…and this is a 
Cyber Scholars?
Category: Academics • Personal
Posted on: November 27, 2007 8:55 AM, by PZ Myers
Those sneaky alumni organizations — they've always got new angles on how to get to you. The alumni magazine for the University of Oregon has a writeup on me and a current member of the UO faculty, Mark Thoma. Apparently, we are Cyber Scholars, professors who use the blogosphere to teach the world. I think we need some new academic robes to go with that designation — preferably something in silver fabrics, and with a jetpack.
Education & Careers
Comments
No, no, a jetpack would be space opera or a Jetsons future. A Cyber Scholar gets a trenchcoat, a simstim deck and a voiceover written in imitation of Raymond Chandler.
Oh, we're also going to have to redecorate Morris with generic kanji lettering, bulk up your neon light quotient and install a dirigible which circles town proclaiming over a loudspeaker, "A new life awaits you in the off-world colonies. . . ."
Posted by: Blake Stacey | November 27, 2007 9:16 AM
Nice image, but it will more likely be something in an XKCD t-shirt, and with a USB hub installed at the base of your skull.
Posted by: Kseniya | November 27, 2007 9:18 AM
70 MILLION Blogs
Holy cyberspace Batman!!!
It's getting like the island in the Pacific where everyone makes their living taking in each others wash.
And 120,000 new ones each day?...that's just CRAZY!!!
Posted by: The Sinaloa Cowboy | November 27, 2007 9:22 AM
Cool idea about the jetpack, but I want my flying car! The science prognosticators have been promising one for nigh on 50 years! If you are now a cyber scholar maybe you can get that project moving. Hehehehe
Cheers,
Ray
Posted by: Ray | November 27, 2007 9:29 AM
Who needs a jetpack when you have a hot air balloon?
Posted by: Bronze Dog | November 27, 2007 9:29 AM
A mortarboard straight out of Tron.
Posted by: Cappy | November 27, 2007 9:35 AM
...and blinking chevrons.
Posted by: Abel Pharmboy | November 27, 2007 9:44 AM
I'm thinking you need a robe more reminiscent of the lecturer in recent runes, or perhaps a pointy hat with some sequined squids on it. anyway... Now that you are now considered to be teaching the world, don't you wish it came with a raise?
Posted by: denise | November 27, 2007 10:20 AM
Iono about other cuberscholars, but I imagine PZed wearing these as epaulettes.
In that same googling I think I stumbled across his personal brand of USB-stick.
Posted by: Sili | November 27, 2007 10:58 AM
How about a squid emblem on your tassel in honor of cthulu? The tentacles of online scholarship reach out and touch you in your home. Seems appropriate to me.
Posted by: Alethias | November 27, 2007 11:24 AM
Shouldn't you just get a cape like Cory Doctorow?
Posted by: Kevin | November 27, 2007 11:38 AM
Kevin: A red cape, mad scientist goggles, and a Zepplin! from which to broadcast his wisdom to the masses.
Posted by: Elf M. Sternberg | November 27, 2007 12:15 PM
70 Million blogs, but most of them are spam blogs. 120K new ones a day, but almost all of them are spam blogs....
Posted by: donna | November 27, 2007 12:35 PM
Tsk.
No capes!
Posted by: Edna Mode | November 27, 2007 1:12 PM
Happy to know a fellow U of O alum has achieved such elevated status. Bravo.
Posted by: slim | November 27, 2007 1:17 PM
NO CAPES!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M68ndaZSKa8
Posted by: Stevie_C | November 27, 2007 1:22 PM
From the aforelinked article:
O RLY?
The article I see just talks about popularity, as measured by Technorati rank.
Posted by: Blake Stacey | November 27, 2007 1:57 PM
Capes are just fine, unless you're in the superhero business. Then I agree - no capes.
(Bloggers aren't in the superhero business; they just think they are.)
Posted by: stogoe | November 27, 2007 1:58 PM
Blake: details, details. I steal credit where I can get it.
Posted by: PZ Myers | November 27, 2007 2:06 PM
When it comes to futuristic clothing, you can't beat tronguy.
Posted by: Hank | November 27, 2007 4:10 PM
"preferably something in silver fabrics, and with a jetpack."
It's a squid! It's a plane! It's ... PZ!
Posted by: Susannah | November 27, 2007 6:39 PM
Alternatively, Stupid Nerd Glasses®.
(Warning: If you still need your ribcage, don't follow this link.)
Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | November 27, 2007 7:39 PM
I think a lot of people start blogs, write a few posts, and then forget about the blog or lose interest. I know I'm guilty of this cyber-negligence; blogging consistently over a protracted period requires a special kind of persistence, regardless of the main topics.
Maybe there should be a neologism for abandoned blogs, or for the process of neglecting a blog. Blogligence? Blogslaughter? Deadbleating? Blorphans?
Posted by: Barn Owl | November 27, 2007 9:29 PM
Since both PZ and Thoma are on my very short daily blog read list (and I am a UO alum) .... this make me feel like all is right in the universe. And to think that I almost threw my alumni mag in the recycling without even cracking the cover.
Congrats to both you and Mark, PZ.
Posted by: Desert Donkey | November 27, 2007 11:31 PM