MagicThought

The essay link below explores the various type-fonts being used by Presidential candidates for their campaign signs, etc. Thanks to my former student, Alexis, for bringing this to my attention.
Dr.B.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/01/27/what_font_says_change/

Bless Brandon for posting about Helvetica and the Fionn Regan song. The lyrics, pasted below, are astonishing for the way they conflate female sexality and the typewriter. And note the sly allusion to the alphabet: “I draw a line from A to B”

Fionn Regan
° The Underwood Typewriter °

The roots go deep below ground
I like to walk with you in the evening
Up the hill and back down
I watch the mailboat from the clearing

My mind is so confused, I climb back on top of you
And I’m changing the ribbons in this old underwood
Step out of your dress and I’ll wear you like a hood
For a hood is a home
for someone who lives alone

I draw a line from A to B and what happens in between
It is an open mystery as far as I can see

My mind is so confused, I climb back on top of you
And I’m changing the ribbons in this old underwood
Step out of your dress and I’ll wear you like a hood
For a hood is a home

Dr. B.

I saw an ad on tv for this computerized pen. So i decided to post the product info…. I guess kids don’t need their dads to help with homework anymore…lol ~Lauren M

How It Works
The Pentop Computer doesn’t need a keyboard. Kids just write with the pen on the specially designed FLY Paper, which is provided in the included notebook. The computer recognizes anything kids write on the paper — from algebraic equations to doodles — and will read back what was written. Then, the Pentop Computer will scan it, digitize it, and make it available for upload to your personal computer. From there, kids can do whatever they want with the data; for instance, email it to friends or transfer it to a research paper. The computer will store a maximum of 80 to 100 pages of FLY Notes. The Pentop Computer is compatible with PCs. (It doesn’t currently work with Macintoshes.) As well as being able to upload to a PC, the Pentop Computer can also download additional programs that are available for separate purchase.

High-Tech Homework Help — or Play
The Pentop Computer comes equipped with a FastComp application to help your child tackle math problems. When your child gets stumped, he or she can simply write out the equation and the computer will calculate it. It also makes a great study partner: Your child can get ready for tests in any subject by using the pen to create interactive “flashcards.” The computer will be able to use the flashcards to then give your child customized pop quizzes and will even keep score. But all work and no play is no fun, so the Pentop Computer also comes equipped with several fun and challenging games, including challenging Tangrams, Hangman, a “High Octane Personality Quiz,” and more. Additional games are available for purchase and download. Plus, not only can your child download and listen to MP3s, he or she can even compose music with the computer’s synthesizer-like capabilities!

What’s in the Box

The typewriter thing made me think of a musical called “Thoroughly Modern Millie” about a woman from a small town in the 20s who moves to
New York to become a stenographer.  Well, Wikipedia summarizes it well:

Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for money instead of love – a thoroughly modern aim in 1922, when women were just entering the workforce. Millie soon begins to take to delight in the flapper lifestyle, but problems arise when she checks into a hotel owned by the leader of a white slavery ring in China. 

She interviews for a man (Trevor Graydon III) who tests her stenog skills by dictating an outrageously complicated letter. She ends up getting the job because she is quick and accurate. In fact, she is so good at her job that Trevor Graydon starts to call her “John,” his implication being that she is as efficient at her job as a man.

As far as the typewriters go, there is one song called “Forget about the Boy” (I KNOW RIGHT?) where all the Typists (a whole chorus of professional women) sing while sitting at their typewriters.

“No canary in a tree for me
This canary’s ready to fly freeCut the cord
Is that a man I once adored?
He’s nothing but an albatross
No great loss
Doublecrosser
Forget about the boy
Pull the plug
Ain’t he the one who pulled the rug
He’s lower than an alley cat
Dirty rat
And I flatter
Forget about the boy
Forget about the boy
Forget about the boyAnd in the moonlight
Don’t you think about him
Sister, you’re much better off without him
You can blow the blues a kiss goodbye
And put the sun back in the sky
For when he comes crawlin’
I’m not fallin’”

 -Erin