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CCLaP consolidates some of its master lists | May 4, 2008
Just a small programming note here on a quiet weekend; I wanted to let people know that I've gotten rid of the main backlist of mini-reviews, and have enfolded them instead into the main lists for longer book and movie reviews. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry
Literago and I both declare: "You will never see 'Chicago Lit 100' lists at our sites" | April 24, 2008
So have you heard about this "Brooklyn Lit 100" list that has everyone so up in arms? It inspired Eugenia Williamson of Literago to declare that they will never do a similar Chicago list; I thought this was a good idea, so have decided to declare it too. Click through for more! | Read entire entry
CCLaP breaks top ten of "Best Reviewers" at Goodreads | April 1, 2008
Just a little self-congratulatory news I wanted to quickly share: CCLaP has been voted this week into the top ten of all reviewers at Goodreads.com, out of a total user base of one million. Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry
If CCLaP laid out a new classic book, which would you rather see? | March 23, 2008
I'm thinking of doing a new layout of an obscure "classic" book, one of the titles I'll be reviewing later this year as part of the CCLaP 100 essays, in a variety of formats for free download and hopefully a little publicity for the center. But which book should I do? Click through for the choices and to vote in CCLaP's online poll. | Read entire entry
CCLaP's spring publishing schedule starts Monday | March 21, 2008
Some short news about the center today -- that the site will be switching back to its warm-weather publishing schedule (one review a day instead of two), starting this Monday. Also, a reminder that CCLaP is about to start publishing writers and photographers; your submissions wanted! | Read entire entry
The latest with the CCLaP website | March 16, 2008
Just a small update on a Sunday evening, letting those who are interested know about the latest nerdy little updates at the CCLaP website itself. | Read entire entry
And speaking of classics... | February 5, 2008
Hey, thanks for all the nice emails and comments so far regarding the CCLaP 100 list! In fact, so many readers have been sending their own recommendations for online guides to the classics, I thought I'd finally collect them into a public entry for all of you as well. Click through as always for the details. | Read entire entry
Site all fixd now, k thnx | January 30, 2008
Happy day: Version 4.1 of Movable Type has finally been installed and debugged at the CCLaP site, with all the back pages not only working again but better than before. Click through for all the nerdy programming details! | Read entire entry
Yes, there are problems at the site right now, I know | January 29, 2008
Just a short note, apologizing for the problems the site is going through this week; we are converting the Movable Type installation to the latest version (4.1), and working out all the kinks as we go. Sorry! | Read entire entry
Useless site update of the week: Apple iPhone icon | January 26, 2008
Silly small news about the CCLaP website to report this weekend: I have created a customized icon for Apple iPhone users, whenever they save a shortcut to the CCLaP site on their "home" page. Rejoice, middle-class nerds, rejoice! | Read entire entry
The Ridiculously Long Guide to CCLaP's 10-Point Scoring System | December 17, 2007
I'm putting together CCLaP first-ever top-ten list of the year right now, and realized something important recently -- that I've never really explained how the 10-point scoring system here works. Today, the ridiculously long and overwritten guide. | Read entire entry
Yet more interestingness: An explanation | December 11, 2007
Today, announcing a new type of blog entry that will start getting published here -- a daily roundup of interesting stuff I come across on the web, otherwise known as a "link blog." Click through for more on how I compile this list, and what software I use. | Read entire entry
Personal essay: Announcing the CCLaP 100 | December 3, 2007
Announcing a new project: A list of 100 so-called "classic" books, all of which I'll be hopefully reading and writing essays about over the next two years. Here today, the master list, as well as the reasons why I decided to put it together. | Read entire entry
So did I not mention CCLaP's upcoming publishing program? | December 1, 2007
An offhanded remark at the website last Friday, followed by two dozen emails from frazzled writers and editors in 48 hours, makes me realize: I never really have explained CCLaP's upcoming publishing plans. Today, all the details. | Read entire entry
It's a miracle! CCLaP iTunes channel now working again! | November 15, 2007
Some great and unexpected news to report today -- that after a month and a half, I finally figured out how to get CCLaP's iTunes channel working again. Click through, fellow Movable Type customers, for the ridiculously long and detailed explanation of how it was done. | Read entire entry
CCLaP back online! Finally! | November 14, 2007
Hooray; my home internet connection is back on again, meaning that CCLaP's publishing schedule can be cranked back up to full gear again. Today, more details for those who are curious, including what I've been doing with my time while away from the site. | Read entire entry
Personal essay: Some early thoughts regarding the CCLaPocracy | November 6, 2007
Today, a few early thoughts regarding a possible online community site for CCLaP's readers, a project I cheekily call the "CCLaPocracy," plus how Cory Doctorow's idea of a reputation-based economy may provide the key to its self-policing. Click through for more nerdy goodness! | Read entire entry
The good news: CCLaP is updating again. The bad news... | November 1, 2007
Good and bad news to report today: The good being that the CCLaP website will start getting updated again starting today, the bad being that this will be a "lite" version for the next two weeks, in that my home internet connection is still down. Click through for more! | Read entire entry
Sorry for the silence; yes, my internet is down yet again | October 25, 2007
Hey, sorry for the lack of updates here this week; yes, you guessed correctly, my home internet connection's been down for three days and counting. Today, a little more details, and some news about what I've been doing offline during the downtime. | Read entire entry
CCLaP (reluctantly) becomes an Amazon Associate | October 14, 2007
Okay, I'm trying out something I'm hesitant about -- the Amazon.com "Associate" program, by which they pay me whenever one of my readers buys something through a CCLaP link. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry
New keyboard! And it's all thin and aluminum too! | September 24, 2007
