So I learned today that the Oxford English Dictionary missed the boat on psychoacoustics. I noted some definitional errors when work on The Audible Past, so it’s fun to find another one. Allow me to quote myself: They chart the first reference to Harvard’s laboratory to 1946, though according to Harvard University’s archives the laboratory …
Author Archives: Jonathan Sterne
Twenty-Four Content Analysis
As you may know, there is branch of social scientific media research where they count the number of times a specific phrase occurs in a show. We’ve elevated it to a game with Twenty-Four. Carrie selected the phrase “we don’t have time.” I selected the phrase “you’re just going to have to trust me” our …
Conservative Chutzpah
I may have mentioned in the past that my riding is solidly Bloc. By an overwhelming majority. This is no surprise since it’s largely Francophone working class. But there’s a development of new condos and duplexes up by the old rail yard (where Loblaws is on Rachel, for the locals). This is an area for …
Scattered Thoughts
One of the best playoff experiences ever was watching Pittsburgh upset Indianapolis. And I like the Colts. Now, I’m rooting for the Stillers all the way, despite the fact that such an outcome is improbable. I guess fandom is the believing in the impossible part. In other news, I’m happy to report that changes are …
A Side Effect of Binge-Buying CDs. . .
. . .is discovering music I already own for the first time. I have this thing where I’ll buy like five new CDs at once, and then I’ll get into up to three of them and the other two sort of sit. Sometimes for months. And then one day, something will cue me and I’ll …
A Quick One on “Munich”
Can you say cryto-Zionist? A movie that’s supposed to show a “balanced” view clearly casts the Israeli assassins as the moral agents in the film. And though they are punished for what they do, they also show remorse and doubt — unlike their Palestinian victims, who, while appearing as decent people in face to face …
Baby’s First Canadian Debate + Update
So I just got through watching my first ever debate among candidates for Prime Minister. After years of American debates, I noticed quite a few differences. 1. The candidates had books in front of them. They looked stuff up. They read. I’m sure it was mostly stuff for staying on message, but this was actually …