the conflicting diagrams of power and control, the author says that terror cells serve a different purpose than the oppressive regimes of the past. How are these not oppressive regimes? If they are serving to oppress individuals and amass power, although in practice different, wouldn’t it be best to look at them as similar bodies? I realize that terror cells are structurally different than a centralized governing body – but they do the same thing. I do not believe that those positioning for power are essentially different. They get similar results.

Foucault on Foucault

Power seems to take on a life of its own through this text. It develops a sentient nature and ability to critically examine its role and manipulates its position. It seems to be the ruler of mankind – a subversive and evil force that ensnares man – using us as pawns in a universal chess game.

I think it is interesting that Power (with the capital P) isn’t introduced until the very end as a concept. My questions have to do with the resistance to this Power. Power is all encompassing – and becomes more and more an ingrained part of our lives than ever before as it becomes less and less an obviously visible structure. If Foucault is trying to get us to resist Power, how can this be done effectively by a people whose lives are so entangled within the confines of the Power structure that they cease to see it? How can people resist a system of capitalism that plays so deeply into the private world? If all personal is public – how can we resist? If we were to move into seclusion in order to resist, doesn’t Power win through the silencing of man?