Hey hey, CCLaP has a new keyboard! And it's cool, too, a brand-new type of cutting-edge aluminum keyboard just released by Apple. Click through for more details, and to see a photo. | Read entire entry
Keyboard broken! CCLaP on short hiatus! Crap! | September 18, 2007
Bad news -- my keyboard at home broke this morning, and I can't afford to buy a new one just yet, so I unfortunately have to put the CCLaP website on hiatus until then. Click through for all the details, if you're curious. | Read entire entry
CCLaP adds a linkroll | September 17, 2007
For those who don't know, I maintain a list of public bookmarks at del.icio.us, pointing to an interesting collection of artists, projects and the like that I'm always stumbling across. Today, news that I have started reprinting this list in the CCLaP sidebar, via a piece of Javascript code that del.icio.us provides, and why I've decided to do such a thing. | Read entire entry
And speaking of podcasts... | September 4, 2007
It's a podcast-heavy day here at the site, so I thought I'd go ahead and share two more pieces of news concerning the subject: that the CCLaP Podcast is now being listed over at Digg; and that I have finally moved to a streaming-audio service that's a little more reliable than my old one. Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry
UPDATE: The latest with CCLaP in Second Life | August 17, 2007
Today, some more screenshots from a freaky little videogame called Second Life, showing the latest on the construction of CCLaP's virtual art gallery there, plus a link to my Flickr account where you can a lot more. Did I mention, by the way, that I'm a complete dork? | Read entire entry
Personal essay: Oh Lord, CCLaP enters Second Life | August 14, 2007
Today's personal essay: An image-heavy look at the construction of CCLaP's new virtual headquarters, within the virtual reality of Second Life. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry
The CCLaP Digest: A sneak peek | August 10, 2007
Today, a sneak peek at something I'm not sure now if I've mentioned yet or not; that four times a year, I'll be collecting up all the essays published at CCLaP, and releasing it in a printer-friendly PDF format. Think of it as a paper literary journal without the paper. | Read entire entry
Personal essay: The CCLaP Manifesto | August 5, 2007
Today, a semi-silly but semi-serious personal essay: The CCLaP Manifesto, or those lessons and rules about the underground arts that I in particular believe in, and that I'm constantly trying to reinforce in this site's artistic reviews. Click through for a formal examination of these lessons. | Read entire entry
The CCLaP Podiophonic Laboratory? | July 25, 2007
Today, a question for the dear readers of this website: that if I were to start a new podcast here at CCLaP dedicated to experimental work from a variety of audio and video artists, would you audio and video artists participate? Click through for the details! | Read entire entry
CCLaP reviews -- now in convenient spreadsheet form | July 24, 2007
More in-house news about the CCLaP website today: namely, that I now offer the center's database of movie and book reviews as a downloadable spreadsheet, for those who wish to sort the information by any criteria they wish. Click through for the details and links. | Read entire entry
CCLaP: Cosmetic changes have occurred. | July 23, 2007
Just a small update about some cosmetic changes to the CCLaP website: to be specific, comments are now being displayed on the site's front page, and the site also finally has its own favicon as well. And aren't you excited about THAT? | Read entire entry
CCLaP files its 50th book review | July 10, 2007
Interesting news to report today: that I recently filed my 50th book review online, in my newish role as executive director of CCLaP. Click through for more, and to learn where the majority of these reviews can be found; it's not actually this website, believe it or not. | Read entire entry
Announcing the CCLaP Movie Club | July 9, 2007
It's official; I've set up a Google Group as a complement to CCLaP's "Movies for Grown-Ups" series of film essays! Click through for more on how it works, how to sign up, and what you can expect as a member. | Read entire entry
UPDATE: Photos of my childhood library, revealed! | June 25, 2007
Hey, you remember that personal essay I posted two weeks ago, about the public library I used to go to as a kid that had been fashioned out of an old Victorian mansion? Yeah, I finally tracked down some photos. Click through to see them, as well as to get the story of how the photos came about. | Read entire entry
Breaking news: CCLaP joins another social network for book nerds | June 22, 2007
Hey, fun news -- CCLaP has joined yet another specialty social network for book lovers, this one entitled GoodReads.com. Check out this entry for all the details. | Read entire entry
The CCLaP Movie Club? | June 19, 2007
And speaking of movies....I got an email from a CCLaP reader yesterday that made me laugh, where she admitted that each time I announce what's next on my Netflix* queue list, she runs out and rents the movie herself, so... | Read entire entry
Personal essay: "Oh, if we could all grow up with the kind of library I did." | June 12, 2007
Today, the first in a semi-regular series of personal essays, since I don't have a book or movie review ready to post today; in this case, a memoir of the first public library I started using, converted from an old Victorian mansion in St. Charles Missouri, and which helped to cement my love for books at a very early age. | Read entire entry
Don't forget, CCLaP's on LibraryThing and Shelfari (with even more material than here) | June 9, 2007
Don't forget, CCLaP maintains accounts at the nerdy-book-lover social networks LibraryThing and Shelfari; read this entry for an explanation of what they are, how to join, and what exclusive content you'll find there but not here at this website. | Read entire entry
More about the Printers Row Book Fair, and CCLaP's first social event! | June 8, 2007
It's official -- CCLaP is throwing its first social event at tomorrow's Printer Row Book Fair! Read this entry for all the details. | Read entire entry
Commenting system now working! | June 7, 2007
Good news -- CCLaP's commenting system is now working, although I'm still having some problems with the software that's supposed to inform me when a new comment's been submitted. Read all about it in this entry, including a detailed look at CCLaP's ethical guidelines concerning comments. | Read entire entry
Welcome to CCLaP. Version 2. | June 4, 2007
Greetings from the official web presence for the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography, or CCLaP. Today, a little introduction to who the organization is and what its goals are. | Read entire entry